UK Museums: Manchester Museums & Libraries
Museums in Manchester, North West England
As befits the fourth largest city in the UK after London, Glasgow and Birmingham, Manchester has a number of worthwhile museums appropriate to a city of its size and importance.
The city has a long tradition of manufacture and trade and this rich industrial and commercial heritage is reflected in several of its museums, in particular the outstanding Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI). In addition, the city is known for its political activism, ideas, arts and literature again reflected in a number of Manchester's prominent cultural institutions.
See a listing of over 20 museums in and around Manchester.
Aviva Studios (Factory International)
Aviva Studios is the home of Factory International a new arts and cultural complex in Manchester. Factory International organizes the biannual Manchester International Festival. Built on the site of the former Granada Studios on the River Irwell, the complex opened in 2023. It comprises the Warehouse, a flexible space with capacity for up to 5,000 people and the Hall which can accommodate 1,600 people seated or 2,000 standing. Factory International opened with an exhibition by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama - You, Me And The Balloons.
Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (now esea contemporary)
The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA) in the Northern Quarter of Manchester was a non-profit art organization. It has been replaced by esea contemporary. The CFCCA began in 1986 in Manchester's Chinatown before moving to the Northern Quarter in 1996.
Funded by the Arts Council and Lottery money, the CFCCA focused on contemporary Chinese, East Asian and Southeast Asian art. In collaboration with The University of Salford Art Collection, the gallery's collection included works in painting, sculpture, video, and photography by such artists as Li Binyuan, Cao Fei, Chen Hangfeng, Han Feng, Ma Quisha, and Wu Chi-Tsung. Since 2023 the centre is now known as esea contemporary. This change reflects the arts centre's wider purpose of showcasing work by artists from East and Southeast Asian backgrounds.
Chetham's Library
Chetham's Library was founded in 1653 making it the oldest public library in Britain. It is part of a former manor house that also houses Chetham's School of Music close to Manchester Cathedral.
A meeting place of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 1840s, the library contains over 100,000 volumes with 60,000 published before 1851. These include books, broadsides, and other rare manuscripts.
Etihad Stadium Tour & Museum
The Etihad Stadium Tour & Museum at the Etihad Stadium introduces the history of this no very successful and rich football club.
Visitors can lean something of the legends of the late 1960's and early 1970's such as Colin Bell, Mick Doyle, Tony Book, Joe Corrigan, Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee. Before that era, Bert Trautmann, City's German goalkeeper of the 1950's is famous for playing on in the 1956 FA Cup Final with a broken neck.
The tour also takes in the dressing rooms and the stands with a view of the pitch.
The Greater Manchester Police Museum
The Greater Manchester Police Museum is a fun museum mostly aimed at school groups but of interest to visitors of any age. It is located in the Northern Quarter of the city close to Piccadilly Gardens.
The building is on two floors. The ground floor includes the former police cells. There are exhibits of police uniforms, truncheons, handcuffs as well as some of the fearsome weapons used against the police.
There are also collections of police vehicles including motorbikes and police cars. On the days when the museum is open, police cars can also be seen parked in the courtyard at the back.
The history of the police force in Britain is covered along with women in the police.
Imperial War Museum North
The Imperial War Museum North is one of the five branches of the Imperial War Museum including the original in south London.
The impressive building, designed by American architect Daniel Libeskind, consists of three "shards" representing air, earth and water and sits adjacent to the Manchester Ship Canal. The museum focuses on the effects of war on people and communities and opened in 2002.
Exhibits include a car destroyed in a bombing in Iraq, a United States Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jet and a 13-pounder artillery piece which fired the British Army's first shot of World War I.
The museum has a permanent collection as well as temporary exhibitions in a separate gallery. Hourly audio-visual displays enhance the visitor experience.
International Anthony Burgess Foundation
The author Anthony Burgess (1917-1993) was born in Manchester. Most remembered for his dystopian novel, A Clockwork Orange, the author is celebrated at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation. An independent charity, the foundation was founded in 2003 by Burgess' second wife, the Italian translator and literary agent, Liana Burgess (1929-2007). It contains a library, archive and study centre for Burgess's books, music and papers.
