14th September2008 - by Edward Grey
Urbis in Manchester
Urbis is a glass building located in the center of Manchester,
England. It is also part of the Exchange Square, an area with
many shopping centers and pubs.
It was part of the renovation project of the Exchange Square
undertaken after the IRA bombings and was opened in 2002. The
glass architecture is considered to be a remarkable
achievement. It is situated beside the Cathedral Gardens and
the Corn Exchange.
One of the major goals of Urbis is to promote the culture of
modern cities. It aims to give an accurate portrayal of city
life to visitors all over the world. There are plenty of
exhibitions, shows and learning programs targeted for people of
all ages. Aside from these, it also offers services such as
gift shops, cafes and restaurants.
There is no admission fee for entry to Urbis. It is open
everyday from 10 AM to 6 PM. It is accessible by a variety of
transport system, such as by bus, by train or by car. There are
many guided tours held daily. It allows visitors to partake in
the rich history of the Manchester area. One such tour is the
Factory Records Tour. It has stops at the Free Trade Hall, the
site of the first Sex Pistols concert, and also the Records
Factory Headquarters.
There are many exhibitions held in Urbis. Different exhibitions
are scheduled year round as they are designed to showcase the
evolution of contemporary culture. Exhibition themes range from
music, such as Rock and Roll Icons, to contemporary Art, such
as British Art Shows. The exhibition schedules range from 3-8
months.
Urbis is also host to varying events. Some examples include
talks, workshops, discussions, tours and family activities. An
instance of this is an event where visitors can meet the
exhibition curators. It is a tour wherein you can meet the
curator and ask questions that you might have on the
exhibitions. The Buy Art Fair is another good example.
Collectors from all over the world are invited to buy varying
pieces of art from paintings to photography.
The Social is a cafe bar located within the Urbis building.
Like Urbis, it is open from 10 AM to 6 PM. Visitors can sample
a range of dishes such as lamb kebab salad or Moroccan
tabouleh. There is also a gift shop where visitors can purchase
various items related to urban culture. Merchandise from
Factory Records and Hacienda are also widely available.
Urbis also has connections to the online game Second Life.
Second Life is an online virtual world where users from all
over the world can interact with each other. Users can create
their own avatar and interact with the various user created
items. Urbis has established a virtual place of their own,
where users can explore the various floors of the virtual
Urbis.
Urbis also hosts different competitions, which are then used as
part of an exhibition display. One such competition involves
superheroes and participants are asked to create an urban
themed superhero. The winner's work is displayed throughout the
building.
Article Source: http://www.articlesabroad.com
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