If you’ve ever wanted to walk through Manchester City’s history without leaving East Manchester, you can book your visit now. The club’s new Museum Experience opens on December 14 at Medlock Square, the £300m hospitality and entertainment district at the Etihad Campus.
Across ten spaces and more than 1,700 square metres, the museum traces the club’s story from its founding in 1880 to today. It combines original memorabilia, interactive technology and recreated environments. One of them is a nostalgic recreation of Maine Road, the club’s former stadium. You’ll also see all of the club’s major trophies and try your hand at football punditry in an interactive media experience.
The first exhibition at Manchester City Museum is devoted to Pep Guardiola
The museum opens with its first temporary exhibition, marking ten years of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. It focuses on the most successful manager in the club’s history and on the decade that transformed it, using iconic imagery and content from one of football’s most influential coaches.
The London studio of Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) designed the museum, and has also worked on the SS Great Britain Experience in Bristol, the Crown Jewels Experience at the Tower of London and the Second World War Galleries at Imperial War Museum London.
Jeremy Maxton, Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City, said the team built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the museum can keep evolving. He describes it as a destination for lifelong supporters, weekend visitors and anyone looking for a day out.
The City x PUMA Arena
The museum also features the City x PUMA Arena, a space for football challenges, alongside a showcase of PUMA’s long-standing relationship with the sport. The area includes a shooting game inspired by Sergio Aguero’s iconic last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers in 2012, one of the most famous moments in Premier League history.
Part of a growing East Manchester district
The museum is part of the phased development of East Manchester. Medlock Square already has several places to eat and drink, including the newly opened Zadie’s, Little Beast, Blend and Three Rivers Brasserie, set within The Medlock, a Radisson Blu Hotel. The district will also have a flagship CityStore, a covered space for new experiences and a rooftop adventure at the stadium. The aim is to give people reasons to visit beyond matchdays.
Visits from December 14 are now open for booking on the Manchester City website.
