Discover Manchester Scavenger Hunt
Discover the city that invented the industrial revolution with a one-of-a-kind scavenger hunt. Wander the Northern Quarter's mural-covered streets, stand in front of the neo-Gothic Town Hall, photograph red bricks and red devils, then toast a pint in a Victorian pub. Manchester is your playground for the day.
Stops on this hunt
The geo-tagged checkpoints that anchor this route. You can rearrange, replace or remove any stop after using the template.
-
1
Manchester Town Hall
Navigate to Albert Square in front of Manchester Town Hall and check in.
-
2
Northern Quarter
Navigate to the Northern Quarter (Stevenson Square or Tib Street works) and check in surrounded by murals.
-
3
Manchester Cathedral
Navigate to Manchester Cathedral on Victoria Street and check in at the entrance.
-
4
Old Trafford
Hop a tram on the Metrolink (Altrincham line) to Old Trafford and check in at the Sir Matt Busby statue outside the stadium.
Challenges (19)
Manchester kick-off
The hunt begins! Find a typical Manchester backdrop (a red-brick mill, a black cab, a street mural) and take a group photo with the whole team in shot.
Checkpoint: Manchester Town Hall
Navigate to Albert Square in front of Manchester Town Hall and check in.
Town Hall clock tower pose
Step back so the full Town Hall clock tower fits above the team in a single shot, then take a group photo pointing at the clock as if you are checking the time on a Victorian pocket watch.
Trivia: Town Hall architect
The Manchester Town Hall was designed by which architect (last name is enough)?
Answers: Waterhouse / waterhouse / Alfred Waterhouse
Checkpoint: Northern Quarter
Navigate to the Northern Quarter (Stevenson Square or Tib Street works) and check in surrounded by murals.
Mural mimic
Find your favourite Northern Quarter mural and take a group photo where each person mimics a figure in the artwork. Pointing, leaning, copying poses, the funnier the better.
Record shop pose
The Northern Quarter is home to legendary record shops (Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange). Step inside, pick out a record cover that matches the team's mood and take a photo holding it up like an album review.
Trivia: Industrial revolution
Manchester is often called the world's first what (two words)?
Answers: industrial city / Industrial City / industrial town / Industrial Town
Checkpoint: Manchester Cathedral
Navigate to Manchester Cathedral on Victoria Street and check in at the entrance.
Cathedral arch pose
In front of Manchester Cathedral: take a group photo where the medieval doorway frames the team like a stained-glass window.
Checkpoint: Old Trafford
Hop a tram on the Metrolink (Altrincham line) to Old Trafford and check in at the Sir Matt Busby statue outside the stadium.
Theatre of Dreams group shot
Old Trafford is the Theatre of Dreams. Take a group photo with the stadium sign or the Sir Matt Busby statue clearly behind the team. Wear red if you have it.
Trivia: United founded
Manchester United was founded in 1878 as the football club of a railway depot. What was the original name? (Two words, both starting with N.)
Answers: Newton Heath / newton heath / Newton Heath LYR
Castlefield canal photo
Castlefield is the world's first industrial canal hub. Find one of the iron viaducts arching over the canal and take a group photo with the bridge framing the team from above.
Pint in a Victorian pub
Find a Victorian pub (Peveril of the Peak, The Britons Protection or any tiled-front classic) and take a group toast photo with pints, halves or soft drinks raised. Cheers to Manchester!
Red brick texture team
Manchester is the city of red brick. Find a tall brick mill wall and take a group photo where everyone presses against it in the same direction, like an old factory line-up.
Local Mancunian tip
Convince a local Mancunian to share a tip about the city. Take a photo with your impromptu guide and remember the tip.
Bee spotted
The worker bee is the symbol of Manchester and appears on lamp posts, mosaics, murals and bins. Find a bee in the wild and take a group photo with everyone pointing at it.
Manchester finale
Final challenge. Find a beautiful Manchester spot and take an amazing closing group photo. Cheers from Manc!
Frequently asked questions
Three to four hours covers the central loop from the Town Hall through the Northern Quarter to the Cathedral at a relaxed pace. The Old Trafford stop adds a fifteen-minute tram ride west on the Metrolink (Altrincham line) and another thirty minutes for photos at the stadium, so plan five hours if you include it.
On match days the stadium is closed to general tours and the surrounding area is crowded with supporters. Outside match days the museum and stadium tour runs daily and is worth booking ahead. The challenge in this hunt only needs an exterior photo, which works any day. Check Manchester United's fixtures before scheduling.
It probably will, Manchester averages 150 rainy days a year. The route works in light rain (the Northern Quarter has plenty of cafe shelter, the Town Hall and Cathedral are open to the public) but heavy rain spoils the Castlefield and Old Trafford outdoor shots. Bring an umbrella or shift the hunt to a drier window.
Albert Square in front of the Town Hall is the natural starting point: it sits in the dead centre, walks to the Northern Quarter and Cathedral in under ten minutes, and the trams to Old Trafford leave from Deansgate-Castlefield a few streets away. If you arrive at Piccadilly station, it is a fifteen-minute walk west.
During the day, yes, it is full of cafes, record shops, vintage stores and the largest street art concentration in the UK. After 9 in the evening it tips toward bars and clubs, which is fine for adults but loud for kids. Run the Northern Quarter challenges in daylight to keep the hunt comfortable for all ages.