Location

Conference location and accommodation

Hilton Deansgate Hotel

The conference will be held in the brand new Hilton Manchester Deansgate. Located in the heart of Manchester city centre, this modern landmark hotel is close to the metro link and main line train station, and 25 minutes from Manchester International Airport. For those wishing to stay overnight, the hotel offers first class facilities including pool, spa and 23rd floor bar with stunning panoramic views over the city.

Contact info: Hilton Deansgate Hotel; 303 Deansgate; Manchester, M3 4LQ; Tel: + 44 161 870 1600; Fax: + 44 870 1650; Email the hotel

Useful links: Book a room online; Arrival information; More accommodation options

How to get there

By air:

There are daily direct international flights from Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris and the USA, as well as from several UK airports. The journey time, by taxi, from Manchester airport to the conference venue is (approximately) 30 mins. For information on international or domestic arrivals, telephone +44 161 489 8000. For general airport enquiries telephone +44 161 489 3000. The airport web site can be found at: www.manchesterairport.co.uk

By rail:

London is only two hours away by train and the city is served by two main rail stations, Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly - which are supported by other stations around the city centre: Oxford Road, Deansgate and Salford Central. For train enquiries telephone +44 8457 484950.

Places to visit

Manchester Art Gallery: Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3JL
tel: +44 161 235 8888 www.manchestergalleries.org; After a four year, £35 million transformation, Manchester Art Gallery re-opened in May 2002. The Gallery houses one of the world's finest collections, displayed in spectacular surroundings.

The Lowry: Pier Eight, Salford Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Tel: +44 161 876 2000 www.thelowry.com; The Lowry (not to be confused with the Lowry Hotel) is a spectacular home to the arts and entertainment with a wealth of activity under one roof. Inside this magnificent building you will find two stunning theatres. The galleries showcase changing exhibitions by one of Britain's best loved artists, LS Lowry, as well as paintings, sculpture and photography by artists of local, national and international renown.

Urbis: Cathedral Gardens. Manchester
M4 3BG, tel: +44 161 605 8200 www.urbis.org.uk; Urbis is a new kind of museum, set in a dramatic glass building rising high above the centre of Manchester. Interactive exhibits lead you on a journey exploring life in different cities around the world. Urbis focuses especially on the cities of Los Angeles, Manchester, Paris, Sao Paolo, Singapore and Tokyo. Your visit to Urbis begins with a one minute sky glide in the Glass Elevator. With the city as backdrop, you can then explore the four cascading exhibition floors at your own pace. Urbis recommends that you allow at least ninety minutes for your visit.

Museum of Science and Industry: Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FP
tel: +44 161 832 2244 www.msim.org.uk; The museum is partly based in the buildings of the oldest passenger railway station in the world. The huge seven acre site has five historic buildings packed with fascinating exhibitions, hands-on galleries, historic working machinery and superb special exhibitions.