Culture Vultures
Our guide to Manchesters top cultural destinations
John Rylands Historic
Library
The Manchester
Museum
Manchester Art
Gallery
Cornerhouse
Urbis
Manchester
Cathedral
Imperial War Museum North
In dramatic contrast
to the huge NatWest building on Deansgate, the John Rylands Library
is Victorian Gothic Manchester in the present day. Opened on 1
January 1900, it was one of the first buildings in Manchester to
have electric lighting, and its Collections offer not only a
documentation of Manchester's past, but they also serve as a
testament to the important role that self-education and the pursuit
of knowledge have played in Manchester's progression through to
modernity.
The library has been re-opened in recent years as a historic
centre, with some of the most fascinating exhibitions of historic
literature around. There are static centrepieces such as the
so-called St John's Fragment, believed to be one of the oldest (if
not the oldest) documents of the New Testament, and a range of
original works from Elizabeth Gaskell, Manchester's adopted
Victorian novelist and social commentator.
This month, the John Rylands Library exhibits its Collection A
Natural Selection: The life and literature of Charles Darwin, a
celebration of the working life of history's most notable and
controversial scientist and naturalist. On show are: a number of
incredibly beautiful illustrated plates from Darwin's Zoology of
the Voyage of the Beagle, first editions of Darwin's On the Origin
of Species, his correspondence with other scientific authorities
and even a loan of specimens found on the Beagle voyage.
The John Rylands Library is an edifice to knowledge with its roots
firmly in Manchester's rich history, and its riches perpetually on
show to the public. For more information on what's happening at
John Rylands Library, take a look at their website.
www.library.manchester.ac.uk
Trains to
Manchester
Ensconced in Manchester
University's Neo-Gothic heart, the Manchester Museum's incredible
static and changing exhibitions attract thousands of visitors every
year, and its natural, archaeological and historic collections are
nothing short of world-class.
The Museum has its roots in the buzzing scientific climate of the
late nineteenth and early twentieth-centuries, and many of the
collections of Egyptian and Mediterranean archaeological findings
were supplied by contemporaneous supporters of the Manchester
Society of Natural History.
On any given day, there are some 4.25 million species and
artefacts to see at the museum, 600,000 of which can be found in
the Zoological Collection, with specimens from all aspects of the
natural world (not to mention 'Stan', the museum's Tyrannosaurus
rex!). The ancient world is brought to life from the Paleolithic to
the seventeenth-century AD with the museum's 80,000-strong static
collection of archaeological findings.
This month, as part of Darwin 200, comes The Evolutionist: A
Darwin extravaganza, an event celebrating the man and the
discoveries that changed the world's conception of biology and of
species forever. The event involves both educational seminars and
presentations from experts on the subject of Darwin's legacy, as
well as art, poetry, music and comedy events celebrating the
effects evolutionism has had on our culture as a whole. To plan an
immersion into the natural and archaeological history of our planet
all under one roof in Manchester and for upcoming exhibitions and
the museum's opening times visit: www.museum.manchester.ac.uk
Trains to
Manchester
Continuing the theme of
free-to-view marvels of Manchester, the Manchester Art Gallery
houses Manchester's civic art collection, comprising work from the
various European schools of painting (highlights include the vast
painting The Chariot Race by Alexander von Wagner, and Portrait of
an Unknown Woman by Modigliani). The gallery's Manchester Room is
dedicated to exhibiting the art history of Manchester, with work
from painters such as Valette (under whom L. S. Lowry studied) and
the Mancunian-born Impressionist painter Wynford Dewhurst.
The gallery's Tradition and Experiment exhibition explores the way
in which modern artists explored and challenged traditional
conceptions of art in new and interesting ways. There is also an
exhaustive Gallery of Craft and Design, showcasing over 1,300
cultural artefacts from antiquity right up to design classics of
the modern age.
Currently on show at the Manchester Art Gallery is Angels of
Anarchy: Women Artists and Surrealism - a revealing look into the
crucial role of women and the feminine form itself, including work
from such names as Frida Kahlo and Meret Oppenheim. The exhibition,
divided into five themes, explores the way women artists strove to
challenge traditional concepts of gender in art, through
portraiture, still life, fantasy creations and in other
media.
The gallery also has a fantastic café, whose menu includes
organic, vegan and vegetarian options. The gallery café also aims
to help organizers of group visits with children, with packed
lunches and mini-menus also available.
To take in the entire array of what the Manchester Art Gallery has
to offer and for opening hours and directions.
www.manchestergalleries.org.uk
Trains to
Manchester
Presiding over Manchester's
Oxford Road is Cornerhouse, a true bastion of cinema, photography,
and multimedia art events. Cornerhouse is great for so many things,
it might help to break them down one by one.
