• In the ordinary, there is always the extraordinary

    Ground Floor (Oculus Area)

    As a working-class artist and photographer, Tricia Ashworth has always been fascinated by what society deems ordinary. The beauty, the nuances, humour, strength and steeliness of everyday life in the […]

  • Schinkel in Manchester 1826-2026

    Wolfson Reading Room

    An exhibition of architectural models by students from the Manchester School of Architecture of early nineteenth buildings in Berlin and Manchester created to celebrate the bicentenary of the brief visit […]

  • Threads of a City: The Manchester Tapestry Project – Stitching Workshops

    Lwr Ground Floor - Manchester Histories Hub

    Join Manchester Histories for Threads of a City: The Manchester Tapestry Project, an ambitious community artwork celebrating the stories, people and heritage of Greater Manchester. Together, communities are helping to […]

  • Manchester Literature Festival presents Frank Cottrell-Boyce

    Performance Space

    Beloved author, screenwriter and Waterstones Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce brings his trademark wit and warmth to a moving conversation about books, imagination and the stories that shape our lives.   Inspired by his new […]

  • Talk English Circles

    Recurring
    Lower Ground Floor

    Come along to Talk English Circles at Manchester Central Library to practise speaking English and meet other people. Learn English, build skills and step into ESOL with this programme funded […]

  • Manchester Literature Festival presents Louise Kennedy & Wendy Erskine

    Performance Space

    Two of Northern Ireland’s most acclaimed, contemporary authors, Louise Kennedy and Wendy Erskine, join BBC 6 Music broadcaster Deb Grant for an unmissable conversation about storytelling and identity.   Louise Kennedy (Trespasses) introduces Stations, one of […]

  • Manchester Literature Festival presents Brutalist Ghost Stories

    Performance Space

    An afternoon exploring the supernatural with writers Jenn Ashworth, David Gaffney, Beth Barker and Nicholas Royle – four contributors to Brutalist Ghost Stories, a haunting new anthology inspired by Britain’s post-war architecture.   Blending literary fiction with the uncanny, […]

  • Storytime and Mindfulness for Children

    Children's Library

    Join us for this relaxing session led by Psychologist Özlem Bakan Yavaş. We will be reading stories and learning about feelings in a comfortable and safe environment. We will finish […]

  • Mandarin Storytime

    Children's Library

    Join our Mandarin Storytime. We will share the stories in Mandarin, then English. Have fun and learn new words! Suitable for children aged 4–7. Free - drop in Please make […]