Chetham's Library
BEST FOR
Ages 8+
ENTRY
from £8.50
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Manchester
What it’s like
A guided tour through a 600-year-old library with a chained collection, medieval cat flaps and the desk where Marx and Engels studied.
This one is for the eight-plus crowd who like proper old buildings and stories, not a running-around visit. A guide takes you round the gated book presses, some of which hold books from the 16th century, past medieval furniture and paintings, and on to the chained library itself. There's a scriptorium activity to try, and younger visitors get to decorate their own sword and shield, which is a nice touch given the rest of the tour is quite grown-up in tone.
The tour runs 60 to 75 minutes and costs £8.50 a head, booked in advance, up to six weeks ahead. You wait outside the gates until the guide collects the group, with no shelter there, so check the forecast before you set off. Arrive in good time too, since large bags and suitcases aren't allowed in and security needs to check what you're carrying.
It's genuinely old inside: uneven floors, cobblestones, occasional low lighting, and 18 steps up from the cobbled yard with no lift. That rules it out if anyone in your group can't manage stairs, and there are no public toilets on site, the nearest being at Victoria Station or the Arndale Centre. Worth building that into your plans if you've got a while to wait or a small bladder in tow.
The desk where Marx and Engels used to study is the one most kids will remember telling their teacher about, oddly enough, alongside the medieval cat flaps. It's closed on public holidays and over the Christmas to New Year period, so double check your dates land on an open day before booking.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages 8 and up; younger siblings get a sword and shield to decorate
- Booking
- Advance booking required. Tickets available up to 6 weeks in advance via website or telephone
- Parking
- APCOA Printworks car parking with 30% discount when booking in advance
- Wheelchairs
- No lift and no disabled toilet facilities
- Large bags and suitcases over 35cm x 40cm x 19cm aren't allowed in, so travel light
- You wait outside the gates for the guide with no shelter there
- Schools in north west England can get free tours between September 2026 and July 2027
- Book your parking in advance for the APCOA Printworks discount
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£8.50 for a library tour, booked in advance.
Do we need to book ahead?
Yes, tickets are booked online or by phone up to six weeks before your visit. Tickets are paperless, so have them printed or ready on your phone.
What age is it suitable for?
Children need to be 8 or over to join the guided tours.
How long does the tour take?
Tours run 60 to 75 minutes.
Is there parking nearby?
Q-Park Deansgate North is a five-minute walk away, and there's a discount on APCOA Printworks parking if you book ahead.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs?
Not really. There's no lift, no disabled toilet, and you get to the library via 18 steps across a cobbled yard. Wheelchair users who can't manage stairs can still access the collections as readers, just not the regular tours.
Are there toilets on site?
Public toilets at Chetham's. The nearest are at Victoria Station and the Arndale Centre.
What happens if we're late?
You won't be let in more than 15 minutes after the tour starts, so it pays to arrive early and wait at the gates.
Is it open every day?
Tours run Monday to Saturday, but the library closes on public holidays and between Christmas and New Year.
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