Touchstones Rochdale is a vibrant museum and gallery
4.6 82 reviews The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AQ, UK
Touchstones Rochdale is a vibrant museum and gallery that showcases local history, art, and culture. The venue offers a unique space for events, with a café and shop on-site, making it ideal for community gatherings and educational events.
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Touchstones Rochdale in The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AQ, UK. £125 avg. price for typical events. Popular for Educational events, Community gatherings. Amenities include Wi-Fi, Catering available, Parking, Audio/Visual equipment, Exhibition space. Request a quote to check availability, packages, and date holds. The location offers convenient access for guests and vendors, with flexible layouts to suit seated dinners, cocktail receptions, and hybrid programs.
Best for:
Educational eventsCommunity gatherings
Amenities
Wi-FiCatering availableParkingAudio/Visual equipmentExhibition space
Rating: 4.6/5 (82 Google reviews)
- 5.0/5:
I've not been here since I was a kid, so I thought I would take my kids while we were in the area. It was a pleasant way to spend an hour. It was really relaxed with lots of things to see and read. The toilets are easy to access and really clean, earning an ooh from my Mom as she opened the door. The 1st floor has a really immersive experience for children. My teen commented that we had all found our places as my son played with the eco friendly toys, she did some craft, my mom looked at the prams and I sat on my bum surveying them all. We were made extremely welcome when we entered, never felt harassed and weren't followed around or watched constantly (though I suspect we were on cctv which I'm more than happy with). For the anxiety people, there are clear directions on what to do and where to go, approachable staff members, easy to find toilets and it was clean and well organised. I felt comfortable from the second I walked through the door to the second I left. Parking is easy in the multistory car park across the road.
– R B
- 5.0/5:
Brilliant art gallery and museum in Rochdale. Great place to learn about the local history and famous people of the area. It's also got a cafe, shop and had a craft market in one of the rooms when I was there.
– John Bashford
- 5.0/5:
This place is great, for a small-ish town like Rochdale it really punches above its weight. I took my little girl who is about 17 months and she loved all the interactive exhibits and the arts and crafts. I came here for work to set up a live stream in the gallery several years ago too I remember the staff being very lovely and welcoming. The football exhibit was great, although some of it was a bit questionable and not sure I'd pay £6 for a zine that in all honestly looks like a bloke got a camera from Argos and took it to a footy match, but some of it was phenomenal. I took some photos of the old-timey artwork because I really liked it. Overall I'd say the people of Rochdale are spoilt to have such a lovely museum on their doorstep (as I am with Portland Basin in Ashton which is also worth a visit if you're into local social history). The art gallery is really cool, a good mix of contemporary and classical and it doesn't feel at all pretentious. We had a really fun visit so thank you.
– Tobias Longmate
