A major English football club has unveiled detailed plans for a sprawling new attraction that blends sports history with interactive technology.
Manchester City has shared the first details of its new museum experience, which is scheduled to open later this year. The attraction is designed to immerse visitors in the history and culture of the club, sitting within the £300 million Medlock Square entertainment district currently under development at the Etihad Campus.
Covering over 1,700 square metres, the attraction will be divided into ten distinct spaces. The museum has been designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), an agency with studios in New York, London, Berlin, and Beijing. The firm is known for planning narrative environments such as the London Transport Museum, the Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Blending history with interactive media
Visitors will navigate recreated historical environments, including a nostalgic nod to Moss Side, the home of Manchester City’s Maine Road stadium from 1923 until 2003. The space incorporates interactive media, allowing guests to try their hand at football punditry or pose alongside all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams.
The design integrates physical memorabilia with modern immersive technology, while fan memories are woven throughout the displays. A dedicated temporary pop-up area is designated for new and evolving stories to be shared over time. The designers have also embedded hidden details and ‘did you know’ facts across the experience to provide new discoveries for devoted supporters. By combining these elements, the experience aims to appeal to a wide audience, ranging from lifelong fans to families and visitors with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
A notable feature of the development is the ‘City x PUMA Arena’, created in collaboration with the club’s kit partner. This interactive zone offers active football challenges, including a shooting game inspired by Sergio Aguero’s famous last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers in 2012. An adjacent area is dedicated to exploring the history of PUMA’s relationship with football.
A year-round destination
Danny Wilson, Managing Director of Manchester City Operations, commented on the plans. “Building a completely new museum has allowed us to create an immersive experience that celebrates the people and moments which have shaped Manchester City,” he said.
“But our story isn’t traditional and straightforward, so why should our museum experience be? We want something different. Something immersive which will resonate with our fans, as well as excite the wider city. In doing so, we have developed something that appeals to fans, complements the Etihad Campus and provides a year-round attraction for the city”.
The new museum is intended to complement the existing Manchester City Stadium Tour, which currently sits among the top five UK visitor attractions based on TripAdvisor reviews. Further booking details will be released ahead of the opening, which aligns with the phased completion of Medlock Square later in 2026.
Once fully complete, the wider Medlock Square venue will operate 365 days a year. The site will house a 401-bed hotel, office space, various food and drink options, a covered fan zone, and a roof walk experience. It will also feature a three-storey flagship retail store developed with PUMA and club retail partner stichd, offering an increased merchandise offering, exclusive stadium product, and an enhanced personalisation experience for visitors.
