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The setting of an art gallery can sometimes be just as important as the exhibitions inside it. There’s no better way to enjoy art than when it’s surrounded by tranquil nature, perhaps on the coast or somewhere green and leafy.
These days there are plenty of art galleries in parks, from the William Morris Gallery and The Serpentine in London to Jupiter Artland in Edinburgh. But did you know the first was in Manchester? That’s one of the reasons why the Whitworth has been deemed one of the best galleries in the UK.
When it first opened its doors in 1908, The Whitworth made history as the very first English gallery inside a park. Located inside Whitworth Park, the free-to-enter space is sandwiched between the famous Curry Mile and the main campus of the University of Manchester, which it’s also a part of.
The Whitworth’s diverse programming features over 60,000 works of art, which includes one of the world’s most magnificent collections of watercolour works. There are more than 10,000 wallpaper examples, most of which come from a huge donation from The Wall Paper Manufacturers Ltd in 1967.
But despite being part of a university, its temporary exhibitions have featured some serious big hitters known around the world. Until January, you can see iconic Japanese woodblock prints by Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige who did the famous ‘The Great Wave’, and until December 12 there’s a William Morris show on.
Time Out writer James Balmont said: ‘A £17m redevelopment completed a decade ago added elegance via a huge, bright, glass, steel and brick extension.
‘Since then, the Whitworth has welcomed over two million visitors through its doors to browse artworks, architecture and one of the world’s biggest wallpaper collections (for art-viewing and home improvement inspo).’
Time Out has compiled a list of the best art galleries in the UK outside of London. Taking the top spot was another institution in Greater Manchester: The Lowry in Salford, which is known as ‘The Salford Guggenheim’.
Read our full list of the best art galleries in the UK.
Here are the 12 best art galleries in Manchester.
Plus: Did you know that Liverpool is getting an 'extraordinary' new Beatles museum?
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