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June 2021Public tours are back! Be one of the first in over a year to visit us! With the regulations still a bit on and off, we're starting with socially distanced groups of six - book here! Reader appointments are also back! Please contact us as far in advance as possible to arrange a date and time X

Chetham’s Library has been in continuous use as a public library for over 350 years. It is housed in a beautiful sandstone building dating from 1421 which was built to accommodate the priests of Manchester’s Collegiate Church.

The entire collection at Chetham’s Library has been designated as one of national and international importance. You can find out about our collections here and in our catalogues. Chetham’s Library is currently closed to readers visiting in person, following government advice that working from home is preferred where possible. Staff are still working, however, and if you’d like to see what aspects of the Library you can explore from your screen, please start with our From Home page. We can be contacted on the email addresses on our Contact Us page : do feel free to be in touch and we’ll do our best to help with the resources to hand.

The Library is also an accredited museum, attracting visitors from all over the world.

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Delve into our wonderful collections online

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Chetham's Library tours are back!

Visiting the library

Public tours are back!

Please visit our blog, From Home pages and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) for regular highlights from our collection; we will endeavour to keep posting things of interest!

Tour booking dates here!

Need to get in touch? Please contact us here.

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Humphrey Chetham

Humphrey Chetham (1580–1653), the most successful gentleman merchant of seventeenth-century Lancashire, was born in Crumpsall Hall, near Manchester, and later lived at Clayton Hall near Droylsden. His fortune was...

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Blog

  1. Festival of Libraries

    This June, Chetham’s Library will be taking part in the Festival of Libraries. This is...

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  2. Book Clean

    As heritage organisations are opening their doors once again, we are preparing ourselves to welcome...

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  3. Environmental Control

    Environmental conditions play an important role in the life span of collections, if ignored the...

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What's On

  1. 23 Jun
    2:30pm

    Chetham’s Library Tours

    Full details
  2. 25 Sep

    Medieval Manchester Festival!

    Full details
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