Planning your visit: Using the gallery; How to get here; Access; New to the gallery?; What's on; Shop and cafe

New to the gallery?

It’s your gallery. It’s free. And it’s in the heart of Manchester.

Whether you’ve got 10 minutes, all day, are on your own or have the children with you, come in. You don’t have to like everything inside. And you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy a visit.

What’s inside?

Our collection is made up of fine art (paintings, drawings and sculpture) and decorative art – from ancient pottery to a Levi jeans chair. We’re probably most famous for our Pre-Raphaelite paintings (first floor). However, all periods are covered, including what’s happening now. Find out more about our collections, special exhibitions and events or just drop by, pick up a plan and wander. Any queries? Our staff will be happy to help.

What's on

A visit to Manchester Art Gallery offers you a wide range of activities to choose from. Explore art and design from the 1600s to the present day in our permanent collection galleries. Enjoy the latest exhibitions from our diverse changing programme. Or take part in a wide range of workshops, tours and other activities. Visit the what's on section of the website to find out more about what you can do on a visit to the gallery.

Collections

The gallery's collections include more than 25,000 objects of art, craft and design. Only a fraction of these can be displayed at any one time. You can explore the collections in greater depth by using our online collections search or browse edited highlights chosen by staff and visitors.

Education

We run a busy education service providing taught workshops for groups of all ages, training and CPD for teachers and self-programming resources for independent use by education groups. Visit education to find out more or to download information packs for teachers.

Fancy some peace and quiet?

We are very popular with schools and families, so if you fancy a quieter visit, try Tuesday to Friday after 3pm or weekends before midday.

Venue hire

Enjoyed your visit? Looking for a venue for a special event? Why not hire the gallery. We cater for parties, weddings, receptions and many other events. Visit venue hire to find out more.