What's on

ACTING UP!

ACTING UP! tells the story of 40 years of HIV activism in the region through archives, testimonies and films. The exhibition honours the memories of lives lost and continues the […]

Piccadilly Radio Archive: Nobody Did It Better!

Ground Floor

Explore the history of independent radio in Manchester from the birth of Piccadilly Radio in 1974 through to Key 103’s 1990s heyday. This free exhibition tells the story of the […]

Punk: The Art of Rebellion

First Floor Display Cases

A new exhibition explores how punk exploded from the streets of 1970s Britain - raw, loud, and unapologetic. Born of crisis, it raged against capitalism, racism, and conformity. Through music, […]

 LGBT Foundation’s 50 Years of Queer Hope & Joy Exhibition

Wolfson Reading Room and Lower Ground Floor

2025 marks 50 years of queer hope and joy for LGBT Foundation—and the heart of the celebrations begins in the centre of Manchester. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund […]

From Page to Stage: 20 Years of Manchester Literature Festival

Wolfson Reading Room

Feast your eyes on two decades of literary magic with From Page to Stage, a photographic exhibition celebrating Manchester Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary.  This intimate collection of photos charts the Festival’s […]

An Evening with Kathy Reichs

Performance Space

​Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs for a rare visit to the UK to celebrate over 25 years of her bestselling series. ​Best known as the inspiration behind Fox Television's longest-running […]

Time Travellers Tea Room

Lwr Ground Floor - Manchester Histories Hub

Join Manchester Hstories for Time Travellers Tea Room, a monthly gathering where we explore the personal stories, memories and everyday objects that shape Manchester’s rich and diverse heritage. These relaxed […]

Central Library’s Big Language Celebration

Performance Space

Do you speak more than one language? Want to find out more about the languages spoken in Manchester? Then join us for an engaging exploration of our foreign language archives, […]

An evening with Katherine Rundell

Performance Space

We are delighted to welcome bestselling author Katherine Rundell to Manchester to celebrate the release of The Poisoned King! The mesmerising follow-up to Rundell's Waterstones Book of the Year 2023-winning Impossible Creatures finds Christopher embroiled […]

Reading, Rhyming, Remembering: Children’s education from the Past

Archives+ Ground Floor

Explore how children learned Pre-20th Century and Early 1900s, through images, storybooks, rhymes, and moral tales. A fun and nostalgic exhibition for schools and families—where learning met imagination! Discover the […]

Saturday Spectacular: Lowry Takeover

Performance Space

Come join the Lowry at Central Library and get involved in some fantastic fun for all the family. Enjoy arts and crafts, interactive storytelling and engaging workshops. There will also […]