Cultural Highlights
ART GALLERIES
Manchester Art Gallery
Mosley Street, M2 3JL
T: 0161 235 8888
England’s Northwest’s Large Attraction of the Year 2008 shows off
the wealth of Manchester’s artistic legacy, including its famous
collection of Pre-Raphaelites and a great collection of modern
pieces. A new sculpture by Antony Gormley adorns the light filled
atrium.
www.manchestergalleries.org
The Lowry
Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ
T: 0870 787 5780
A high-impact, landmark building, perfectly set against the vast
water and sky background of The Quays at Salford. The Lowry is a
whole day out of attractions in itself – you get art galleries, two
theatres, a gift shop and several restaurants, not to mention the
tram ride out there.
www.thelowry.com
Whitworth Art Gallery
The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M15 6ER
T: 0161 275 7450
Great collection of art and design, from watercolours, prints,
drawings, modern art and sculpture, including the largest
collections of decorative textiles and wallpapers outside
London.
www.whitworth.man.ac.uk
Chinese Arts Centre
Market Buildings, Thomas St, M4 1EU
T: 0161 832 7271
This national showcase for Oriental culture is a great place to
catch exhibitions by Chinese artists. The centre’s chilled-out tea
shop also provides a little haven of peace and tranquillity in the
creative hubbub of the surrounding Northern Quarter.
www.chinese-arts-centre.org
Cornerhouse
70 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH
T: 0161 200 1516
The best place in the city for contemporary art, sculpture and
photography, the Cornerhouse also houses a three-screen arthouse
cinema, a fine bar and a welcoming, easy-going café.
www.cornerhouse.org
Urbis
Cathedral Gardens, M4 3BG
T: 0161 605 8200
This flagship Manchester building sits imposingly in the
lovely Cathedral Gardens like a rearing, glass-skinned serpent.
Gallery-cum-exhibition centre-cum-arts venue, Urbis is described as
‘the city centre’, reflecting its focus on different aspects of
urban culture from around the world.
www.urbis.org.uk
MUSEUMS
MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry)
Liverpool Road, Castlefield, M3 4FP
T: 0161 832 2244
As you would expect in the city that kick started the Industrial
Revolution, this museum is full of fascinating insights into
England’s industrial history and also boasts a great collection of
planes, trains, cars and steam engines. A planned £60m refurb,
called Revolution Manchester, will see both spaces and exhibits
enhanced and updated over the next few years.
www.msim.org.uk
Imperial War Museum North
The Quays, Trafford, M17 1TZ
T: 0161 836 4000
The UK’s first building by Daniel Libeskind, IWM North is a real
attention-grabber - more like architecture as environmental
sculpture. Located on the opposite bank of The Quays to The Lowry,
this is another building that uses its waterscape backdrop to
sensational effect. On the inside, its thought-provoking
exhibitions have won it a prestigious national silver award in the
Enjoy England tourism awards 2007.
www.iwm.org.uk/north
Manchester Museum
Oxford Road, M13 9PL
T: 0161 275 2634
Part of Manchester University for over 100 years, the museum
covers all the ‘ologies’ from archaeology to zoology. The
original building was the work of Alfred Waterhouse, architect of
Manchester Town Hall, with the 2003 refurbishment undertaken by Ian
Simpson, architect of Urbis and the new Beetham tower.
www.manchester.ac.uk/museum
THEATRES
The Royal Exchange
St Ann’s Square, M2 7DH
T: 0161 833 9833
Make sure that the Royal Exchange is on your itinerary, if not
for one of the consistently top-notch theatrical performances, then
just to take in the jaw-dropping, dramatic interior that was once
the trading floor of the city’s Cotton Exchange. Good craft shop
too.
www.royalexchange.co.uk
The Library Theatre
St Peter’s Square, M2 5PD
T: 0161 236 7110
The handsome rotunda of Manchester’s Central Library houses a
surprise in its basement – the oldest repertory theatre company in
the UK. Focussing mainly on contemporary and sometimes provocative
works, the theatre also attracts some interesting touring
productions.
www.librarytheatre.com
Contact
Oxford Road, M15 6JA
T: 0161 274 0604
Remodelled in 1999, this architecturally madcap building looks
almost Gaudi-esque. With a stated mission of catering for the 13-30
age group, the theatrical product veers towards the cutting edge
and contemporary, with regular club nights and laid-back DJ’s.
www.contact-theatre.org
Green Room
54-56 Whitworth Street M1 5WW
T: 0161615 0515
This hip, experimental performance space is tucked away underneath
the railway arches. Consistently avant-garde productions and
another good spot for café bar lounging, with regular DJ’s in the
foyer space.
www.greenroomarts.org
Palace Theatre
Oxford Road M1 6FT
T: 0161 245 6600
The major venue in Manchester for touring West End productions,
this is a classic example of the grand temples to variety that were
built in the Victorian era – all gilded statues and red plush
seating.
www.livenation.co.uk
Opera House
Quay Street M3 3HP
T: 0161 828 1700
Slightly smaller sister venue to the Palace, this is another
traditional theatre venue, veering more towards opera, ballet and
one-off comedy or musical shows.
www.livenation.co.uk
The Lowry
Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ
T: 0870 787 5780
The Lowry’s two performing spaces provide a strong mix of music,
ballet, opera, theatre and comedy.
www.thelowry.com
MUSIC VENUES
MEN Arena
Victoria Station M3 1AR
T: 0871 226 5000
The largest indoor arena in Europe, this is the place to catch the
Kylies and Justins of this world on their latest blockbusting
tour.
www.men-arena.com
Manchester Apollo
Stockport Rd, Ardwick Green M12 6AP
T: 0161 273 6921
This big old converted cinema is the venue for those comedy and
music gigs that are too big for the Academy and not yet big enough
for the MEN Arena.
www.livenation.co.uk
The Bridgewater Hall
Lower Mosley Street, Petersfield M2 3WS
T: 0161 907 9000
Opened in 1996, the Hall is one of Europe’s best venues for
classical music and home to not one but three orchestras: the Hallé
(Britain’s oldest professional symphony orchestra), the BBC
Philharmonic and the Manchester Camerata. Also good for top-notch
visiting international orchestras and soloists, plus a
complementary programme of non-classical, jazz and world music
artists.
www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
Royal Northern College of Music
124 Oxford Rd, M13 9RD
T: 0161 907 5377
This top-notch musical conservatoire is the place to catch the
classical stars of the future, as well as a eclectic mix of
classical and contemporary artists.
Academy 1, 2 & 3
Oxford Rd, M13 9PR
T: 0161 275 2930
The three spaces at this University-based venue provide a
sliding scale of size to suit wherever a band currently sits on the
path from anonymity to fame, or vice versa.
www.manchesteracademy.net
Roadhouse
8 Newton Street M1 2AN
T: 0161 237 9789
One of Manchester’s great survivors, this intimate basement
venue has been around since Oasis and The Verve were doing their
first gigs. A standard stop on any up-and-coming, NME-rated band’s
touring itinerary.
www.theroadhouselive.co.uk
Matt & Phred’s
64 Tib Street M4 1LW
T: 0161 831 7002
Ronnie Scott’s in miniature, this atmospheric Northern Quarter
institution is where you can hear jazz of the highest order on most
nights well into the early hours.
www.mattandphreds.com