Facilities and cultural partners

Explore a wealth of archives, libraries, museums and other research institutions in Manchester and beyond.

Manchester's research institutions are world-class. The University of Manchester Library (together with the John Rylands Library), with over 4.5m books and vast archives of historical material and rare volumes, is second to none. It is one of the few university libraries with the prestigious status of a national research library.

Externally we are supplemented by the rich library and archive holdings of Greater Manchester. Archives contain crucial information on the mainly institutional past of our societies. Historians at Manchester maintain close relationships with different archives; not only with the obvious TNA (The National Archives UK, Kew), county record offices but also with far-away places like Venice or Nigeria.

You can also find a rich array of material remains of past cultures in the museums of the Manchester region. Most important are the holdings of the Manchester Museum, one of the most precious private collections in the country, and an institution with which the School enjoys special links

Man looking at artwork in gallery

The Whitworth Art Gallery

Hosting exhibitions on modern and contemporary art and holding a prestigious collection of fine and applied arts from late classical times.
Students walking on the library stairs

The John Rylands University Library

One of the world's finest collections of medieval illuminated books, as well as the University's extensive collections of manuscripts and rare books.
Students looking at books in library

Chetham's Library

Chetham's Library is of particular importance to medieval and early-modern historians.
Metal figurines

The People's History Museum

Former Edwardian pumping station housing displays on local and national working-class life.
Exterior of the Working Class Movement Library

Working-Class Movement Library

Unrivalled collection of often otherwise unobtainable publications and records of the labour movement.
Students walking on the library stairs

Central Library

Far more than an ordinary city public library especially for nineteenth- to mid twentieth century history.

Using our cultural assets for your studies