Touchstones, Rochdale: Hours, Address, Touchstones Reviews: 4.5/5
Touchstones
Touchstones
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Touchstones Rochdale is the Borough's Arts and Heritage Centre including a 'hands on' Museum for all the family, Art Gallery, Local Studies Centre, Education Service and Visitor Information centre, shop and cafe. Gallery One is an exhibition space for local people and communities of Rochdale, giving an opportunity for them to organise and show their own exhibitions. Gallery Two showcases the borough's permanent art collection. Gallery Three and four show an exciting programme of contemporary art exhibitions. The Museum and heritage gallery display a wide variety of exhibits which are unique to the history of the area. Exhibits range from industrial heritage of cotton, engineering, mining and the impact of War, to domestic settings and more familiar objects and famous personalities over time, such as Gracie Fields, John Bright and Sam Bamford. Our local studies team are on hand to assist with your family tree research or projects and the Education team are kept busy with hundreds of school groups each year, not to mention the school holiday activities and providing schools with loan boxes. Touchstones also offers many workshops for all ages, artist talks and Friends events. The Friends of Rochdale Art Gallery help to raise money for the gallery collection, providing conservation and new acquisitions.
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The area
Address
How to get there
- Rochdale Town Centre • 9 min walk
- Rochdale Railway Station • 10 min walk
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
250 within 5 kms

La Mancha
274
0.4 km££ - £££ • Mediterranean • Spanish • Vegetarian Friendly

Riverside Restaurant
66
0.1 km££ - £££ • International • European • British

The Baum
325
0.4 km££ - £££ • Bar • British • Pub

Market Street Kitchen
41
0.3 km££ - £££ • American • Bar • Contemporary

Clock Tower Dining Room
70
0.3 km££ - £££ • British • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

The Medicine Tap
60
0.3 km££ - £££ • Brew Pub • Bar • British

Yates
35
0.3 km££ - £££ • Bar • Pub

WowYauChow Rochdale
20
0.3 km££ - £££ • Chinese • Asian • Street Food

Pavilion Indian
760
0.9 km££ - £££ • Indian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

Bombay Brew
39
0.4 km££ - £££ • Indian • Asian • Vegetarian Friendly
Attractions
61 within 10 kms

Rochdale Town Hall
246
0.2 kmArchitectural Buildings

Rochdale Pioneers Museum
92
0.4 kmSpeciality Museums

Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre
4
0.4 kmShopping Malls

Fireground
59
0.7 kmSpeciality Museums
The Curtain Theatre
4
0.6 kmTheatres

Saint Edmunds Church
13
0.7 kmChurches & Cathedrals

The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre
3
0.5 kmShopping Malls

Healey Dell Heritage Centre and Tea Rooms
395
2.7 kmHistory Museums
Rochdale Cricket Lacrosse & Squash Club
10
0.8 kmSports Complexes

