Whether you’re a football fanatic, planning a family day out or visiting the great city of Manchester, the National Football Museum is the place to learn more and share stories about everybody’s favourite game.
Opening Hours
Open daily
10am – 5pm
(last admission 4pm)
Closed:
24-26 December 2024
and 1 January 2025
Admission
We encourage all visitors to book online in advance of their visit to avoid disappointment. Please note: group tickets, school tickets and tickets purchased through third party sellers are valid for date of visit only.
Looking to bring a large squad to the museum? We offer a 20% discount for parties of 10 or more, deducted automatically at checkout. For group booking enquiries, please get in touch at groups@nationalfootballmuseum.com.
| Ticket type | Online | Walk Up |
|---|---|---|
| City of Manchester Resident | Free | Free |
| Adult 16+ years | £14 | £16 |
| Child 5 – 15 years | £8 | £10 |
| Under-5s | Free | Free |
| Family Saver 2 adults, 2 children / 1 adult, 3 children | £36 | £42 |
| Concessions students, seniors | £12 | £14 |
| National Art Pass and Museum Association members | Free | Free |
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Visitors with disabilities may admit one accompanying carer free of charge.
Bring a copy of your Season Ticket/s with you on the day. You can show this on your device/mobile phone or bring a paper copy.
If you are a City of Manchester taxpayer, you must bring proof of residence to qualify for free admission. Please bring photo ID and something that shows your home address, for example a driving licence, utility bill or council tax bill.
Concession or discounted ticket holders will need to bring proof of eligibility – e.g. photo ID with your date of birth, student pass, Blue Light Card, Arts Pass etc.
Thanks to funding from Manchester City Council we are able to offer free admission to visitors who pay their council tax to Manchester City Council.
Eligible City of Manchester postcodes: M1, M2, M3,(Manchester City Council tax payers only), M4, M8, M9, M11, M12, M13, M14, M15, M16, (Manchester City Council tax payers only), M18, M19, M20, M21, M22, M23, M40, M90. Please note that you must pay your council tax to Manchester City Council (as opposed to any other council) to be eligible for free admission.
Tickets are non transferable and ID must be produced each time you visit.
Group admission tickets and some promotional offers are valid for day of entry only.
Pitch Gallery
Ground floor
Kick off your visit in the Pitch Gallery with the opportunity to have your photo taken with our collection of football silverware, including our very own official replicas of the Premier League and Women’s Super League trophies.
Alongside George Best’s Mini Cooper, this space also hosts a programme of special exhibitions and workshops. Make sure you check out our What’s On programme prior to your visit!
Our current Pitch Gallery exhibition is Admiral: 50 Years of the Replica Shirt.
Visitors can also pick up a football-themed memento from our gift shop, or grab a drink and a light bite from The Dugout cafe.
The Pitch Gallery also features men’s, women’s and accessible toilets, as well as baby changing facilities and a prayer room.
Match Gallery
Level 1
The Match Gallery is the largest display space within the museum and houses our most significant and rare items.
Here, we tell the many interwoven stories of the game, from the formation of the world’s first football association and the founding of the FA Cup, through to the national side’s performances on the world stage. We also look at various aspects of the game through key objects from our collection.
Gallery highlights include:
- The original ‘Laws of the Game’
- The oldest surviving FA Cup trophy
- The First Division trophy
- 1966 Jules Rimet Trophy replica and match ball
- The Lily Parr statue
Play Gallery
Level 2
As the name suggests, this gallery focuses on the different elements of playing the beautiful game and its impact on popular culture. Our popular interactive games and our junior Discovery Zone space are also located on this floor.
Gallery highlights include:
- Penalty Shootout
- Pass Master
- Shot Stopper
- Discovery Zone (ideal for our youngest visitors!)
- LMA Manager of the Year trophy
- The history of footballs
- Shirts worn by Wayne Rooney, Ian Wright & Peter Schmeichel
Score Gallery
Level 3
The Score Gallery space is dedicated to our programme of special exhibitions.
Make sure you check our What’s On guide when planning your visit to the National Football Museum.
Shop
Our gift shop has a range of football souvenirs and memorabilia for fans of all ages. The shop is open every day, as well as online.
The Dugout Cafe
Treat yourself to a half-time brew or post-match snacks in our museum café. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm; open every day during school holidays.
Location
The National Football Museum is located in Manchester’s iconic Urbis Building in the heart of the Medieval Quarter and close to the Central Retail District, Norther Quarter and NOMA.
