The support of our Friends makes a vital difference to our work, helping us to preserve this beautiful building for future generations.

The history of Victoria Baths

Victoria Baths opened its doors to the public in 1906, providing spacious facilities for swimming, bathing and leisure. No expense was spared, and today you can still see the rich terracotta, decorative stained glass, sumptuous tiles and mosaics as you step inside.

Manchester City Council closed the baths in 1993. Ever since then, the Friends of Victoria Baths and the Victoria Baths Trust have been campaigning to save the building and to re-open the Turkish Baths and at least one of the pools. (See the timeline under "Our Story" on the Restoration tab to see how far we have come since 1993.)

We are now planning the next major phase of restoration for Victoria Baths. More information soon. 

What type of Membership is right for me?

We offer four different types of membership subscription:

• Friend - an annual payment of £20
• Joint Friends - an annual payment of £30 for two people living at the same address
• Friend (for those who are unwaged or on a low income) - an annual payment of £5
• Restoration Supporter - a regular payment of at least £5 per month

You can also become a Friend and receive the same range of benefits by volunteering with us. Please see our Volunteering page for more information.

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Benefits of Friends' Membership

Friends membership comes with a range of benefits, including:

• Two mailings a year and email bulletins with events, offers and news

• FREE ENTRY to Victoria Baths own Open Days and Guided Tours

• Priority booking for Swimming Event Tickets

• Discounts for occasional events

• Support our charitable vision

All Friends are welcome to attend monthly Volunteer Forum meetings, click here for dates/times.

Become a Restoration Supporter

If you contribute at least £5 a month by Standing Order you will be enrolled as one of our Restoration Supporters. As a Restoration Supporter you will receive all the same benefits as Friends of Victoria Baths, in addition to:

• Restoration Newsletters bringing updates on restoration,
• Invitations to special events, including an annual visit to Victoria Baths to see the progress of the restoration,
• Acknowledgement on our thank you page on the website (unless you prefer your support to be anonymous).

Funds donated by Restoration Supporters go directly into the Trust's Building Fund. So far, Restoration Supporters have donated over £50,000 to this fund. This has supported much needed restoration work, including:

• the restoration of the windows in the Turkish Rest Room including the Angel of Purity window
• refurbishment of the orginal poolside toilets in the Males 1st Class and Gala pool to create visitor toilets
• reinstatement of basement windows that had been bricked up
• restoration of the AQUA and ZEPHYR stained glass windows in the Gala pool

How to join - and Gift Memberships

It is easy to sign up as a Friend or Restoration Supporter - just print off the leaflet in the Downloads section below, fill it in and sign it, and return it with either a cheque, credit card details or set up a standing order with your Bank. 

Call the office on 0161 224 2020 to order and pay for a gift membership for a friend - these come with a special gift card. We can post these out most weeks of the year.