Visit Manchester Insider’s Guide Part 4: Heritage sites and libraries

This content is adapted from the Visit Manchester Insider’s Handbook. Packed with ideas and inspiration for things to do, see, eat, as well as places to stay, the 40-page handbook includes dedicated pages detailing what's new and coming soon as well as maps and spotlight pages on Greater Manchester's towns, boroughs and coolest neighbourhoods. It’s the perfect resource for planning your next visit.

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Victoria Baths 

No longer functioning as a ‘water palace’ and Turkish baths, this Grade II listed building hosts regular events and is a stunning visit for any photographer, with stained glass, terracotta tiles and mosaic floors. 

Manchester Town Hall

This magnificent building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse is one of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic architecture in the UK and opened in 1877. Manchester Town Hall is currently undergoing refurbishment and will reopen to the public in 2024. 

Manchester Cathedral 

The cathedral is an essential visit in Manchester, featuring gorgeous interior housing the finest late medieval woodwork in the North of England, alongside stunning modern stained glass.  

The Monastery

Once a Franciscan Church and Friary and described as architect Edward Pugin’s gothic masterpiece; the Grade II* listed Monastery was deconsecrated in 1989 and is now one of the most prized heritage sites in Greater Manchester. 

Pankhurst Centre

The birthplace of the Suffragette movement, The Pankhurst Centre is the restored Grade II listed former home of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, and the only museum in the UK dedicated to telling the story of women’s fight for the right to vote. 

Rochdale Pioneers Museum

Widely regarded as the home of the worldwide Co-operative movement, this small museum is based within the site of the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society’s first store which opened in 1844. 

Chetham's Library

Housed in a beautiful sandstone building dating from 1421, Chetham’s has been in continuous use as a public library for over 350 years, making it the oldest public library in the UK. Marx and Engels studied here, and visitors can take a seat at their desk. 

Manchester Central Library

The magnificently refurbished Central Library is known as both the city’s study and its living room. Alongside an unrivalled hub of information and education, it’s a great place to meet and socialise. 

Elizabeth Gaskell's House

The Grade II* listed property helps visitors discover how Manchester’s novelist lived, where she wrote some of her most famous novels, and where she entertained guests, including Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens.  

John Rylands Library 

A masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture, it looks more like a castle or cathedral from the outside; however, inside you will be treated to one of the most spectacular library settings in the UK. 

Anthony Burgess Foundation

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation is an educational charity which encourages public and scholarly interest in the life and work of Manchester’s Anthony Burgess. 

The Portico Library

The third in Manchester’s ‘ancient’ library trio (see Chetham’s and John Rylands), The Portico Library first opened in 1806 and holds a unique collection of books, archives and illustrations spanning over 450 years.