For true cinophiles, Cornerhouse's monthly offering is miles ahead
of the major multiplexes of the city centre. A constant flux of the
best contemporary cinema from around the world can be had any week
of the year, with film festivals such as Viva! proving a great
success. Classics, cult films and little-known masterpieces are
regularly screened, often selling out quickly, so check their
online listings regularly.
Upstairs, Cornerhouse's art gallery has on offer as diverse a
selection of exhibitions as are likely to be found in any cultural
capital, hosting work from both Manchester artists and those the
world over. The gallery's current Bloomberg New Contemporaries
exhibition is in its 60th year, and still finding the freshest and
most promising fledgling artists and their work.
Cornerhouse's bar and restaurant just happens to be one of the
most cosmopolitan spots in the city. Its great choice of
continental beers and wines, fine dining, and vibrant, cool
atmosphere go all combine to make this the perfect place for a
pre-movie drink, or a whole night's soaking up the city, which
feels as if it's right on top of you from the wrap-around floor-to
ceiling windows of the upper level. Also, Cornerhouse's bookshop
stocks a wide range of architecture, photography, art/design, and
literary magazines. And just when you thought there couldn't be any
more incentives to take a slice of this cultural hub, it's less
than a hundred yards from Manchester Oxford Road station approach;
literally the second building you'll see.
Trains to
Manchester
As the Manchester Museum is to
the field of history and science, Urbis is an exhibition space
about urbanism and what it means to live in a city. An enormous
glass and steel structure with a sea-green glitter, Urbis is about
as contemporary as could be, and at its heart is the documentation
of Manchester and its awakening as a cultural capital. With a
constant stream of new installations and work, you can expect to
find exhibitions about art, music, technology and urban identity,
many of which discuss how these cultural factors have been
interpreted in recent times in Manchester. The current exhibition
Manchester, Television and The City: Ghosts of Winter Hill explores
the important role Manchester has played in the evolution of
television, and how the invention has defined our culture as a
whole, and has shaped attitudes towards the city, at the moment
when the digital switch is about to take place.
Urbis is constantly buzzing with activity and events to get
involved in: On Sunday afternoons, The Social is a great music
event featuring DJs from Manchester's Piccadilly Records playing
some seriously cool music. There are language workshops on weekday
evenings where you can learn anything from Polish to Punjabi with
native speakers living in Manchester. There are also various
artistic workshops where you can learn or brush up on your skills
with celebrated artists to advise you along the way. Urbis is a
must for anyone interested a Manchester which moves as fast as it
does today, and as many of its events are absolutely free, it
couldn't be easier to get involved. For exhibitions, events,
opening times and the like visit their website.
www.urbis.org.uk
Trains to
Manchester
Manchester Cathedral, or
The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St
George in Manchester, is a Medieval church built in the
eighth-century which has survived both the Manchester Blitz and the
1996 IRA bombing. It and its surrounding buildings such as
Chetham's Hospital School of Music are some of the oldest buildings
in Manchester, the Chetham Library said to be the oldest public
library in Europe. It is an area of Manchester whose heritage is
literally stunning, and to this day serves as a centre for many of
the spiritual community of Manchester. For those just visiting, it
is a captivating place to walk at early evening, and the grounds
around the cathedral give an idea as to the significance of the
church in Manchester through the ages. The ancient architecture of
the cathedral is simply incredible, despite a history of
modifications and refurbishments which have given the exterior of
the church a deceptively modern appearance. Its West Door and
window and the ornate carving of the entrance to the Lady Chapel
are staggering examples of the Gothic period. The wooden carvings
of its collection of miserichords (hinged seat-like panels) are
considered some of the finest examples of such ornament in
Europe.
The cathedral is a great place for music lovers, and this October
there is a free evening of music from Schubert (Monday 19, 7:30pm),
which will be a performance of Schwanengesang for baritone and
piano. The cathedral holds regular music events; the perfect way to
enjoy this most uplifting and spellbinding of Manchester's
buildings.
For more information on Manchester Cathedral, go to the Manchester
Cathedral Visitor Centre website. www.mcvc.info
The multi-award winning
Imperial War Museum North at The Quays, Manchester is a great free
day out for all ages. Designed by world-renowned architect Daniel
Libeskind to represent a globe shattered by conflict, it reveals
how war and conflict have shaped people's lives from 1900 to
now.
Discover the powerful stories of men, women and children who have
experienced conflict through powerful exhibitions, interactive
displays, the Big Picture (a 360 degree light and sound show),
tours, object handling sessions, and family activities all
available daily.
Learn how to start tracing your family history and delve further
into the Museum's collections at Your History.
Visit the cafe, shop and viewing platform (the highest in the
area) offering spectacular views over The Quays and
Manchester.
Winner: Large Visitor Attraction, Manchester and North West
Tourism Awards 2009
One of the top 10 Buildings of the last century, 2008 Rough Guide
to England. For more information visit: Imperial War Museum North
Trains to
Manchester