My friends from the states flew to Manchester in mid-July, and I went to see them for the weekend, and we hung out and went to the Manchester Cat Cafe, shops, and the BBC Media City Tour. Another item on the itinerary that one of them wanted to see was the National Football Museum. I believe this museum replaces an older one that was located on the outskirts of Manchester. This is housed in a new building. I do not follow football myself, so I don't know too much about the game and history to go into too much detail here like I would on other subjects, but if you really enjoy the game, then I recommend this. It has several exhibits with various aspects of the game and participation areas to test various skills that the football players use.
The museum has extras to do, so if you want to get your photograph with the trophies or participate in some of the football-related games to see if you could play the game, then I advise you to buy this before you enter. We got a few to use.
The museum is a historical look at the game of football (or 'soccer' as it's known to people who live in the states). The museum shows several areas related to the game. One section looks at the early beginnings of the game and displays some old balls and fan collectibles. On display is a statue of the Great War truce held on Christmas day when the Germans and English soldiers took time out to play a game. One of two footballs used by men at The Battle of the Somme in July 1916 is also on display here.
Another section covers the radio commentary of football, and another looks at the fans and some of the nation's popular clubs. Related to this are the media and press and how it affects the players and games.
Another section of the museum shows the game of football with its global influences, including the World Cup with a selection of trophies, including the 1966 trophy that England won. Throughout are featured collectibles, ticket stubs, posters, and much more. The graphic design aspect appealed the most to me.
Stadiums are also looked at as well as stadium disasters. One of the turnstiles from the old Wembley Stadium, before it was demolished in the early 2000s is on display here.
A large section was dedicated to toys and games available of that had been available, and this also included arcade machines. These vintage machines are in working order, and visitors can play the games and win prizes. Some of them are very unique. One annoying one was just a little puppet "The Jolly Goalie" that kept laughing, and it laughed for around ten minutes straight.
Another interesting section of the museum was the top floor where there is a photo gallery.
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