National Football Museum
Urbis Building
Cathedral Gardens
Manchester, M4 3BG
Tel: 0161 605 8200
Email: info@nationalfootballmuseum.com
How to get here
The National Football Museum is right at the heart of the action!
We are located in Manchester city centre in the iconic Urbis Building in the Medieval Quarter, a two-minute walk from Manchester Victoria Station and five minutes from Shudehill Bus Station.
As a low carbon venue, we encourage our visitors to use the greenest transport option possible when travelling to the museum, and to reduce congestion and air pollution in the city centre.
Manchester City Centre is very well connected by train, tram and bus and also has cycle and walking routes. The Transport for Greater Manchester website has detailed information on the best way to get around the city: https://tfgm.com/
Travelling under your own power, whether walking or cycling, is the easiest and greenest way to get around the city centre. Transport for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network provide tips for active travel: https://beeactive.tfgm.com/bee-network-vision/
There are five bike racks located on Corporation Street next to the museum. The nearest cycle parking facility can be found at the City Tower Cycle Hub next to Piccadilly Gardens, a 10-minute walk from the museum.
Victoria Station is a 2-minute walk from the museum and operates regional services to and from Bolton, Southport, Wigan, Preston, Blackburn, Liverpool, Manchester Airport, Edinburgh, Rochdale and Leeds.
Piccadilly Station is the city’s principal station and connects to locations across the country, including the east coast main line to London Euston and Manchester Airport.
Piccadilly Station is a 20-minute walk to the museum. Alternatively, you can take a short Metrolink tram ride to Victoria Station and then a 2-minute walk to our entrance. There is also a free Metroshuttle bus to the museum (see below).
The nearest Metrolink tram stop is Victoria Station. Victoria connects to the following lines:
- Altrincham-Bury (green)
- Bury-Piccadilly (yellow)
- Manchester Airport-Victoria (dark blue)
- East Didsbury-Rochdale (pink)
- East Didsbury-Shaw (brown)
Manchester has an extensive bus network including a fleet of fully electric vehicles on certain routes. There is a bus stop (code NP) right outside the museum on Corporation Street served by many different routes.
The free city centre Metroshuttle service number 2 stops at the museum and links directly to Deansgate and Oxford Road train stations as well as other Metroshuttle services.
Manchester City FC: Etihad Stadium
There is a signposted walking route to the stadium from Manchester Piccadilly Station, which takes around 20 minutes.
The Metrolink Etihad Campus stop serves the stadium. From Piccadilly Gardens use the Eccles – Ashton-Under-Lyne (light blue) service to reach Etihad Campus.
Twitter users can contact @ManCityHelp for advice.
Manchester United FC: Old Trafford
Old Trafford is a three-mile walk from the museum. The most popular mode of transport, however, is the Metrolink tram system. MUFC and Victoria Station are linked by the Bury – Altrincham (green) line or the Altrincham – Piccadilly (purple) line (changing at Piccadilly Gardens to the Bury service for Victoria – green or yellow).
Extra services are provided on match days, but the Metrolink system can get very busy. Visit metrolink.co.uk or follow @MCRMetrolink on Twitter for service updates. It’s suggested matchgoers use the following stops:
- Old Trafford (0.5 miles – 10 mins walk)
- Exchange Quay (0.7 miles – 14 mins walk)
- Trafford Bar (0.8 miles – 15 mins walk)
Other Grounds
There are Metrolink services linking the National Football Museum to many Greater Manchester teams.
- AFC Bury (Radcliffe – approx. 25 min walk to Neuven Stadium)
- Oldham (Westwood – approx. 20 min walk to Boundary Park)
- Rochdale (Rochdale Interchange – approx. 30 min walk to Spotland)
All are linked by Metrolink tram services from Shudehill Bus Station. See the Metrolink website for times and further service info.
Manchester Victoria has regional services including Liverpool, Leeds, Wigan, Bolton, Preston and Sheffield, whilst Manchester Piccadilly has national routes.
Venue Access
Football is for all, and so is the National Football Museum. We want to make sure that everyone enjoys their visit.
Below you’ll find a summary of the access services we provide, along with useful resources and downloads to support your visit. If there is anything we can do to improve your experience, or if you would like to speak to the member of the team about your visit, please contact us:
Email: info@nationalfootballmuseum.com
Telephone: 0161 605 8200
Accessibility
- Automatic door access at main entrance
- Lift to all floors
- Ramps to all raised areas
- Accessible toilets on ground floor and levels 1, 2 and 4
- Induction loops at reception and information desks
- Assistance animals permitted
- Water bowls available for assistance animals
- Wheelchairs hire – free of charge, please book in advance
- Guided tours on request
- Large print guide available on your visit
- 130+ disabled parking spaces in the nearby NCPs (Arena, Exchange, Shudehill, High Street)
- Visit the Manchester City Council website for information on disabled parking bays in Manchester city centre.
