Art and culture

Our city has a rich history but never stops looking forward. Famous for its industrial roots, Manchester continues to be a hub for innovation and creativity.

You’ll get a glimpse into our past with our array of museums, and enjoy cutting-edge modern experiences at our many galleries and theatres. Art is a constant theme throughout the city, from celebrated street art to our national acclaimed exhibitions.

Galleries and museums

You don’t need to leave campus to immerse yourself in history, culture and art. The Holden Gallery and Manchester Poetry Library are open year-round, in addition to three major exhibitions at our Modal digital art gallery in the School of Digital Arts (SODA) building each year.

With over 80 galleries and museums in and around Manchester city centre, you’ll find plenty of things to do and places to go right on your doorstep. Look out for:

Manchester Art Gallery
Whitworth Gallery
Castlefield Gallery
The Lowry

The Holden Gallery

The Holden Gallery is part of our prestigious Manchester School of Art. Using the original 19th-century gallery space, the venue hosts fully curated exhibitions all year round. Admission is free.

Explore the gallery

Our city’s rich history is on display across a range of museums. Some of the most popular include:

People’s History Museum
Imperial War Museum North
Manchester Museum
The Pankhurst Centre
Museum of Science and Industry
Museum of Transport
Salford Museum and Art Gallery

For a full list of museums and galleries, go to Vist Manchester.

National Football Museum

Manchester and football are intertwined, so it’s no surprise we’re home to the National Football Museum. Here you’ll see a collection of unique items and exhibitions that celebrate the beautiful game. A must for any football fan.

Explore the museum

Libraries

Manchester is famed for celebrating literary arts. By living here, you’ll have access to a host of public libraries with an abundance of free resources, including our exciting Poetry Library. Whether you want to get involved in writing, or just enjoy a good book, Manchester’s stunning libraries provide the perfect setting.

Libraries to look out for:

Manchester Central Library
The John Rylands Library
The Portico Library
Chetham’s Library
The Working Class Movement Library

In 2024, our on-campus library will begin a four-year transformation project to create a library fit for the 21st century. Students will retain access to all of our learning facilities during this redevelopment process.

Manchester Poetry Library

In 2020, we opened the North West’s first public poetry library, continuing our proud tradition of being at the forefront of the creative arts in Manchester. It’s on campus in our Grosvenor East building, and freely available to all our students.

Take a look

Film and theatre

In addition to the dozens of mainstream cinemas throughout the city, there are multiple options to get your fix of independent or arthouse cinema and live theatre performances.

Grosvenor East Theatre

Located right on campus, our very own Grosvenor East Theatre has a year-round programme of performances which are open to all (including the public).

HOME

Just a short walk from campus, HOME offers the latest blockbuster releases, independent screenings, live performances, and digital arts. Complete with three food and drink areas, HOME is the ideal place for contemporary art lovers.

The Savoy

The Savoy is a renovated single-screen cinema that was first built in 1923. Screening both the latest Hollywood blockbusters and old school classics, its vintage setting is an experience for true cinema lovers.

The Plaza

A short train ride away in Stockport, The Plaza has been powering Manchester’s cinema scene since 1932.

Everyman

Everyman aims to revolutionise the cinema experience. Sit back and enjoy the latest releases in luxury seating, with food and drink ready to order.

Palace Theatre

Found on Oxford Road close to campus, Manchester’s Palace Theatre plays host to some of the biggest musicals and theatre performances from around the world.