• Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration

    Performance Space

    Come and join us in a unique and special ancient Mexican celebration Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead). In Mexican culture it is believed that during this time of the year your lost loved ones come back to visit. Family and friends gather together to honour their relatives and friends by cooking their favourite […]

  • How Children Think

    Performance Space

    Join us for our family fun day all about how children think about the social world. There will be fun activities to discover how children reason and co-operate with their friends and family! Take part in FREE story time sessions with puppets. music and crafts. Suitable for children aged 0-8 and their adults

  • Reading faces and hands: The science of speechreading and sign language

    Archives+ Ground Floor

    Join us for a free event exploring how language is more than just what we hear. Seeing the face of someone talking helps us understand what they are saying. Signed languages, such as British Sign Language (BSL), use hand and body movements to ‘say’ anything that can be expressed in spoken language. Take part in […]

  • M123 meet-up

    Media Lounge

    Are you a resident in the city centre? If you have a M1, M2 or M3 postcode, come along to our new monthly meet-up in the Media Lounge. Be the envy of your friends by creating bags using mixed media. Pop along and meet your neighbours, chatting is encouraged and little ones can come along […]

  • Story Selector

    Jewish Museum Pop-up Space

    Children’s storyteller Robin Simpson will be performing the exciting, curious and fascinating stories behind objects in Manchester Jewish Museum’s story selector machine. Come along and help him decide the direction the stories go and see the objects behind the stories. Suitable for families Free - please drop in

  • Roving Robots Coding Workshop

    Media Lounge

    Do you want to learn how to code? Come along to our new series of coding workshops for all. Families, adults, grandparents, in fact anyone aged 8 years and above is welcome to join us in learning how to code these cute and friendly robots. Free - please drop-in

  • Explore your Archive Week

    Visit Central Library and help us to create our own cabinet of wonder. In these sessions we will showcase material which you may not normally have the chance to see. Help us search for hidden gems from our collections to add to our wonderful new treasure. Free - please drop in

  • Junior Jam: Noisy Toys

    Children's Library

    Junior Jam - our jam-packed music sessions for 4-8 year olds! With an exciting theme each month - from Space Travel to Loop the Loop - help your little ones develop their musical skills in a fun, friendly and accessible way. Sessions are free and take place at the Children’s Library at Manchester Central Library. […]

  • Sensory Story Time

    Performance Space

    A new monthly sensory storytime, suitable for children with sensory or autistic spectrum needs.  The sessions will consist of a story and 3-4 songs, and will aim to be as visual as possible. Age group 4-7 years (flexible depending upon the individual needs of the child). All bookings can be made by phone on 234 1990.  Places are free […]

  • Christmas Extravaganza

    Get your festive season underway with our annual family extravaganza. Listen to a fantastic line-up of local choirs and bands and enjoy a mince pie with us. Create your own Christmas crafts. Enjoy a special festive ‘Story-time with Dad’. There will be performances and activities galore and Father Christmas will be here! Free – please […]

  • Greek Gods: Animate it

    Media Lounge

    Join us for animated fun! Discover stories, myths and characters inspired by the Ancient Greeks. Make an animated scene to tell the stories to your friends, in your own distinct way! Suitable for families Free – please drop in

  • Cabinet of Wonders

    Performance Space

    Discover wondrous objects from the depth of the library. Be the first to find hidden clues from our new trail and help us complete our new weird and wonderful Cabinet of Wonders. You can also join us for a film screening. Suitable for families Free – please drop in