School Visits

Chetham’s Library is now welcoming school visits.

Since October 2025, we have hosted around 300 students from secondary schools across the north west, offering curriculum-enhancing workshop days that bring history and literature to life through our unique collections.

Our workshops are designed to support Key Stages 3 to 5 in English and History, providing students with the opportunity to engage directly with rare books, manuscripts and historical artefacts.

Thanks to a generous donation, tours are free for schools based in the north west.

One student said: We absolutely loved the trip – thank you so much!”

Booking information

Thanks to a generous donation, tours are FREE for schools in north west England between September 2026 and July 2027.

To find out more and to arrange your visit, contact:

joinin@chethams.com

What your visit includes

  • A guided tour of Chetham’s buildings and Library
  • Workshop activities connected to the curriculum
  • Access to rare books and artefacts from the collection, which are not accessible from elsewhere, that support your area of study
  • For KS5, we can also offer a careers and pathway Q&A with the Chetham’s Library team

Supporting the curriculum

English Language – Change Through Time (KS3-5): During this visit, students will explore the historic spaces of Chetham’s Library and discover how the English language has evolved over time. Through a range of texts dating from 1600 to 1750, they will investigate changes in vocabulary, spelling and grammar, comparing historical language with the English they use today. Drawing on examples from the Library’s collections, students will also examine regional dialects and accents, considering how language reflects culture, community and identity, and why linguistic differences continue to be an important part of life in Britain.

English Literature – Shakespeare in Context (KS4-5): During this visit, students will explore the historic spaces of Chetham’s Library and discover the world in which Shakespeare lived and wrote. Through hands-on investigation of the building and its collections, they will examine how the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I shaped the politics, religion and society of the period, and consider how these influences can be seen in Shakespeare’s plays. Using primary sources and evidence from the Library’s collections, students will also trace the history of Shakespearean performance in Manchester, exploring how changing audiences, theatres and interpretations have kept his works relevant for over four centuries.

History – Health and the People (KS3-5): Here at Chetham’s, we have an extensive range of medical books that chart the development of medicine across the centuries. During this visit, students will explore historic texts to discover how people in the medieval and early modern periods understood illness and treatment, and investigate why certain medical practices remained commonplace for so long despite limited evidence of their effectiveness. Using primary sources from the Library’s collections, they will compare historical and modern approaches to healthcare, identify ingredients and remedies that are still used today, and consider how advances in scientific knowledge have transformed medicine over time.

History – English Civil War (KS3-5): Chetham’s was a hugely significant building during the English Civil War, and Manchester was a stronghold city for the parliamentarian Army. Through the use of primary sources, they will investigate the impact of the English Civil War on local families, communities and government, while examining Manchester’s role in the conflict. Students will also delve into the reign of Oliver Cromwell, considering how political and social change shaped everyday life, and reflect on the question: if we had the power to reshape society, what would we choose to change?