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Swim at the Aquatic Centre.
The Manchester Aquatics Centre, abbreviated MAC, is a public aquatics sports facility south of the city centre of Manchester, England, north of the main buildings of the University of Manchester near Manchester Metropolitan University. It was purpose built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and cost £32 million to build.
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Manchester University's own museum is like a mini version of London's Natural History Museum and boasts real dinosaur skeletons (including Stan the T-Rex), Egyptian mummies, and architect Alfred Waterhouse's huge taxidermy collection, begun in 1888. Especially interesting is the Manchester Vivarium, the only legal zoo in Manchester, with the largest and most important collection of tree frogs in the world. Free; except for temporary exhibits - prices vary.
Hosts major touring shows.
Greater Manchester Arts Centre
Manchester's contemporary arts and film centre with five cinema screens & two theatres. Daily showings of independent & foreign language films and gallery space. The centre also houses a cafe-bar and a restaurant. Film prices are cheaper before 5pm on weekdays & 3pm at weekends. Foreign language films are shown with English subtitles. The building is fully accessible.
Manchester University's art gallery combines more modern art than the Manchester Art Gallery with displays of watercolors, prints, textiles and wallpapers.