Manchester has some fine museums but many of them close at about 5pm, making them forever places where, in the week anyway, you'll find school parties, retired folk, students, or anyone with a working pattern that doesn't fit into the traditional 9 to 5.
So each year, Museums at Night changes that and encourages institutions old and traditional and new and funky to throw away the keys to their night time locks and get us inside for a peek after hours.
Here's some of the events happening in the city on Thu May 14.
Manchester Museum, 6pm-9pm, free
Brighter Sound brings together music by Jason Singh and Giuliano Modarelli who have been inspired after spending time with some of India’s Warli artists. They'll be bringing the resulting sound to provide a musical animation to the Museum’s collections.
MOSI, 7pm-10pm, free
Video Jam are a 'film installation collective' but if you don't know what the means, fear not. They have been beavering away in the museum’s archives to uncover film footage to create a brand new film premiering amongst the museum’s collection of industrial machinery, all set to live music and staged in the Textiles Gallery. There'll also be engine demonstrations and performance poetry, with snacks and booze available at the bar throughout the evening.
IWMN, 7.30pm, £6
Sir Andrew Motion has written a new poem reflecting on events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70 years ago, and he'll be reading it and taking questions. The ticket includes a screening of 'An All-Encompassing Light' by Chloe White, winner at the IWM Short Film Festival, also based on events at Hiroshima.
Peoples' History Museum at The Font bar, 7pm-9pm, free
Inspired by their current exhibition, 'Election! Britain Votes', PHM take over The Font for a political pub quiz, plus politically inspired cocktails to boot! Talk about champagne Socialism!
There's plenty more happening too at the city's art galleries and other venues.
Get full details of Museums at Night in Manchester on Creative Tourist.