Manchester United Museum
Manchester United Museum
North Stand Old Trafford,
Sir Matt Busby Way,
Manchester M16 0RA
Tel: 0870 442 1994 (option 3)
About Manchester United Museum
Manchester United Museum is located on Sir Matt Busby Way at Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams that’s one of the world’s most famous football stadiums, and boasts the biggest capacity in the English Premiership (76,000, and rising!). The Manchester United Museum is at the heart of the complex in the North Stand and has a quarter of a million visitors a year, enjoying a family day out to one of the world's top football clubs – and the richest, with an average turnover of three-quarters of a billion pounds!
A ticket to Manchester United Museum might not get its holder into the Director’s box on match days, but it certainly affords otherwise unprecedented access to a host of a hallowed artefacts and makes for an awe-inspiring family day out, whether you’re a Red Devil or not.
The Manchester United Museum was the UK’s first purpose-built football museum. It opened in 1986 and was revamped in 1998, when it was re-opened by Pele, and through over 1000 exhibits and informative interactive displays, it tracks the history of the Club from its humble origins (with a different name and strip) in 1878. This takes in the club’s first top-flight league championship win in 1908, the treasure chest of silverware won in the post-war era, not least the 1968 European Cup – the first won by an English club – and the 1999 treble, as well as tales of triumph and tragedy between. It makes for a fascinating story and a riveting family day out.
The Manchester United Museum’s educational and fun interactive displays look at key administrators, Managers and Players who helped to create Manchester United’s successes over the years, including the club’s greatest achiever, Sir Alex Ferguson. His unprecedented haul of 20 trophies over the last two decades is part of a staggering spectacle and the Manchester United Museum and Tour Centre highlights the careers of some of the greats who made it possible. The Hall of Fame, dedicated to United Legends, includes Sir Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law, George Best and Ryan Giggs, representing the four football-playing nations of the UK, as well as overseas stars such as ‘King’ Eric Cantona and goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel.
The family attraction also has exhibits on the Munich Air Disaster of 1958, when eight of the ‘Busby Babes’ were killed by an air crash at Munich airport, along with 15 other people, including several sports journalists and a former England goalkeeper. The tragedy is remembered through period newspaper articles, photos and personal items from the Busby Babes, vivdly recalling the terrible events of that fateful day, 6 February 1958, when a snow storm over Germany forced the plane carrying the team many considered a shoe-in for the European Cup to try to take off three times, failing catastrophically on its final run. The testimony of survivors like Sir Bobby is a poignant reminder of that era-shaping, shattering event.
The Manchester United Museum’s Treble Exhibition is a striking contrast and a testimony to the spirit of the club that the success of some of the Babes in 1968, when they won Europe’s premier club competition, was emulated and superseded by a League, FA Cup and European Cup haul that rightly won Sir Alex his knighthood and the admiration of football fans across the country. Museum ticket holders can relive the climax of those enthralling 10 days in 1999 that saw Sir Alex’s side beat arch rivals Arsenal to the Premiership title, lift the FA Cup and enjoy an unforgettable night in the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona, when they heroically came from behind to clinch an unbelievable victory from the jaws of defeat in the dying minutes of the match.
Indeed, no family day out to Manchester United Museum would be complete without a An Audience With Sir Alex Ferguson. Advanced hologram technology projects a 3-D analogue of the manager into a replica of his office. The boss then answers fans' questions about his unparalleled reign over the club and he reflects on his favourite United moments. The creators of the spectcle might not have captured every nuance of the great man on match day – there’s no trademark gum-chewing or remonstrating with officials! – but Sir Alex himself commented, "I was absolutely delighted when I saw the finished product. It's fantastic and goes in line with what Manchester United is all about. We like to try new things all the time, whether that's on or off the pitch”. It certainly adds a new dimension to a family attraction of great variety and enhances a fun family day out.
Kids of all ages will also love the Manchester United Museum Man-U-Net interactive zone, which contains an electronic archive where you can find a roll of honour of every player to have worn the Manchester United shirt in any competitive match since the club was founded. Other state of the art features include a search system for your favourite goals, there’s a training challenge to put you through your paces, a Reflex Wall to further test your ball playing skills, and you can even undertake your own match commentary or test your knowledge in the Fanzone.
Another aspect of this unique family attraction are a permanent kit display taking in everything from Sandy Turnbull’s shirt worn in United’s first F.A. Cup success in 1909, to Brian Kidd’s 1968 European Cup final strip. Museum ticket holders can see how the style, colours and material have changed over the years and there are photos and sound and video clips of players through the ages modelling everything from the long shorts of the pre-War years, to the ludicrous short shorts of the 80s, and today’s medium shorts! It all makes for a fascinating family day out for anyone with an interest in the beautiful game and its evolution over the decades.
Moreover, a supplement to the ticket to the Manchester United Museum allows visitors to go behind the scenes of the club in a way that’s not otherwise possible, with a tour of the Away and Home players’ changing rooms and the player's lounge (where the manager is banned unless invited by the team captain!). There’s also a heady walk down the tunnel to the pitchside and the hallowed turf of Old Trafford. Additionally, the Stadium Tour from Manchester United Museum incorporates a sit in the lofty heights of the North Stand for a bird’s eye view of the pitch, while a fun family day out peaks with an invitation to stand in Sir Alex Ferguson’s spot in the dug out – just the ticket!
A ticket for the compelling family attraction that is Manchester United Museum also grants access to a fine cafe/restaurant and Parking On Site, while there is independent wheelchair access and Disabled Parking, making it a family day out for everyone. Truly fanatical Reds can even get married at the club, ensuring that your own piece of history can be made at the Manchester United Museum!