Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester Art Gallery is the original useful museum, initiated in 1823 by artists, as an educational institution to ensure that the city and all its people grow with creativity, imagination, health and productivity.

The gallery is free and open to all people as a place of civic thinking and public imagination, it promotes art as a means to achieve social change.

It has been at the centre of city life for nearly 200 years, created as the Royal Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science and the Arts and has been proudly part of Manchester City Council since 1882.

The gallery is for and of the people of Manchester. Through its collections, displays and public programmes it works with all our constituents to ensure creativity, care and consideration infect all aspects of the way we live. We host discussions and talks with a wide range of people from Manchester and beyond - artists, curators and a wide variety of organisations and partners.

This is an art school for everybody and for life

Support your gallery

Your donations and support keeps the gallery free and helps us to create exhibitions and programmes that positively impact the lives of local people.