The Whitworth

Founded in 1889 as a gallery in the park for the people of Manchester, the Whitworth has been transformed by a £15 million development.

The existing gallery has been extensively refurbished and the original 19th century building has been reconnected with Whitworth Park through an elegant contemporary extension. The two new wings now embrace the park to create an art garden in between, which houses a landscape gallery, a cafe in the trees, and study centre and a learning studio. Within the historic building, exhibition galleries have been restored, a collections access zone has been created and the original grand hall reinstated for public use.

Following this extensive redevelopment and refurbishment, the Whitworth opened its doors again in February 2015. Since reopening the building has been awarded the prestigious RIBA North West Building of the Year, the RIBA National Award 2015 and was shortlisted for the high-profile RIBA Stirling Prize. It also won the largest arts award in the UK: the Museum of the Year Award 2015.