Manchester Art Galleries

(Manchester, England, UK)



Photo of the Salford QuaysManchester is famous for its strong association with renowned 'matchstick men and matchstick cats and dogs' painter LS Lowry, and his distinctive paintings and sketches crop up at many of the city's art galleries. Lowry fans will find that the enormous Lowry Art Gallery on the Salford Quays is quite unmissable and very much a draw card.

Another extremely notable exhibition space is the award-winning Manchester Art Gallery on Mosley Street, which dates back to 1824 and was greatly extended in 2002. Visitors will discover paintings by the likes of Cézanne, Constable, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Pissarro and Stubbs. Also of note is the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, the Whitworth, and the nearby Salford Museum and Art Gallery, as well as a number of offerings in the neighbouring market towns of both Altrincha and Stockport.


Image of the Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester Art Gallery

Address: Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3JL, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 235 8888
The Manchester Art Gallery is one of the most popular in the city and is an imposing building in its own right. With a large collection of paintings, many by famous artists, such as Turner, other attractions include a café, restaurants, visitors centre and gift shop. The gallery has recently won the city's 'Large Visitor Attraction of the Year' and is easy to find, being located on Mosley Street, just off Princess Street and close to the Town Hall, the Library Theatre and the National Museum of Labour History.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Picture showing the Lowry Art Gallery

The Lowry Art Gallery

Address: Pier 8, Salford Quays, Manchester, M5 2AZ, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 876 2000
Opened in 2000 at the cost of more than £100 million, the Lowry Art Gallery resides in the Salford Quays area of the city and very much celebrates the life and paintings of world-famous artist Lawrence Stephen Lowry (1887 to 1976), who enjoyed strong connections with this city and even once studied at the Manchester Municipal College of Art. With an enormous collection of Lowry's paintings, other highlights include a large auditorium featuring regular events and theatrical productions.
Open hours: daily - 09:30 to midnight
Admission: charge

Salford Museum and Art Gallery

Address: University of Salford, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WU, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 736 2649
Located in adjacent Salford, less than 6 km / 4 miles to the west of the city centre and within easy walking distance of the Chapman Gallery, the Salford Museum and Art Gallery is home to an interesting museum, which recreates a historic northern street. Visitors should expect to find a multitude of local artefacts and a popular exhibition space, complete with paintings and sketches by a number of famous artists, including Lawrence Stephen Lowry.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 16:45, Saturday and Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Whitworth Art Gallery photograph

Whitworth Art Gallery

Address: John Rylands University Library, Whitworth Park, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 275 7450
Located in the All Saints area of the city and within the campus of the University of Manchester, just across from the Royal Infirmary, the Whitworth Art Gallery was founded more than 100 years ago and boasts large collections of paintings by artists from the United Kingdom, as well as many temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Many appealing attractions surround the Whitworth, including the Manchester Museum, the Academy, the German Protestant Church, the Pankhurst Centre and St. Gabriel's Hall.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Blyth Gallery

Address: 1 Stevenson Square, Manchester, M1 1DN, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 236 1004
Recently relocated from Brazil Street, the Blyth Gallery now stands on Stevenson Square, being close to the Castle Hotel and just a couple of blocks away from the Greater Manchester Police Museum on Newton Street. Look out for the many original paintings, limited-edition prints, sculptures, ceramics and workshops. This commercial venue began its life as long ago as 1889, being founded by Harry Blyth and originally supply art-related materials to the city's various Victorian drawing offices of local engineering businesses.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:45 to 17:30, Saturday - 10:30 to 15:30
Admission: free

Castlefield Gallery

Address: 2 Hewitt Street, Knott Mill, Manchester, M15 4GB, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 832 8034
Situated in the city centre and close to the Deansgate Railway Station, the Castlefield Gallery is a small modern art centre specialising in contemporary paintings and sculptures. Established in 1984 by the Manchester Artists Studio Association (MASA), the Castlefield is known for its visual arts and events programme, and relocated from the Campfield Avenue Arcade to its current purpose-built premises in 2002.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:30 to 17:00, Saturday and Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: free



Chinese Arts Centre

Address: Market Buildings, 13 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1EU, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 832 7271
The Chinese Arts Centre can be found in the Northern Quarter of the city and stands close to the Shudehill Station, the Arndale Market and the Hard Rock Cafe. With regular exhibitions of Chinese works, festivals, events, workshops and lectures, the centre often has special oriental art displays on Friday evening, where you can meet the curators and on occasion, the artists as well.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:30 to 16:30, Saturday - 10:30 to 16:30
Admission: free

Cornerhouse Gallery

- 70 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 228 2463
Located on Oxford Street and close to the Palace Theatre, the Cornerhouse Gallery is within easy reach of the city centre and comprises a number of different attractions. These include contemporary exhibition spaces spread over three floors, independent cinemas, bookshops, a cafe and also a licensed bar. Founded in 1985, the Cornerhouse specialises in photography, interactive video installations and multimedia exhibits.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 11:00 to 18:00, Sunday - 14:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge

Holden and Righton Galleries

Address: Grosvenor Building, Manchester Metropolitan University, Cavendish Street, Manchester, M15 5BR, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 247 1708
The Holden and Righton Galleries, in the All Saints district of Manchester, is home to two large exhibition spaces, where the outstanding art work of Manchester University students is showcased. This School of Art was founded in the middle of the 19th century and in 1950, Lowry attended evening classes here.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: free

Paintstop Art Gallery

Address: 37 Hale Road, Hale, Altrincham, WA14 2EY, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 929 4867
Located in the neighbouring Market Town of Altrincham, some 19 km / 12 miles to the south-west of the city and near to Stamford Park, the extremely popular Paintstop Art Gallery offers impressive art work at affordable prices.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 12:00 to 18:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 18:00
Admission: free

Portico Library and Art Gallery

Address: 57 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3FF, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 236 6785
The peaceful Portico Library and Art Gallery, in the city centre, is home to many temporary exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Dating back some 200 years, other attractions at this facility include a large number of book, historic documents and interesting archives. Within walking distance are the Piccadilly Gardens and various eateries.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:30 to 16:30
Admission: free

Stockport Art Gallery

Address: War Memorial Building, Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK8 3AB, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 474 4453
The Stockport Art Gallery, situated less than a 20-minute drive to the south, is a historic building and home to a large collection of paintings. These include a number of originals by renowned local artist Lawrence Stephen Lowry. Of note, the popular Grand Central leisure and entertainment complex lies close by.
Open hours: Monday and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - 11:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Tib Lane Art Gallery

Address: 14a Tib Lane, Manchester, M2 4JA, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 834 6928
Located in the heart of the city centre and just across from the Town Hall Tavern, the Tib Lane Art Gallery is a popular commercial venue specialising in contemporary pieces, including watercolours, sketches and exciting modern sculptures. Many shops and eateries are close by, with the Arndale Shopping Centre being within easy walking distance and only a few blocks to the north.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 11:00 to 14:00, Saturday - 11:00 to 13:00
Admission: free

Chapman Art Gallery

Address: University of Salford, Chapman Building, Salford, M5 4WT, England
Tel: +44 (0)161 295 5241
The Chapman Art Gallery is located in nearby Salford, being a popular venue where local Mancunian artists and students regularly exhibit their original paintings and sculptures. The Salford Shopping Centre is just a short walk away, as is the Salford Central Railway Station, the Granada Studios and the Museum of Science and Industry.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free