People's History Museum, Manchester (must see)

The People's History Museum in Manchester, originally known as the National Museum of Labour History until 2001, serves as the UK's national center dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and studying the history of working people in the country. Situated in a Grade II listed former hydraulic pumping station, which was designed by Henry Price, the city architect for Manchester Corporation, the museum is strategically located at the intersection of Bridge Street and Water Street.

The museum's exhibits focus on the narrative of workers' rights and the evolution of democracy in Great Britain, spanning the past 200 years. It explores the everyday lives of people at home, work, and leisure through a diverse collection of printed materials, physical objects, and photographs that depict people in various aspects of life. Key historical themes featured include popular radicalism, the Peterloo Massacre, trade unionism from the 19th century, the women's suffrage movement, dockers' lives, the cooperative movement, the pivotal 1945 general election, football culture, and developments in friendly societies and the welfare movement.

The People's History Museum boasts one of the largest collections of political memorabilia in Britain, tracing back to the early 19th century. The collection is particularly rich in items related to the history of democracy, including 2,000 posters from election campaigns, 300 political cartoons, 7,000 trade union badges and tokens, and an impressive archive of 95,000 photographs. Notably, the museum houses the world's largest collection of trade union and political banners, with over 400 banners that visitors can observe being conserved in the museum's Textile Conservation studio located in Main Gallery Two.

Additionally, the museum continues to expand its collection with contemporary materials, such as attempting to acquire notable items like the "EdStone" from the 2015 Labour general election campaign and the copy of Mao's Little Red Book thrown by John McDonnell in the House of Commons. Through initiatives like "Play Your Part," the museum connects its historical collections to current-day issues, ensuring that its exhibits remain relevant and engaging for modern audiences.