Free things to do in Manchester this week ft. Rare Mags book launch, espionage exhibition, Manchester Hip Hop Archive & more

Here’s your chance to explore Rochdale’s fantastic archive collections. In conjunction with Rochdale Town Hall’s The Big Dig – the once-in-a-lifetime archaeological dig along the historic Packer Street in Rochdale – YourTrust are holding a series of guided tours around the site, where the borough’s wonderful collections are stored – there’s the opportunity to learn about how the artefacts are conserved too.

Stockport’s Rare Mags return with their first live in-person event, on an event very close to their heart. After some fantastic national press featuring photos of Stockport’s changing market life, photographer Heidi Alexander launches her book The Stockport Collection. Come and see another side to Stockport!

This sounds like a fantastic one – as part of the Libraries of Sanctuary showcase, internationally acclaimed musician Seyed Ali Jaberi and his band invite you to get closer to the poetry of Rumi and the Sufi music of Persia.

Top Secret explores a century of communications intelligence in the UK, from Bletchley Park and Enigma, to Soviet spy rings and Turing. Head over to Castlefield to try your hand at their interactive code-cracking zone, and hear insights from staff at Government Communications Headquarters about their work defending the UK against cyber crime. Head here to find out more about Top Secret at the Science and Industry Museum.

Ever wanted to know where Bugzy Malone and Children of Zeus came from? Here’s your essential guide to all things hip-hop in Manchester, that takes in the art form’s journey from economic depression in the 1980s to the present day. It’s a must-see collection of dance, rapping and DJ-ing – learn more by following the link below.