Galleries & Museums
From the UK’s leading university museum, to contemporary art and end of year degree shows; Oxford Road Corridor is well worth several art hops a year.
Both the Whitworth and Manchester Museum are part of the University of Manchester. With over six million items from across the world, spanning over four floors of displays and exhibitions in 15 galleries, the museum is an extraordinary space with a vast collection dating back as far as the early 1800’s. South of the museum and transformed by a £15 million development is the Whitworth, the first English gallery in a park, providing contemporary exhibition programmes that have gained global attention.
At the opposite end of the Oxford Road Corridor, presenting the most diverse, contemporary and challenging visual art in the region is HOME, who have specialisms in artist film, performance and participation.
Modal Gallery at SODA invites audiences to experience cutting-edge, digital artwork using the latest technologies, across three major exhibitions a year at Manchester Metropolitan University. Keep an eye out for SODA’s giant LED façade which changes throughout the year, as well at the annual degree shows.
On the fringe of the Corridor boundary is Castlefield Gallery. Established by artists in 1984, the arrival of the gallery in the city was to become an important catalyst for rapid cultural growth and an increased presence of visual artists in the city. Supporting artistic and career development for artists is a key driver for the gallery, as well as enabling audiences to fully connect with contemporary art.
Current and upcoming exhibitions
Performing Trees
The Whitworth Until 4 April 2027Performing Trees explores the changing role of trees in art, showcasing more than 50 works from the Whitworth’s collection.
Beneath the Great Wave: Hokusai, Hiroshige, and ukiyo-e print
The Whitworth Until 16 November 2026LAST CHANCE. Beneath the Great Wave is the Whitworth’s first exhibition dedicated to Japanese prints in over 100 years.
Hyundai Translocal Series: Entangled and Woven
The Whitworth Until 3 January 2027A landmark exhibition bringing together the textile traditions and contemporary practices of Korea, India and the UK.
The Labour of Care
The Whitworth Until 31 August 2027An exhibition dedicated to centring the voices and experiences of midwives and maternity healthcare professionals.
Reflections: Sangat and the Self
The Whitworth Until 31 August 2027A participatory exhibition inviting reflection on personal and collective wellbeing through art.
Everyday Art School: Still Care
The Whitworth Until 18 November 2027Still Care is an exhibition developed in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust working with bereaved parents.
Florence Peake: Vitalities
HOME Until 31 January 2027Internationally acclaimed artist Florence Peake brings a major new exhibition to HOME, exploring grief, absence, movement and the traces we leave behind.
Supermedium: Kelan Andrews and Petra Szemán
Castlefield Gallery Until 31 January 2027Slip through layers of celluloid animation into an exhibition that asks what it means to animate
Colours in the Field: Cotton, Empire and alternative futures in India
Samuel Alexander Building Until 30 November 2026Explore the colonial legacy of cotton between India and Manchester through archival research, natural pigments and women’s farming stories.
The Whitworth After Hours: Autumn Preview
The Whitworth 19 November 2026Explore the Whitworth’s latest exhibitions after hours, including a felt installation by Gulnur Mukazhanova and an artist conversation.
Manchester Art Fair
Manchester Central 19 – 22 November 2026One of the UK’s most ambitious art fairs, Manchester Art Fair, unpretentious and quintessentially Northern art-buying experience.
Bunker Talk #170 Nicola Dale
Grosvenor East Theatre 1 December 2026Visual artist Nicola Dale explores sculpture, performance and the power of objects, touch and interaction in contemporary art practice.
William Morris: Common Paradise
The Whitworth 12 December 2026 – 14 November 2027A major exhibition exploring the radical and enduring legacy of the 19th century designer, writer and activist William Morris.
Stained Metal
Manchester Museum 27 February – 6 June 2027Discover Stained Metal, a new international art project conceived by Inua Ellams and presented by Fuel and Manchester Museum.
Bunker Talk #174: Simon Moreton
The Salutation 13 April 2027Artist and writer Simon explores how landscape, memory, grief and belonging intersect through walking, drawing and creative practice.
Museums & Galleries
