Culture & Arts

Salford Museum & Art Gallery was the UK’s ‘first free public library’, which opened in January 1850, followed in November by a museum and art gallery. The building was a mansion house known as Lark Hill, which had been built in the 1790s and has given its name to our famous Lark Hill Place; a Victorian street within the museum.

Today, Salford Museum and Art Gallery presents an exciting programme of permanent displays and changing contemporary exhibitions together with a range of events and activities guaranteed to inspire which completes a must visit experience for individuals, families, schools and organisations to come and enjoy. When you have visited the galleries why not pop into our café or purchase a souvenir in the museum shop.

Ordsall Hall has had a long and interesting history with many different uses since it was first mentioned in records in 1177! Today, it is a welcoming and friendly historic house telling the story of the Hall and some of the people who made it their home.

Dress up as a Tudor, try on some chainmail, discover some of the foods that would have been cooked at the Hall in the 1500s, pretend you are having a feast around the table in our Great Hall, find out about the Pre-Raphaelite artist who lived here, listen to the story of the 450 year old Radclyffe bed, chat to the friendly staff and volunteers, visit our allotment and herb garden, explore the sculptures in the gardens plus much, much more.