- About
- Visiting
- What’s On
- Venue hire
- Catalogues
- Collections
- 101 Treasures of Chetham’s
- Digital Resources
- The Flowers of Histories
- A Book of Hours from France
- The Manchester Scrapbook
- Thomas Barritt of Manchester
- Art Treasures Examiner of 1857
- Manchester Association for Constitutional Order
- The North Western Museum of Science and Industry: Some Reminiscences by Richard Hills
- Criminal Manchester
- The Cup of Destiny
- Athenaeum Souvenir
- Middle English Manuscripts
- Manchester and Liverpool of Today
- Hollingworth’s Mancuniensis
- Memoir of Cecil Wray
- William Seward’s Diary
- The Anti-Monopolist
- Fishwick’s History of Rochdale
- Knyvett’s Defence of this Realm
- Tractatus de Nigromantia
- Axon Ballads
- Printed Books & Ephemera
- Archives & Manuscripts
- Prints and Photographs
- Blog
- Support us
Your visit
We love welcoming visitors and researchers to the Library to explore the stunning medieval building and get to know the collection we care for. Find out how you can get involved.
Please note that we are on the same site as Chetham’s School of Music, and therefore all visitor access is via the pre-booked tours and events.
Tours
To visit the Library, please pre-book a guided tour via our What’s On page. Tickets are available to purchase up to 6 weeks in advance. Make sure you read our Visitor Information before booking your tour. Every ticket sale and donation made supports the Library and its mission to serve and inspire the next generation. This is done through conservation and research projects and a programme of fascinating events for visitors. Don’t forget that choosing Gift Aid Admission allows the Library to reclaim tax on the whole amount paid on your ticket – that’s an extra 25%.
We are open Monday – Saturday only, please see our tour booking page for the dates and times of our guided tours. Please note that although we try our best to be open to visitors 5–6 days a week, there are occasions where we are not able to admit visitors to the Library, due to school events, private tours and functions.
Private Group Tours
For private tours, please contact our Visitor Services Coordinator to arrange your visit. Please note that as the public tours go on sale 6 weeks in advance, we require as much notice as possible in order to schedule private tours around them. Private tour groups must be 8–22 people to qualify.
Please note: the Library is closed on public holidays, and between Christmas and New Year.
Readers
Our collection is designated as having national and international importance and is used by researchers from all over the world. We’re open to readers Monday to Friday 9.15am-12.15pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm by appointment. If you discover material you’d like to see, please contact us by email or call 0161 834 7961 to make an appointment, which should be made as far in advance as possible. You can also explore the collections via our online catalogues. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer desk space to readers who are not consulting Library material. New readers may be asked to provide ID or a letter of reference.
School group visits
Tours are available for school groups studying KS3–5 History and English Language.
These include a guided tour of Chetham’s buildings and Library, workshop activities connected to curriculum, and access to books and items from the collection that support your area of study. For KS5 we can also offer a careers and pathway Q&A with the Chetham’s Library team.
Thanks to a generous donation, tours are FREE for schools in North West England between September 2025 and July 2026. Dates are limited so please contact joinin@chethams.com for more information and booking.
If you would like to be added to our schools newsletter to receive more information about activities and tours for schools at Chetham’s Library, please contact joinin@chethams.com