John Rylands Library
The John Rylands Library on Deansgate was founded by Enriqueta Augustina Rylands, the wife of the local industrialist, John Rylands, and is a wonderful example of Victorian Gothic architecture.
The wood-paneled rooms with stained glass hold a collection of rare books and other manuscripts which include many Medieval pieces, a Gutenberg Bible, and the second largest collection of print works by William Caxton.
It is now part of The University of Manchester Library.
The Lowry
As well as housing two theatres (the Lyric and the Quays) and a studio workshop, The Lowry holds a permanent collection of the works of local artist L S Lowry (1887-1976), known for his paintings of industrial scenes of Salford, Stockport and other areas in the North West. The space also presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.
The Lowry has the largest public collection of works by Laurence Stephen Lowry, an artist who lived and worked in Salford. These include about 400 works in oils, watercolours, and pastels, many of which are on permanent display. The gallery also has displays about Lowry, the artist and man. There is an Archive Room with lots of manuscripts, diaries and other documents, that can be opened for researchers. The space also presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.
The Lowry was designed by architect Michael Wilford and opened in 2000 with funds from The Lottery Fund. The project also included the bridge over the canal leading to the Imperial War Museum North. The Lowry offers a restaurant, cafe and bar with al fresco seating with fine views of the waterside location and a shop.
It is located in the redeveloped Salford Quays district close to The Lowry Outlet Mall, The Imperial War Museum North and MediaCityUK, and is the main attraction in this lively, fun district of the city.
Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery is made up of two 19th century buildings designed by Sir Charles Barry (1795-1860) and a 21st century building connecting them.
The gallery has a collection of over 25,000 pieces made up of drawings, miniatures, oil paintings, photography, prints, sculptures and water colours.
Victorian art is particularly well-represented especially Pre-Raphaelite and period decorative arts.
There are works by the British artists Constable, Dacre, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Lowry, Reynolds and Swynnerton among others. Foreign artists are represented by paintings by Degas, Gauguin, Pissarro and Renoir.
Manchester Central Library
Manchester Central Library near St. Peter's Square is a familiar landmark in the city.
It is a round, domed building with a columned portico somewhat reminiscent of the Pantheon in classical Rome. It is the second-largest public library in England after the Library of Birmingham.
It was built in the 1930's and designed by E. Vincent Harris (1876-1971). Harris was a prolific architect, responsible for many civic buildings in Britain.
Manchester Jewish Museum
Housed in a former Spanish and Portuguese-style synagogue and an adjacent building on Cheetham Hill Road, the Manchester Jewish Museum offers a range of exhibitions that highlight various aspects of Jewish history, culture, religion, and daily life. The museum's collections include artifacts, photographs, documents, and personal stories that provide insights into the experiences of Manchester's Jewish community - the second largest in the UK after London.
The Grade II listed Moorish Revival synagogue was completed in 1874 and is one of the finest in the country after the larger Princes Road Synagogue in Liverpool. Following a £6 million pound redevelopment the museum reopened in 2021 with the addition of a new extension holding a modern gallery, delicious vegetarian café, and shop.
Altogether the museum's collection consists of 31,000 items. These include over 20,000 photographs, over 530 oral history testimonies, and 138 recorded interviews with both Holocaust survivors and refugees.
Manchester Museum
The Manchester Museum is a first class museum housed in an historic red brick building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905) in 1890.
Waterhouse was also the architect of Manchester's Town Hall and the Natural History Museum in London. Later extensions to the museum were undertaken by Waterhouse's son and grandson.
The museum is a real mix of different exhibits including archery, dinosaur skeletons, ethnography, mineralogy, natural history and entomology exhibits, Egyptian mummies and even a vivarium.
