• Women’s Words on Manchester

    Wolfson Reading Room

    Women’s Words is a joint project between Manchester Libraries, Pankhurst Centre, Soroptimist International Manchester and Wordplay Community Arts. It captures a moment in Manchester’s history. One hundred years on from the Suffragette movement, born here in our city, Women’s Words gives voice to untold stories from women in Manchester in 2018 Free – please drop […]

  • Inside View: Original and Creative Work by Learners at HMP Manchester

    First Floor Display Cases

    An exhibition of creative work produced by learners attending NOVUS Education classes at HMP Manchester. This joint collaboration between Manchester Central Library and NOVUS Education showcases the excellent standard of creative work produced using a limited range of resources. Free – please drop in

  • Suffrage in Manchester

    Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space

    In celebration of the centenary of the Representation of the People Act, this exhibition has been created by Heritage schools to showcase the work of local primary and secondary school students as they explored key people and historic sites linked to the Suffrage movement in Manchester. Free - please drop in

  • Hit the North

    First Floor Exhibition Hall

    From incisive studio portraiture to grand rural vistas, Hit the North celebrates northern photography across five decades. The exhibition is curated by Manchester-based Hobo Photo, which promotes photography with high-quality roving exhibitions. Free - please drop in

  • The Smiths 1984-1986

    First Floor Display Cases

    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!**

  • Once Upon A Time…

    Wolfson Reading Room

    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.

  • Capturing the Heritage of the Workers’ Co-operative Movement, 1970s-1990s

    Lower Ground Floor Link

    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 […]

  • You Brought Your Own Light

    First Floor Exhibition Hall

    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 […]

  • There is a Light That Never Goes Out: A photographic celebration of Manchester’s rock-music history

    First Floor Exhibition Hall

    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

  • C.R. McBerny – Exhibition

    First Floor Display Cases

    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?

    Performance Space

    ‘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. […]

  • The Life and Career of Charles Hallé: Bicentenary Exhibition

    Wolfson Reading Room

    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 […]