Annie Kenney Statue
1
0.9 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Contribute
Popular mentions
4.5
89 reviews
Excellent
50
Very good
30
Average
8
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Foodange
Manchester, UK1,417 contributions
Jan 2022
A lovely museum and very interesting, telling the story of Rochdale well.
Small so they couldn’t charge and as it was FOC can’t really complain that some exhibits were very poorly light.
The Gracie Fields cinema wasn’t working.
There were some excellent interactive areas, especially the one showing different ways and times of crossing the Pennines.
Also good on Co-op, unions and industrial revolution.
Small so they couldn’t charge and as it was FOC can’t really complain that some exhibits were very poorly light.
The Gracie Fields cinema wasn’t working.
There were some excellent interactive areas, especially the one showing different ways and times of crossing the Pennines.
Also good on Co-op, unions and industrial revolution.
Written 3 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jo M
11 contributions
Oct 2020
You have to book in advance because of Covid - but it's free and they have put on the most amazingly brilliant show. You join three time travellers on a mission to find out more about dinosaurs and the environment. It's fun, interactive, suitable for all ages and very Covid-safe. Don't miss out on this, especially if you have kids. And you can see the real Dippy the dinosaur at the library building just five minutes' walk away - again, for free.
Written 17 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lol0987
Evesham, UK93 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
We were so pleased to hear that Dippy the Diplodocus had come to Rochdale
We visited with our family which consisted of adults and two young grandchildren.
The three " scientists" took us back in time and taught us about dinosaurs,fossils and then our environment in a friendly and interactive way which engaged everyone and was very informative. Dippy was housed in a separate building and we were able to observe at our leisure.
I would recommend a visit before the exhibition moves on to Norwich in December
We visited with our family which consisted of adults and two young grandchildren.
The three " scientists" took us back in time and taught us about dinosaurs,fossils and then our environment in a friendly and interactive way which engaged everyone and was very informative. Dippy was housed in a separate building and we were able to observe at our leisure.
I would recommend a visit before the exhibition moves on to Norwich in December
Written 26 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Poucant
Manchester, UK98 contributions
Jun 2019
Seriously not worth crossing the road. There's a tiny Museum, a tiny art gallery, a basic cafe....that's it. you could tour the whole place in little more time than it has taken you to read this review.
Written 1 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
George T
10 contributions
Mar 2020
Actually went to see Dippy on Tour but also called in to the Museum and Library within the Touchstones complex, and so glad I did. A wonderful collection well presented depicting the history of the area and the life of its residents. A lot in a small space.
Written 7 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Margaret W
Manchester, UK29 contributions
Feb 2020
What are you waiting for? This experience at Touchstones and Riverside One, is not to be missed!
“Dippy” the diplodocus is in our hometown and it’s a wonderful, enjoyable and educational trip for all the family.
Young and old can see Dippy at Riverside One, learn about the time dinosaurs inhabited the earth.It is up close and personal to be able to walk around and see this amazing creature.
Touchstones has lots of interesting and factual information about fossils found in and around Rochdale area.
Children and adults will be entertained by the interactive exhibits.
The event is Free and open 7 days a week. Not to be missed.
“Dippy” the diplodocus is in our hometown and it’s a wonderful, enjoyable and educational trip for all the family.
Young and old can see Dippy at Riverside One, learn about the time dinosaurs inhabited the earth.It is up close and personal to be able to walk around and see this amazing creature.
Touchstones has lots of interesting and factual information about fossils found in and around Rochdale area.
Children and adults will be entertained by the interactive exhibits.
The event is Free and open 7 days a week. Not to be missed.
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Pandaroo
Lancashire, UK297 contributions
Feb 2020
Headed to Rochdale to see Dippy. What a sight. The dino is at Number One Riverside in the main hall, and their are volunteer staff all around, willing to take photos, give information and generally chat to you. They were all so lovely. Dippy is immense and well worth the visit.
Walked over to Touchstones for the exhibition, which is aimed mainly at children, but there is so much to do there, they will have a blast.
Definitely a day to remember, and one which shows Rochdale at its best, an up and coming town in Lancashire.
Walked over to Touchstones for the exhibition, which is aimed mainly at children, but there is so much to do there, they will have a blast.
Definitely a day to remember, and one which shows Rochdale at its best, an up and coming town in Lancashire.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
steven b
Oldham, UK723 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
We headed over towards Rochdale for a look at Dippy the dinosaur, which is on tour & situated in the library at the Riverside One building.
We arrived early as we'd heard about the que's especially as it was half term.
The Riverside is one part of the Dippy trail & the second part is housed within the Touchstones building,which i have passed many times,but never knew what was in there.
What a great little slice of history,this i loved,but then you have to explain it all to your children.
I have to say,with this being part of the Dippy trail, i'd have expected a little more,same with Riverside,not to worry,we've seen it now & a great display..
We arrived early as we'd heard about the que's especially as it was half term.
The Riverside is one part of the Dippy trail & the second part is housed within the Touchstones building,which i have passed many times,but never knew what was in there.
What a great little slice of history,this i loved,but then you have to explain it all to your children.
I have to say,with this being part of the Dippy trail, i'd have expected a little more,same with Riverside,not to worry,we've seen it now & a great display..
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
David F
Chester, United Kingdom1,957 contributions
Sep 2019
This centre combines cafe, shop, museum and art gallery. I can't say that the art works on display were that inspiring but there were some interesting exhibits concerned with the local history of the area (including the only banner to survive from Peterloo). If you want a really authentic Rochdale experience you can listen to local darling Gracie Fields singing about an aspidistra but it is not to be recommended to those who are faint-hearted or of a nervous disposition!" I did a very entertaining heritage walk that started there but these only run on rare occasions I think.
Written 17 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
jcacwestbank
Rochdale, UK12 contributions
Jun 2019
Good workshops, the museum has plenty to look at, lovely gift shop and the food in the cafe is excellent and good price,
Written 4 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Frequently Asked Questions about Touchstones
- Touchstones is open:
- Sun - Sun 10:00 - 16:00
- Tue - Sat 10:00 - 17:00
- Hotels near Touchstones:
- (0.10 km) Broadfield Park Hotel
- (0.32 km) The Flying Horse Hotel
- (1.68 km) Moss Lodge
- (1.57 km) Travelodge Rochdale
- (2.18 km) The Royal Toby Hotel
- Restaurants near Touchstones:
- (0.10 km) Riverside Restaurant
- (0.15 km) The Art Cafe
- (0.15 km) Montagues Cafe
- (0.22 km) Rochdale Town Hall
- (0.26 km) Clock Tower Dining Room