Highlights of the Manchester Museum include the large Egyptology collection with stone temple sculptures and the Living Cultures collection with a range of exhibitions from all over the world including exhibitions of Japanese art and furniture.
Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)
The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) celebrates the history of the world's first industrial city: power, machinery, factories and transport.
There are displays of aircraft (including a Japanese kamikaze Ohka aircraft and an Avro Shackleton), vintage cars, railway locomotives and rolling stock as well as various electricity, gas, steam and water engines. Further exhibits cover communications, computing, Manchester's sewerage and sanitation, and textiles.
The museum is located at Liverpool Road, M3 4FP, south of the Spinningfields district of the city.
Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
The Museum of Transport has a superb collection of mainly buses and some trams and trolley buses that have been used over time in the Greater Manchester area.
Altogether there are around 80 vehicles making this one of the largest collections of its kind in the UK. Visitors can also enter some of the buses to really experience some nostalgia. Supplementing the collection of classic vehicles are bus conductor uniforms, ticket machines, badges, signs and a retro cafe straight out of the 1970's.
Copious wall panels and original photographs further enrich the visitor experience.
The museum is in the Cheetham Hill district of Manchester, a short walk from Queens Road Metrolink station. Buses #41, #135 and #151 all stop close by. The museum occupies an historic bus depot that is still in use.
National Football Museum
The National Football Museum is spread over four floors and includes over 140,000 items related to football, its history and global development.
The National Football Museum includes the Hall of Fame immediately on entrance on the Ground Floor, the FIFA Collection of soccer memorabilia (posters, books, programmes, annuals, photographs, trophies, medals and prints) and the Harry Langton Collection assembled since the 1950's by journalist Harry Langton.
Also on display are the UEFA Library Collection on the history of UEFA and European Football, the Football Association Collection of trophies, the Priory Collection, the Football League Collection, the Neville Evans Collection, the Littlewoods Pools Collection and the Sir Stanley Matthews Collection and more.
Objects of particular interest include John Motson's sheepskin coat, George Best's 1968 European Player of the Year Award and Bobby Moore's 1970 England shirt from the game against Brazil in Mexico. Also on display is the neck brace worn by Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, the painting Going To The Match by L S Lowry, Colin Bell's crown presented by a fan and the historic FA 1863 Minute Book.
Old Trafford Manchester United Museum & Tour
Old Trafford is the largest stadium in the English Premier League with a capacity of over 75,000. It is the second largest football stadium in England after the new Wembley Stadium in London.
The Museum & Stadium Tour of Manchester United's Old Trafford ground, the self-styled "Theatre of Dreams" is hugely popular with football fans from all over the world, not just Manchester United supporters.
The museum has replicas of Manchester United's many trophies, shirts, boots and other memorabilia donated by Manchester United players past and present. There is also extensive video footage of many of the great matches featuring the club.
The interesting displays chart the history of Manchester United, the Busby era and the tragedy at Munich, through to United's first win in the European Cup and its present dominance in English football. The museum also reveals the hooligan problem that affected the club in the 1970's.
Ordsall Hall
Ordsall Hall is a former manor house dating back to the 13th century. The oldest surviving parts date to the 15th century. The hall is a Grade I listed building and entry is free of charge. It is the oldest building in Salford.
The first owners of the house were the Radclyffe family. It has since passed through various owners and undergone several architectural modifications over the years. It is said to have hosted meetings between Guy Fawkes and other conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.
The hall's architecture showcases a mix of different styles due to its long history. The building includes features from medieval, Tudor, and Victorian periods. It has a distinctive timber-framed design with white plaster infill panels.
Ordsall Hall is also known for its alleged paranormal activity. There have been stories and accounts of ghostly sightings and strange occurrences within the hall, contributing to its reputation as a haunted location. The hall is surrounded by beautiful gardens and grounds that add to its charm. The gardens have been designed to reflect different historical periods, providing visitors with a glimpse into the past.
Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre in Manchester consists of numbers 60 and 62 Nelson Street which have been saved from demolition due to their historical importance. The buildings now serve as a museum and a women's centre. These historic residences can be considered the birthplace of the Suffragette movement in Britain. It was at 62 Nelson Street that the first meeting of the Suffragettes was held in 1903 and it was here that Emiline Pankhurst (1858-1928) lived with her daughters Christabel and Sylvia from 1897-1907 before they moved to London.
People's History Museum
The People's History Museum is located on the banks of the River Irwell in Spinningfields. It is the national centre for the collection and study of material relating to the history of working people in the UK.
The museum was first housed within the historic former Mechanics' Institute where the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) were all founded. It is now in a new site on the Irwell in Spinningfields.
The hands-on museum includes various exhibits dedicated to the history of democracy, women's rights, suffrage and working people. Exhibits include historical pieces such as John Paine's desk, photographs, trade union banners and posters.
Videos include footage of speeches by Margaret Thatcher and other political leaders, the miners' strike and other political events in the UK.
The Portico Library
The Portico Library on Mosely Street is a private library built between1802 and 1806. Designed in the Greek Revival style, the library was financed by subscriptions from local business people.
The library holds a collection of mainly 19th-century literature as well as illustrations, plates, journals and quarterlies. The institution also awards the biennial Portico Prize for Literature.
Famous members have included John Dalton, Sir Robert Peel, the Reverend William Gaskell, and also the Manchester United footballer Eric Cantona.
Rochdale Pioneers Museum
Rochdale Pioneers Museum in Rochdale, Greater Manchester is a historically significant institution dedicated to the origins of the global cooperative movement (Co-op). The museum is housed in the original building where the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society, often regarded as the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement, opened their first store in 1844.
A group of 28 weavers and artisans, later known as the Rochdale Pioneers, established the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society with the aim of providing affordable, high-quality goods to their community. This initiative was rooted in principles of mutual aid, democratic governance, and economic equity, which were revolutionary for the time.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery
Salford Museum and Art Gallery in Peel Park opened in 1850 as the Royal Museum and Public Library. The museum is dedicated to the history and heritage of Salford. The building is in the center of the University of Salford, surrounded by both civic and educational buildings.
Today, Salford Museum and Art Gallery contains a large collection of Victorian period and later art in the Victorian Gallery. Among the artists whose work is on display are Philip Hermogenes Calderon (1833-1898), Charles Landseer (1799-1879) , Arthur Perigal (1784-1847), and William Bruce Ellis Ranken (1881-1941).
Over 400 artworks by the Salford-born painter L. S. Lowry were transferred to The Lowry in Salford Quays, though a few paintings and sketches by Lowry still remain on show. The Pilkington Ceramic Collection is the largest collection in the UK of ceramics produced by Pilkington's Lancastrian Pottery & Tiles, once a large manufacturer of tiles, vases and bowls, based in Clifton Junction near Swinton, Salford.
The excellent museum café is open weekdays from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm and weekends from 11.30 am to 4.00 pm, except for bank holidays. There is also a museum shop selling work by local artists and crafts people.
Whitworth Art Gallery
The Whitworth Art Gallery has a collection of around 55,000 works of art encompassing contemporary art, classic British water colours, drawings, prints, wallpaper and sculpture.
From its foundation, the Whitworth has also amassed a superb collection of textiles from around the world as an inspiration for the city's own once dominant textile industry.
The water colour collection includes works by British artists William Blake and J.M.W. Turner, as well as European pieces.
The modern and contemporary art section features pieces by Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh, Camille Pissarro, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, László Maholy-Nagy and Paul Klee through to David Hockney, Bridget Riley, Francis Bacon, Lucien Freud, Frank Auerbach, Rachel Whiteread, Mary Kelly and Tracey Emin.
The gallery and gardens contains sculptures by artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Bernard Schottlander, Henry Moore, Jacob Epstein and Eduardo Paolozzi. The two new wings of the recent extension enclose an art garden designed by Sarah Price and containing sculpture by Nico Vascellari.
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