Top Rated Attractions in Manchester

Come any Sunday to the First Congregational Church in Manchester and you will find yourself in the middle of a large gathering of people deeply engrossed in prayers. Built in 1879, the church takes pride not only in the music it plays during services but also in the church's architecture and the bond of friendship and love that bounds the worshipers to this shrine. Apart from prayers, the church conducts lessons in English for the people who have converted to Christianity, dining for the elderly, meals on wheels for the sick, computer classes for children and bible study and music activities for all. Choirs programs and events for adults and children are a highlight of the church. For more information on this and other details, please log on to the church website.

You may have seen the Palace Theatre before, somewhere else. No, it has not moved since it was built in 1914, in fact there are 450 buildings in the United States of the same design which made it easy for traveling troupes to use the layout of the theater. Today, the Palace Theatre has its own professional company as well as a company of youth and teen and one of child performers. Besides shows put on by this company which include numerous musical and play offerings throughout the year, traveling shows and community theaters can rent out the facility to bring the arts, in many different forms, to Manchester.

The New Hampshire Institute of Arts (NHIA) owns the Roger Williams Gallery on Amherst Street in which it displays some of the finest work to come out of the college. At various times throughout the year, you may find photography, painting, or sculptural exhibits. Of particular note is the Faculty Exhibition in which faculty from the college display their pieces. Exhibits are not permanent, so make sure you check back often for the newest works.

Run by the Manchester Historic Association, the same group that runs the Millyard Museum. Located just opposite the Manchester City Library, anything you cannot find in the normal library about the history of Manchester will likely be in the Manchester Historic Association Research Center. Many of the documents stored in the library are related to the Amoskeag Millyard and includes photos and first-hand accounts from residents of Manchester throughout the ages.

The Manchester City Library is the largest in New Hampshire and is a great place to find both book to read for fun or for a research project. Its large collection contains over a quarter million volumes. With a theater, access to the internet, and workstations, the library is a quiet place to relax or learn something new. The building itself was a gift from the Carpenter family in an effort to provide learning and education to all and was designed, like many of the buildings in town, by Edward L. Tilton.

How often do children sit in a science classroom, bored by what their teachers are explaining? Much too often! This will never happen at the SEE Science Center where exhibits, demonstrations, and displays help children and adults understand the world around us. Robots, gyroscopes, lights, electricity - all can be experienced at the Center. One of the most popular exhibits combines history with science and fun. The largest permanent LEGO minifigure structure in the entire world resides in the SEE Science Center. It depicts the Amoskeag Millyard at the height of its power as the largest producer of textiles in the world. The scale, 55:1 matches the scale of the LEGO people to make the exhibit as accurate as possible.