Manchester's cultural calendar is packed full of new and exciting openings for 2023, so it's no wonder that all eyes are on the city as it prepares to launch a number of landmark venues.
Over the last year, the city's cultural institutions, as well as it's trendy neighbourhoods, have landed it many world's best lists - even before they've opened - and in 2023 we're hitting the ground running with another top-tier mention - this time in Time Out magazine's 23 Best Things to Do in in the World in 2023.
Sitting amongst attractions such as Iceland's hot springs, film festivals in Buenos Aires and the world's largest anime store in Tokyo, Manchester's hotly anticipated £210m Factory International comes in at number 9 under the headline 'visit a new blockbuster art venue'.
Read more: Manchester’s new £210m Factory International will be open 24 hours and sell alcohol until 4am
The magazine wrote: "Manchester is making a storm right now, with the UK city being crowned one of the world’s very best places to visit by Lonely Planet in 2022. It’s not showing any signs of slowing down this year, with the long-awaiting opening of Factory International, a £210 million arts venue which will be the new, permanent home of the biennial Manchester International Festival."
The editorial went on to mention the plethora of shows and exhibitions that visitors can get stuck into including the largest-ever immersive Yayoi Kusama exhibition and a stage adaptation of The Matrix directed by Danny Boyle. While London's Museum of Childhood ranked in 18th position, Manchester was the only UK city to feature in the top 10.
Manchester's flagship art centre, which is due to open its doors in June, is being hailed as a "landmark" venue for the city. Designed in the form of a gigantic hangar, the £210m facility is being built on the former Granada TV Studios site and is expected to attract 1.15m visitors a year.
In December, Time Out also published their best new things to do in the UK in 2023 guide, with Manchester ranking in first thanks to Factory International once again. And in November, the city was the only UK city to feature in its Best Travel list for 2023.
It's status as a must-visit destination was solidified by travel sites Nomad' Nation's ranking of Manchester as one of the 'coolest' cities in the UK to live in it's annual report late last year.
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