Manchester United Museum & Tour - Review for families

Best for:

5 – 8 / 9 - 12 / 12+

OK for:

Babies / Toddlers, but only if you have a baby carrier (or a sturdy walker) and don’t mind leaving the buggy in the boot!

Cost

£££. Tickets for a family of 4 to visit the museum and then take the Stadium tour will set you back just over £50. Discounts are available for official members and prices can change! If you only want to visit the museum OR take the tour, it’ll cost a bit less.

What’s on offer

Old Trafford offers fans of all ages the chance to fully immerse yourself in the past, present and future of the Football Club.

The Man Utd Museum combines old-fashioned displays and ‘state of the art’ interactive elements to tell the tale of the infamous club. You’ll learn things you never knew before, take pictures with the club’s trophies and see the kits worn by players who’ve made footballing history. As well as a permanent collection, the museum is also home to some special temporary collections, which includes the likes of First World War displays and a Wayne Rooney exhibition.

The tour itself takes you on an atmospheric wander around the grounds of Old Trafford, which houses over 75,000 people, including a visit to the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. Get up close and personal in the player’s changing rooms and have your little one feel like their footballing hero as they emerge from the players tunnel onto the pitch.

Man Utd offer several ‘unique’ tours, including the ‘Old Trafford Experience’, which combines a trip to the café, museum and the stadium tour in a price package ideal for super-fan families. The ‘Legend’ Tour (which, admittedly, is probably more up mum and dad’s street) includes tea, coffe and biscuits on arrival, plus a Q&A session with one of the club’s footballing legends, the stadium tour and a free trip around the museum. Finally, the Leisure Cruise Tour allows guests to ride a canal barge from the city centre to Salford Quays, before enjoying the stadium tour.

In addition to the museum and tour, fans of the footie club can enjoy a meal or snack at the Red Café, where baby-changing facilities are available on a non-match day.

Highlights

The guides are really knowledgeable and make the tours feel fun, informative and friendly. They’re skilled at interacting with fans, even if they’re really young. The stadium is massive, so there’s plenty to see. Children as young as four have been said to remain engaged with the tour, according to TripAdvisor users, so no need to worry about the little ones. Plus, the photo opportunities for the whole family are priceless.

The museum is great for kids, as the interactive elements are geared towards keeping them interested in all of the club’s history.

Football fans, particularly fans of the club, will be enamoured by the tour. Luckily, football fans who don’t support Man Utd will appreciate seeing the famous stadium, understand the club’s history and getting out onto the pitch. Guests who weren’t even Man Utd fans referred to the tour as “a must” on TripAdvisor – though this rule may only apply to grown ups.

What to watch out for

• Keep an eye on the latest museum opening times and tour start times as these will vary depending on whether or not you visit on a weekday or if there’s a match on. If there’s a match on, you may not be able to take a tour. It’s also recommended you visit the museum before you take the tour, especially if you’re taking a late tour. Please read the latest opening times info for full details, so you can plan your visit accordingly.

• The stadium tour lasts approximately 80 minutes, not including a visit to the museum. This will be restricted on match days.

• Some visitors may not find the café as impressive as the tour.

MFM tips:

• If your child loves football, go for it. If your child doesn’t love football, this tour might be a bit too much for them.

• Don’t forget to check the opening times!

What the owners say

“Go behind the scenes at Old Trafford and see the stadium through the eyes of Manchester United greats themselves.

From the dizzy heights of the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, to the atmosphere soaked players’ dressing room, every moment will seem to carry the roar of 76,000 fans in your ears - none more so than the ultimate honour of emerging from the players tunnel and following in the footsteps of so many legendary reds.”

Visit the official Manchester United Tour website

Photo: mrmichaelangelo / Shutterstock.com

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Heaton Park
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