Exhibition

An exhibition of images from the golden age of The Smiths, by photographer Stephen Wright. 'A sweeter set of pictures were never taken’   Morrissey, Boxing Day, 1985 Free – please drop in   **To compliment this fabulous exhibition, the library shop on the ground floor will be selling a range of exclusive Smiths related goodies!**

An enchanting display of books for children from Central Library's special collections.  Ranging from a 17th Century Latin Dictionary to favourite characters such as Babar, The Snowman and Latin versions of Peter the Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh.

Prompted by poor economic conditions, unemployment, and a change in societal attitudes, the 1970s-1990s saw a wave of workers’ co-operatives set up. This exhibition showcases some of the findings of the HLF funded ‘Working Together’ project and includes insights into the importance of the movement, through case studies and personal recollections of those involved.  Free […]

A powerful exhibition by Manchester based photographer, Allie Crewe, whose work is "highly rated, sincere, poignant and classical ", Magnum Photography. There is nothing linear about femininity - or what it means to be a woman - in the 21st century. Sex and gender are not limited to the monolithic paradigm of genetics; they are informed by […]

Rockarchive.com proudly presents a unique exhibition by the UK's leading music photographers to honour Manchester's music heritage. From the rise of punk, Factory Records, The Hacienda, the Madchester years and beyond, this exhibition is a retrospective of Manchester's huge influence and continuing importance on the rock music scene. Free – please drop in Image ©: Jill Furmanovsky/rockarchive.com

R. McBerny is a collaborative exhibition organised by Andrew Hunt and Veit Laurent Kurz that explores how contemporary painting, performance and writing might produce overtly emotional and demonstrative forms of discourse between communities of artists and writers in Berlin, New York and Manchester. Free - please drop in

‘Enhanced Humans?’ is a collaborative pop-up exhibition created by the University of Manchester exploring medical innovation, health and human adaptability. Bringing collections from the Museum of Medicine and Health to the city centre, this exhibition explores objects ranging from prosthetics to alternative therapies. Join us for an engaging and thought provoking experience for all ages. […]

This collaborative exhibition celebrates one of Manchester’s great adopted sons on his 200th birthday. The archives of The Henry Watson Music Library in Central Library, The Hallé Concerts Society, The Royal Northern College of Music and Forsyth Brothers Limited, have been thoroughly explored and displayed in order to tell the story of Hallé's life and […]

Through photography, film, music and sculpture; See My Dunya: See My World brings to focus the seldom seen faces, the un-heard stories and dreams that make up the Somali-British experience. An invitation into the Somali-Mancunian experiences, it hosts the images, testimonies, sounds and swag of the many individuals that make up this seldomly centred yet hyper-visible community; […]

What’s it like to be sixteen years old now? In this exhibition, leading contemporary photographers join forces to present multimedia project, Sixteen, exploring the dreams, hopes and fears of sixteen-year olds across the UK. Photographer Craig Easton conceived this ambitious project following his engagement with sixteen-year olds at the time of the Scottish Referendum. It was the first, and as […]

Step back in time and take a walk down Manchester's high street passing by some of the city's iconic shop windows. From department stores to grocers and from toy shops to fashion boutiques, this exhibition will transport you back to a time when the only way to shop was on the high street. Professor Jon […]

A fantastic multimedia exhibition dedicated to Manchester's most unique artist. Containing the cream of the Frank Sidebottom/Chris Sievey archive, as featured in the new documentary Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story. Expect art, video, audio and bobbins puppets. Fun for the whole family. You know it is, it really is. Photo credit: Dave Arnold Free […]