Art and culture in Manchester

Spend a day in Manchester and it rapidly becomes apparent just how much the city has reinvented its industrial past into a new, trendsetting present - and an ambitious future. Today, the listed buildings of the world’s first inter-city passenger railway house the Science & Industry Museum, a globally important heritage site, while the monumental columns of a former trading hall - once an international cotton exchange - hold up the UK’s biggest theatre in the round at the Royal Exchange. Manchester’s world-class art and textiles collections, held by Manchester Art Gallery and the redeveloped Whitworth, were amassed as a result of the city’s great post-industrial wealth and world standing - without which, exceptional buildings such as the Grade I listed John Rylands Library would not have been possible. The Quays - now home to MediaCityUK, the largest media hub in Europe, national museum IWM North and Manchester’s most visited cultural attraction The Lowry - is an area that has been transformed from the busiest industrial dock in the UK, to a 21st century cultural centre in just over 100 years. Of course Manchester is synonomous with football and you’ll find world-class collections at the National Football Museum.

Greater Manchester museums

Bramall Hall

This magical Tudor manor house is set in more than 50 acres of parkland with lakes, woods and…

Fireground

The Museum tells the story of firefighting, particularly in the Greater Manchester region. The area…

IWM North

IWM North is part of Imperial War Museums – the world’s leading museum of war. Its…

Anglesey

The beautiful island of Anglesey is criss-crossed with quiet lanes and paths, making it an ideal…

Hall Hill Farm

Award-winning farm attraction offering family fun. Set in attractive countryside with opportunity to…

Locomotion

The town of Shildon has had an exciting story to tell since the earliest days of the rail industry…

Greater Manchester galleries

The Lookout

Already described as delivering ‘a whopping amount of family friendliness’ by Kids in Museums, the…

Chuck Gallery

Chuck Gallery is an art space in Manchester dedicated to the promotion of contemporary and historic…

Waterside

Waterside is an award-winning, vibrant destination for performance, culture and events in the heart…

HOME

With five cinema screens, two theatres and an art gallery, HOME is an open and social space for the…

The Lowry

A magnificent building alongside Salford Quays, inside visitors will find three stunning theatres…

The Whitworth

The Whitworth is proudly part of the University of Manchester and serves as a bridge between the…

Arts and cultural events in Manchester

The latest culture news in Manchester

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Festival of Libraries returns for 2024

133 libraries taking part ~ free events programme ~ Wednesday 12 June to Sunday 16 June 2024 Manchester City of Literature is preparing to celebrate the joy of libraries with Greater Manchester and the world when the Festival of Libraries takes place from Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 June 2024.

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Rochdale Town Hall reopens to the public

More than 2,500 people joined in the celebrations as Rochdale Town Hall reopened its doors to the public for the first time in four years this weekend. Thousands of visitors from all different walks of life packed into the Grade I listed building, eager to see the results of The National Lottery…

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Best rainy-day activities in Manchester

Known as the rainy capital of the North, Manchester is not always blessed with sunshine and dry spells. Thankfully, there are plenty of activities to get stuck into when the weather isn’t great. Either for families or groups of friends, there are lots of options for everyone looking for something…

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