We also offer an Explorer Bag for SEND visitors, containing the following items:
- Ear defenders
- A football spinner
- A texture bag and colour paddles
- A football squishy and football pop it
- A magnifying glass and a large magnifier
- Binoculars
- A Pickles the Dog teddy
Our Explorer Bags are available to loan for free: simply request one at our Welcome Wing entrance!
Terms and Conditions
Frequently Asked Questions
On average we recommend 90 minutes for your visit. We also have a Gift Shop and The Dugout Cafe to enjoy once you have explored our four galleries.
Last admission is 4pm.
Buying your ticket direct from the National Football Museum means you have unlimited access for a year. You can beat the queues by booking your preferred time of visit and save money on our standard admission rates. What’s not to love!
All tickets booked direct with the National Football Museum are called Season Tickets, and include:
- Museum admission – unlimited entry for 12 months (valid from date of first visit)
- Free entry into special exhibitions
- Guided tours
- Workshops
- Football+ interactive games *
*excluding Penalty Shootout
Please note: Group tickets, school tickets and tickets purchased through third party sellers are valid for date of visit only.
All admission tickets purchased direct from us are Season Tickets – there is no difference in price. You just get the added benefits!
Thanks to funding from Manchester City Council, the National Football Museum is able to offer free admission to City of Manchester residents and schools.
Eligible City of Manchester postcodes: M1, M2, M3, M4, M8, M9, M11, M12, M13, M14, M15, M16, M18, M19, M20, M21, M22, M23, M40, M90. Please note that you must pay your council tax to Manchester City Council (as opposed to any other council) to be eligible for free admission.
City of Manchester residents need to bring photo ID and something that shows your home address, for example driving licence, passport or council tax bill.
Concessions need to bring photo student ID. Art Pass and Museum Association need to show a valid membership card upon arrival.
Football is for all, and so is the National Football Museum. We want to make sure that everyone enjoys their visit.
Visit our Venue Access page for more information on the services we provide, along with useful resources and downloads to support your visit.
We welcome visitors of all ages, and there’s plenty to entertain young and old fans alike throughout our four galleries.
For our youngest visitors, the Discovery Zone in the Play Gallery is ideal for the under-fives, providing a calm and safe space to introduce little ones to the world of football. For visitors seven and above, the Football+ interactives are a must-play! There’s also a range of free activity trails and family workshops, so check out our What’s On guide when planning your visit.
We do get busy during school holidays so make sure you book in advance to secure your slot (and save £££!). Queues for the Penalty Shootout can exceed 30 minutes at peak times.
For security reasons we are unable to store large bags or suitcases at the museum. There are a number of luggage storage services available across Manchester: https://www.visitmanchester.com/visitor-information/travel-information/left-luggage
Here at the National Football Museum, your safety is our priority, we have a number of measures in place to ensure your visit is safe and enjoyable for everyone.
In addition to a dedicated security team, there is CCTV across the site and our staff team undertake counter terrorism, first aid and health and safety training.
We also work closely with partners and agencies, including Greater Manchester Police, to regularly review our safety and security procedures.
If you see anything of concern during your visit, please immediately inform a member of staff.
We love dogs (especially Pickles – you can find out more about him in our Match Gallery) but for the comfort and safety of all our visitors, only service dogs are permitted in the museum.
We encourage our visitors to use the greenest transport option possible when travelling to the museum to contribute to the fight against climate change and reduce congestion and air pollution in the city centre.
The National Football Museum has excellent public transport links, and for those travelling by car the nearest car parks are:
AO Arena CitiPark: https://citipark.co.uk/car-parks/manchester/arena
Car Park Manchester Printworks | APCOA: https://citycentre.apcoa.co.uk/carpark/location/manchester-printworks/3878
Q-Park Deansgate North: https://www.q-park.co.uk/en-gb/cities/manchester/deansgate-north/
The National Football Museum is in the heart of the city centre, within the Medieval Quarter area.
Within the Medieval Quarter you will find: Manchester Corn Exchange, AO Arena, Chetham’s Library, The Stoller Hall, Manchester Cathedral, The Printworks and Arndale Shopping Centre.
We are also close to Manchester neighbourhoods: Greengate, NOMA, Northern Quarter and Central Retail District.
Visit Manchester is a great resource for planning your visit to the city: www.visitmanchester.com