There is a free shuttle bus operating around the town that stops at the railway station and can help you access Stockport attractions.
Hat Works
Hat Works is the UK’s only museum dedicated solely to the hatting industry, hats and headwear. The museum focuses on the development of the industry from its humble beginnings to the mass production of the early 19th century. There is a recreated factory floor with an extensive collection of working machinery and a reconstructed hatter’s cottage. There is also a café and gift shop.
Groups are welcome (there is a small charge for each person) – tours are led by expert demonstrators who will share their knowledge and give an insight into the processes involved in producing a hat. Learn about the cottage industry and enjoy demonstrations with original working Victorian-style machinery.
Tours can be customised. There is also a large hat gallery with a collection of over 400 hats from around the world, including celebrity hats and a top hat reputed to be the tallest in the world.
Tel: 0161 355 7770
www: hatworks.org.uk
Staircase House
Staircase House shows life through the centuries from 1460 to WWII and is an opportunity to learn how people used to live and how society and attitudes have changed over time. There is also a gift shop and café.
The house is set in the heart of Stockport’s historic market place and boasts an intriguing array of rooms linked by corridors and narrow passages. The bedroom boasts a seventeenth century four poster bed, there’s a two hundred year old table in the eighteenth century dining room, an authentic busy kitchen, and some historic lighting in the tallow room.
Group visits are possible both inside and outside regular opening hours. There are audio tours or guided tours, with refreshments if required.
Schools and educational groups are welcome. Children can experience the unique atmosphere of the historic house and engage with the past in the sessions available for various Key Stage subjects. For more information contact the Formal Learning Team on 0161 474 4449 to discuss content and availability.
Tel: 0161 218 1460
Stockport Air Raid Shelters
The Air Raid Shelters allow visitors to step back in time and experience life in the shelters in World War 2. There is a network of tunnels nearly a mile long that gave shelter for 6500 people, see the bunk beds, the warden’s post and the 16 seater toilets!
Groups are welcome and can be guided or self guided (prices vary) – visit the website or contact the Shelters directly. Educational visits can be organised by contacting the Heritage Education Service on 0161 474 4449.
Tel: 0161 474 1940
