Exploring the changing social use of tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

Hot drinks, once expensive luxuries for the few, have enriched our lives, promoted the exchange of ideas and influenced the design of our homes. Trading Station traces the history of how these drinks arrived in the UK, revealing their global histories, connections to slavery and colonisation and contemporary ethical issues. Spanning four centuries and ranging from silver, porcelain, glass, fashion, lighting, prints and painting, this showcase of exquisite and utilitarian objects asks probing questions and uncovers hidden histories.

Browse the related items from the gallery shop, including fine bone china cups, fun tea accessories and fascinating books. 

Come and look behind the scenes of Manchester’s publicly owned sculpture collection. Part exhibition, part research space, Out of the Crate delves into the un-tapped history of the collection. This is an opportunity to investigate sculpture through access to stored collections and archival material. With works spread across three rooms, you’ll be able to find out what’s in store and how we look after it, help unlock hidden stories about works we know very little about, and explore how artworks might encourage conversation.

The shop selection for the exhibition features a wide range of shapes, materials and finishes and questions, what defines a 3D object as sculpture?

Due to the Covid 19 crisis our Derek Jarman exhibition has been postponed for the time being. Curator Fiona Corridan explains what this has meant for everybody involved.

We’ve been working in partnership with IMMA in Dublin, who opened the show last November and who were about to ship all the artworks to us when we both had to shut our doors. It’s very discombobulating to move from a place where you’re geared up for a physical installation and all that comes with it – in this case, not only the exhibition itself, but some long-planned events with organisations and artists from our city looking at Jarman’s films, literature, painting and activism.

We can still share some of our work online and through the fantastic shop selection which looks at different aspects of Derek Jarman's life and work.