Spend a day at this museum recently named one of the best in the country
Bolton Museum(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
It doesn’t seem five minutes since the Easter holidays, so it’s hard to believe that for many schools it’s May half term this week. Keeping the kids occupied over the coming days can be tricky, but we’ve got lots of suggestions for things to do.
The weather is also a challenge, especially as there’s some showers forecast this week, so it’s a good idea to plan some rainy day activities.
A museum is always a great option and many are completely free to visit – including Bolton Museum.
Located in the town centre, it was recently named one of the best free museums and galleries to visit in the UK, in a list compiled by GoldCo, which ranked galleries and museums based on Tripadvisor review and star ratings.
Bolton Museum(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
The museum has a wealth of displays, spanning the ancient Egyptians to zoology, sure to spark children’s imagination.
Its collections are impressive with around 12,000 objects from Egypt, more than 3,500 items of fine art, and around 60,000 botanical specimens and much, much more.
The museum also focuses on local history, looking at the area’s industrial heritage with artefacts on display.
Bolton Museum also has a unique feature: it’s home to the region’s only public aquarium and home to more than 70 varieties of fish from across the world.
Bolton Aquarium(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Visitors can marvel at the Ornate Bichir, a snake-like fish from the swamps of central Africa; get up close to piranhas from the Amazon; and catch a glimpse of one of the Pygmy Glass Danio, one of the smallest fish in the world.
Costa Rica, Borneo, Malaysia and Madagascar are just some of the countries the aquarium’s fish originate from.
Every tank is designed to replicate the natural habitat of the fish, for example the Peruvian fish are kept in tanks with a similar environment to a small stream in Peru, with shallow waters, plants and fallen leaves.
Meanwhile, the Indian display features bright lighting, rocks and wood to provide shelter.
In 2021 the aquarium celebrated its 80th anniversary, having first opened to the public in January 1941. Initially it displayed British freshwater fish, but today it has an extensive exotic collection.
Bolton Museum and Aquarium is completely free to visit. It’s open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday – Saturday from 9am to 5pm, Wednesdays 9.30am to 5pm and Sundays from 10am to 4pm.
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