I have loved the Batman films since I was a little boy and I'm not ashamed to admit I still regularly watch them and feel very nostalgic about my childhood.

If you grew up in the 90s and 00s as I did it's hard to argue that Batman wasn't and isn't the ultimate superhero franchise - there's a reason there's a new set of films every few years.

I'd argue he always had the best villains to face off against (sorry Marvel fans) and one of the greatest attributes at the Dark Knight's disposal was that he didn't have superpowers; he survived on his intellect, thirst for justice, tech-savvy and, of course, all that money in the bank.

So I was thrilled to be able to visit Batman Unmasked to check out props, costumes and even vehicles that appeared in the Caped Crusader's onscreen adventures.

Located just around the corner from Manchester Piccadilly Station, at Depot Mayfield, the experience is a dream come true for fans of the Dark Knight; the character was created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger more than eight decades ago.

I was able to see up close items that I'd seen in the films as a child (and as an adult for that matter), including legendary costumes worn by Heath Ledger, Michael Keaton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman.

Personal highlights included the various cowls and Batsuits worn by Gotham's saviour in various films, including one worn by Ben Affleck and another by Val Kilmer, both of whom have donned the black cape.

The experience has come to Manchester to celebrate the 85th anniversary of DC’s most iconic hero and is worth visiting no matter who is your favourite Batman - there are items from all the major productions, including the latest film starring Rob Pattinson as the world's greatest detective.

It takes a minimum of 45 minutes to get around and it's interactive too - watch out for Poison Ivy's vines in the mirrored walkway! 

However, while there are child-friendly aspects like the play area (complete with action figures), a gaming station and a toy car racing track, there are some parts that might be a bit too much for young children, such as the Joker's cell.

I loved the exhibition which contains some never-before-seen in-public artifacts courtesy of Warner Bros. The only downside as a huge fan of Batman Returns is I'd have loved to see a few more pieces from that particular film - and as I'm greedy, maybe one more Batmobile!

The event is on until August 25. Tickets start at £12 for pre-schoolers and adult tickets cost a maximum of £24.50.

To find out more visit batmanexhibition.com/manchester.