7 great reasons to visit the National Football Museum

With EURO 2024 kicking off this month, what better way to celebrate the beautiful game than with a visit to this special museum?

Image: courtesy of National Football Museum

Where can you find the National Football Museum?

In the heart of Manchester, which is hardly surprising given the city’s long-standing love affair with football. The museum lies just moments from Victoria station and a two-minute walk from Manchester Cathedral.

Image: courtesy of National Football Museum

Why should you visit?

The museum tells the story of how football has shaped and been shaped by community, identity, politics, heritage and more. The venue has been based in Manchester for 12 years, welcoming over 2.5 million visitors in the process. It sprang from a previous iteration in Preston where, until its closure in 2010, a collection of objects and ephemera relating to the sport was housed in Preston North End Football Club’s Deepdale Stadium. Today the museum is custodian to over 40,000 items – the world’s largest collection of football objects and archives. It encompasses The Harry Langton Collection (named after the celebrated sports journalist who amassed memorabilia, artworks, toys, games and equipment) and The People’s Collection, which features pieces donated by fans.

Inspiration for the next generation of players. Image: courtesy of National Football Museum

Which exhibits are a must-see?

Be sure to check out the Hall of Fame. This commemorates legendary figures of the sport in the form of over 190 players, managers and teams. In 2019 the hall was launched to better reflect the contribution of women, and with a commitment to achieve 50% female representation. Those already inducted include the brilliant former England midfielder Jill Scott, and broadcaster and former England player Alex Scott MBE. They will soon be joined by Rebecca Welch, who was the first female referee to officiate a Premier League match.

Image: courtesy of National Football Museum

What’s on this month?

The museum’s latest exhibition, called MARKERS, takes the form of street art, with nine special artist commissions that celebrate both undersung individuals and well-known heroes of the sport in distinct mural styles. It continues until 31 January 2025.

Any particular artistic connections?

The museum has worked with and featured a range of artists to bring the story of football alive through exhibitions and commissions. These include Manchester-born painter Michael J Browne, who collaborated with football legend Eric Cantona to mount an exhibition last year. It also recently staged an exhibition of works by Iain S P Reid, a photographer known for his tender portraits of Manchester fans in the 1970s.

Mama Look A Mas Passin by artist John Lyons. Image: © John CM Lyons   

Make a day of it!

Manchester is full of exceptional cultural institutions, many of which are a stone’s throw from the National Football Museum. Among them, and a mere 10-minute walk away, you’ll find Manchester Art Gallery, which features both historical and contemporary art, craft, costumes, artefacts and more. Head towards the river to visit the spectacular new arts venue Factory International, or stop off at the People’s History Museum, which tells the history and present-day realities of democracy, all housed in a converted Edwardian pumping station. Don’t miss, too, The Whitworth art gallery, which currently has the major retrospective exhibition of works by the Caribbean British artist and poet John Lyons – John Lyons: Carnivalesque (on until 25 August).

The museum is full of treasures for football fans. Image: courtesy of National Football Museum

Here’s a fun fact…

The National Football Museum holds some of the most iconic pieces of football memorabilia in the world. Among its holdings is Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ shirt, which he wore while playing for Argentina against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. On scoring what was probably the most controversial goal in the tournament’s history, the player declared it was achieved ‘a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God’.

Find out more

See nationalfootballmuseum.com

Entry is free to City of Manchester residents, but there is a charge to those from further afield.

For more on EURO 2024 (14 June–14 July), see uefa.com

Going local

Do you live in this region – then why not join a local Arts Society?

The Arts Society Bowdon – bowdon.theartssociety.org

The Arts Society Bolton – theartssocietybolton.org.uk

The Arts Society North East Cheshire – theartssocietynortheastcheshire.org.uk

Check for the latest news on upcoming lectures at each Society’s website. Among those will be Arts Society Lecturer Raymond Warburton’s Banksy and Basquiat: Superstars of Street Art on 17 June, arranged by The Arts Society Bowdon.