Art Galleries in Manchester

The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6ER - Visit now

The Whitworth has recently undergone a £15m redevelopment, which saw it double in size; the gallery now juts out into Whitworth park, seamlessly transitioning from old to new. It’s been met with national and international acclaim – for its new architecture and for its brilliant exhibitions programme.

Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 3JL - Visit now

Manchester Art Gallery houses 25,000 artefacts across six centuries and contemporary exhibitions by world-leading artists in a beautifully-restored neo-Classic gallery, slap band in the city centre. The architect also designed Highclere Castle (or Downton Abbey).

HOME Manchester, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 4FN - Visit now

HOME is an arts complex that includes 500 square metres of gallery space in its £25m building. The visual arts team has continued the innovative programme of exhibitions that became the Cornerhouse’s trademark.

Castlefield Gallery, 2 Hewitt Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 4GB - Visit now

Castlefield Gallery may be small but it is influential, presenting thought-provoking contemporary art and supporting emerging artists. Its alumni include Turner Prize winners.

The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, Salford, Manchester, M50 3AZ - Visit now

The Lowry boasts two theatres, galleries and a studio space, combining the performing and visual arts.  It holds and displays works from the world’s largest collection of work by local lad, L.S. Lowry, although its galleries also have a changing programme of contemporary exhibitions.

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art, Market buildings, Thomas Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1EU - Visit now

Tucked away at the end of Thomas Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art in Manchester (formerly called the Chinese Arts Centre) is the UK’s leading organisation for contemporary Chinese art.

The Holden Gallery, Grosvenor Building, Cavendish Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6BR - Visit now

Manchester School of Art’s Holden Gallery at Manchester Metropolitan University, offers an ongoing programme of exhibitions that are open free to the public.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WU - Visit now

Head over to neighbouring Salford and visit the council-run Salford Museum and Art Gallery. A friendly city museum with special appeal to families, especially with its proximity to Peel Park, which the museum overlooks.