Join us for a relaxed late opening of IWM North. This is a sensory-friendly event for families and individuals. The event is suitable for individuals or families with members who may have sensory processing differences, autistic spectrum conditions or would otherwise benefit from a quieter environment to explore IWM North.
As part of our late opening, you will be able to explore all our current exhibitions and have the opportunity to participate in family-friendly activities.
There will also be quiet rooms for those needing to take a break, a breakout space, and an indoor eating area for anyone wishing to bring their own food.
To help ensure a smooth entry to the museum, we kindly ask visitors to book a free ticket online in advance. However, we will still have capacity available onsite for those who are unable to book tickets.
We will send all visitors an email around a week before the event with more information to help you plan your visit. Please be aware, the museum will be open to the general public for the first hour of your visit.
Access
- IWM North is located in Media City and is easily accessible by public transport or car. What3Words: ///rungs.test.toward
- An Access Guide is available on the Accessibility page, Accessibility at IWM North | Imperial War Museums, with further information about getting here.
- Tickets are limited to 6 per group.
- IWM North is fully accessible by wheelchair. There are three manual wheelchairs available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis. These are provided free of charge and are located near the lift.
- Designated disabled parking bays and parent and child bays are available in the car park. Please note that charges apply for all parking at IWM North.
- If the museum is busy, there will be one tannoy announcement during this event at 4:45 pm, alerting existing visitors that the museum will be closing to members of the public not in attendance for the Relaxed Hours session. There are no other planned announcements. Fifteen minutes before closing at 5:45 pm, you will be approached by staff to let you know about the upcoming closure.
Exhibition Information
- Our free temporary exhibition, Spies, Lies and Deception, will be open to visitors. There is a family trail to accompany the exhibition, which you are welcome to take part in. There is background noise in this exhibition, which will be played at a lower volume during your visit.
- The IWM North building is designed to encourage visitors to consider the confusion experienced during conflict. As a result, the floor of the Main Exhibition Space has a gentle slope and visitors with mobility impairments, mobility aids, sensory processing differences, or buggies may wish to take extra care in this area.
- There will be Big Picture Shows played in the Main Exhibition Space at 4pm and 5pm. During the shows, the Main Exhibition Space will be dark, and the film will be projected around the walls. The shows will play at a lower volume than usual and contain no sudden loud sound effects.
- At 4pm the show is called The Roads We Walked: The Fifth Pan-African Congress. The show celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the Fifth Pan-African Congress, which took place in Manchester in 1945. At 5pm the show is called Animals and War which explores the stories of brave animal heroes from the First World War to the present day. Anyone not wishing to watch is welcome to leave the Main Exhibition Space and return later, should they wish to continue exploring. Ear defenders will be available and staff and volunteers will be on hand to help.
Facilities
- Accessible toilets and baby change facilities are available on the ground floor and are signposted.
- There are a small number of ear defenders and sensory backpacks containing items that may help your visit. They are available upon request on a first-come, first-serve basis and are free to use. Examples of what they may contain include:
- Ear defenders
- Sunflower lanyard
- 2x fidget toys
- A simple map
- Magnifying glass
- Cuddly toy
- Pencils and grips
- Emotions fan
- Reading overlays.