What would you leave behind for the children of the future?
An Inheritance is a unique exhibition created by over 500 primary school children from across Greater Manchester. On display at Manchester Art Gallery in summer 2025, this thought-provoking collection brings together advice, memories, jokes, drawings, recipes and personal treasures – all chosen as gifts for the children of 2125.
From jars of honey (in case bees disappear) to tips on making friends, the exhibition offers a glimpse into how today’s young people imagine life a century from now.
Visitors are invited to explore the collection and even contribute their own ideas before it is sealed away at the end of the summer, ready to be rediscovered 100 years later.
To mark the occasion, a special public ceremony will be held where city leaders will sign a pledge – written by the children – promising to protect the inheritance until it is passed on to the next generation.
Created in collaboration with artists Andy Field, Beckie Darlington and Rosabel Tan, An Inheritance is both a celebration of childhood and an invitation to reflect on what kind of ancestors we want to be.
