Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester Art Gallery šŸ›ļøCaring for Manchesterā€™s public collection of over 46000 objects
Free & open to all. Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm
(6541)

Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester Art Gallery is one of the countryā€™s finest art museums. We mix works from our wonderful historic collections with the best international contemporary art to bring fresh perspectives to familiar images, create visual dialogues and encourage conversation and debate. We welcome over half a million visitors each year to our home in the heart of the city, a blend of h

istoric and contemporary architecture that echoes our innovative artistic programme. Through our exhibitions and events, we offer extraordinary encounters with brilliant art. Explore our collections of fine art, spanning six centuries and including many major modern and contemporary pieces. We are famous for 19th century British paintings, particularly our outstanding collection of Pre-Raphaelite works. Our decorative arts collections showcase the artistry, tastes and techniques of every era and culture, from ancient civilizations to todayā€™s designer makers. Our collections of ceramics, silver, glass, furniture and costume are especially fine. We constantly renew and update our collections displays so you should discover something new every time you visit.

ā€˜p.s Isnā€™t all the world a stage?ā€™ DavidWeā€™re saddened to hear about the death of David Hockney. Our thoughts are with h...
12/06/2026

ā€˜p.s Isnā€™t all the world a stage?ā€™ David

Weā€™re saddened to hear about the death of David Hockney. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

There are several Hockney artworks in the Manchester Art Gallery collection, and on searching through our archives today we came across letters from David, written in the lead up to his exhibition, You Make the Picture, held the Manchester Athenaeum in 1997. Each is signed off in his characteristic way, ā€œlove lifeā€ David.
In one he warmly described how much he loved the catalogue for his exhibition, writing that heā€™d ā€œbeen looking at it for most of the night!ā€

From the archives:
Image 1: section of a handwritten letter from David Hockney to the gallery, Oct 1996
Images 2-4: installation shots of You Make the Picture, Manchester City Galleries, 17 Nov 1996 - 2 February 1997
Image 5: section of signed letter, 15 Nov 1996

04/06/2026

Back by popular demand!
Join Louise this weekend for a tour of Pre-Raphaelite art and discover why artists like William Holman Hunt were drawn to red head muses.

Radiant Redheads Tour
šŸ“…Saturday 6 June & Sunday 7 June, 11am - 12pm
šŸ“Meet in the Atrium
Free, no need to book

03/06/2026

ā€œI think that itā€™s a great thing for people to volunteer here. It allows me to feed that part of myself.ā€ Siobhan - Fridays, Sketch Break

A massive thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for making the gallery a welcoming, inclusive and diverse place to be! Your dedication, time and generosity is what makes the visitor experience special. šŸ„°

If you would like to volunteer with us, we are currently recruiting for two Art Bites volunteers. To find out more about our programmes and apply, register your interest with Manchester VIP
https://mcrvip.com/

šŸŽ„ Filmed by our colleagues at Manchester City Council

Perfect for a day like today!! šŸ„µā˜€ļø
26/05/2026

Perfect for a day like today!! šŸ„µā˜€ļø

23/05/2026

Why were the Pre-Raphaelites so obsessed with red hair? šŸ‘©ā€šŸ¦° šŸ§‘ā€šŸ¦°

On World Redhead Day, join Louise for a fun, themed tour of the Manchester Art Gallery collection centred around the history of hair colour in art.

Many artists, particularly the Pre-Raphaelites, were drawn to redheaded muses. For some, fiery locks symbolised desire and power. Others used copper tones as a warning for caution.

Each of the chosen artworks will be brought to life with engaging interpretation and fascinating historical context. Donā€™t miss this chance to learn more about hair history.

Radiant Redheads Tour
šŸ“…Tuesday 26 May 11am-12pm
šŸ“Meet in Atrium
Free to all, no booking required

14/05/2026

Curious about the origins of Things of the Least: lively exhibition-making with children under-3?

Look no further. Participants in the project explain how the Mary Greg collection at Platt Hall provided inspiration for the display.

Watch the full film on the Manchester Art Gallery website šŸ‘‡

https://manchesterartgallery.org/event/things-of-the-least/

šŸŽ„: Belle Vue Productions

11/05/2026

WORN DIFFERENT
Fashioning Identity: Connecting Heritage

A collaborative fashion project made with 25 young people from two of Manchesterā€™s Supplementary Schools - Chinese school Bowen Education and Cameroonian school, Ensemble.

Over ten workshops, participants creatively researched together with artist Kasha Dressler and Filmmaker/Director Saint Busari, staff from Manchester Art Gallery and Manchester Metropolitan University to explore our relationship with clothing across three sections - ā€˜Nameā€™, Tradition & Cultureā€™ and ā€˜Personal Styleā€™.

Watch the full film in WORN: the life within clothes, on display in Gallery 13.

Thanks!

Address

Mosley Street
Manchester
M23JL

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441612358888

Website

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