Stockport Story

How do you solve a problem like visiting family members and what to do in the day time? Ok so Manchester has epic food and drink easily covered when it comes to evening and lunch time but do you really want to be dragged around the shops or do something as equally boring in between???
So with this in mind I planned on opening up the floor to my visiting Mum and saying we’d wander down into Stockport town centre to go to some of the (ahem, cough) many world famous tourist attractions. This might be slightly mean as Stockport has got quite a few good things to see like Robinsons Brewery, the Air-​raid shelters and excellent Hat museum but on this occasion my Mum pulled a total curveball by suggesting we went to the Stockport Story museum in the Market square and specifically the Staircase house.
Staircase house is an old building from the 1600’s that’s been totally rebuilt and showcases what life would be like for those living through the years since. One room is Tudor, one is Georgian, one World War 2 etc and it’s pretty interesting if not something I’d massively rush out and buy tickets for again. You get a free audio guide and the guys who run it are pretty knowledgable and friendly so could be a good option if it’s raining or you have relatives in town looking for a bit of nostalgia. My Mum was like wow, I remember your Gramps having one of these, ooh look at these etc etc
You can grab a single adult ticket for £4.50 but can buy a £10.50 ticket and get access to Staircase house, Bramall Hall and the Air-​Raid shelters (which lasts 12 months) — probably a good deal if you want to check out a few other cool places just down the road!

We stumbled upon this newly opened museum whilst walking back through Stockport from Vernon Park on Sunday afternoon. I must admit that I wasn’t really in ‘museum mode’ so maybe I didn’t enjoy it as much as I could’ve done. The museum is located inside the newly renovated Staircase House building, which also houses a tourist information, shop and a separate museum (but you have to pay to go into that one so I’ll save that for another day).
There are five galleries spread over different floors, which tell the history of Stockport from 10,000 years ago to the present. On the floor on which you enter (the third floor!) there are displays of Iron Age pottery and such, you then progress through the Dark Ages to Medieval Stockport. My favourite was the Victorian floor, which included exhibits on Victorian toys (with a couple to play with) and a full-​scale marketplace where kids could dress up and sell baskets full of fruit and veg. I quite fancied a go, but restrained myself.
The museum looked and smelt brand spanking new, but I have the feeling that it won’t take long for the carpet to wear away and the white walls to become adorned with grubby finger-​prints. Overall, a good free insight into the history of Stockport, but for a brand new museum it could do with a few more hands on exhibits and perhaps a bit of light (all the blinds are drawn throughout).

Like its advertising states. This museum lets you touch stuff. Practically everything in this old merchants house has been restored or recreated using traditional techniques. Consequently, although looking very old, many things are quite new or just props used for a particular purpose. My kids loved the freedom this allowed. They could sit on the loo in the water closet, spoon tea from the tea caddy, brush the kitchen floor and whatever else took their fancy. Lots to keep them entertained and to hold their attention.

This is a hidden gem in Stocport a great trip out especially if you are looking for something to do on a rainy day. Ther are two places to visit under one roof. Firstly you can go into staircase house ist a restored town house and you can travel through time right back to 1460 to WW11 Ther are no ropes or barriers so the kids are allowed to touch, feel and get a real hands on experience. Its an inexpensieve day £3.95 adults £2.95 concessions, under 5’s free. Secondly you can go into Stockports story museum the interesting museum explores Stockport from prehistoric to present. This is free admission.