One of the city’s most treasured libraries turns the page on a new chapter

One of the city’s most treasured landmarks is turning the page on a new chapter.

The John Rylands Library, Deansgate’s architectural jewel, is celebrating its 125th anniversary in style, unveiling a stunning new gallery space that opens to the public on the 15th of May 2025.

Already one of Manchester’s most beloved tourist destinations, the John Rylands’ brand new Collections Gallery will take you on a wonderful journey through centuries of history and culture.

It’s the centrepiece of the Rylands125 anniversary celebrations, and for good reason.

With over 40 rare and remarkable objects on display, the gallery offers a window into the evolution of one of the UK’s most prestigious special collections.

Also, the collections will rotate every six months so the library can showcase its vast and awe-inspiring collection of items.

What’s in the John Rylands Collections Gallery?

Among the standout artefacts: an early fragment of the New Testament, a clay cylinder from the temple of King Nebuchadnezzar, and a detailed account of the Peterloo Massacre’s relief fund.

But it’s the central display case that stops visitors in their tracks, home to a majestic 14th-century trilingual Qur’an, Shakespeare’s legendary First Folio, and the visually stunning 12th-century Rylands Beatus manuscript.

The gallery also makes space for modern history, showcasing Alan Turing’s handwritten notes on programming the world’s first stored-program computer, the Manchester MARK I, alongside a notebook from Joy Division’s enigmatic manager, Rob Gretton.

These pieces weave together an incredible story that documents both cultural and scientific achievement.

Professor Christopher Pressler, who is Chief Librarian for the John Rylands Library, said: “This is the culmination of six years of dedicated work, and part of our University Library’s 2030 strategy and the John Rylands next chapter project.

“We have delivered new events and welcome space, a new shop, a specially commissioned entrance, upgraded staff and teaching spaces, a world-class digital suite, and of course our brand new galleries, which equal or exceed nearly any library in the world.

“It’s a special milestone for us.

“It is the 125th anniversary of the John Rylands Library, which stands as one of the  most extraordinary acts of philanthropy in British history.

“A gift from Enriqueta Augustina Rylands, the library was an incredible gift to the people of Manchester that continues to enrich our cultural landscape.

“Books and manuscripts, treasures that represent the pinnacle of human creativity, scholarship, and craftsmanship across centuries.

“These works have found their home in Manchester, and it’s our privilege to be their custodians.”

Enriqueta Rylands

At the heart of this celebration is a tribute to Enriqueta Rylands, the library’s remarkable founder. A visionary with an eye for knowledge and a heart for the public good, she established the John Rylands Library in 1900 as a gift to the people of Manchester in memory of her husband, John Rylands.

Long before a single stone was laid, Enriqueta began acquiring books, rare printed works, exquisite manuscripts, and eclectic treasures spanning poetry, natural history, theology and beyond.

Her collection was both deeply personal and intellectually expansive, reflecting her belief that knowledge should be beautiful, profound, and accessible.

Her vision, backed by an astonishing £1 million investment at the time (equivalent to over £100 million today)—laid the foundations for a library that now holds world-class collections: from ancient Egyptian papyri and medieval Islamic manuscripts to early European printing and archives from British pop culture.

Rylands125

Dr Elizabeth Gow, head curator at the Collections Gallery said: “We’re trying to strike the perfect balance here, showcasing some of the wonderful objects in out collection without being overbearing.

“So why feature Alan Turing? Why Joy Division? Next to biblical manuscripts and medieval treasures?” It’s a continuation of Enriqueta’s vision.

“She was interested in how we see the world. She wanted the collection to be living and evolving with the times.

“And actually, she got criticised for that. At the opening of Whitworth Hall in 1902, I think that was the 50th anniversary of Owens College, people were really unhappy with her decision to place new books alongside old ones.

“There was this idea that modern books would somehow contaminate the older ones. That this wasn’t how a “proper” library should behave.

“But at the same time, what she was doing was very Manchester.”

“What Enriqueta was doing was very Manchester”

Dr Gow continued: “You see it in the building itself. Maybe not so much in this space, but if you look at the historic reading room: you’ve got this beautiful neo-Gothic architecture that really echoes Oxford colleges and that kind of tradition.

“But at the same time, the heating and ventilation systems were pioneering. The lights were electric and super Art Nouveau.

“And she had clashes with the architect about that. He wanted to stick to a more traditional Gothic design. But she was adamant.

“Singers of Frome: that’s who we’re using. I like their stuff. Let them do what they like—it’ll look good.”

“And it does look good. There’s that tension between the Gothic and the modern—but it’s beautiful.”

Today, the John Rylands Library remains a huge cultural pull in the city centre that continues to evolve with the times.

The Rylands125 programme includes a year-long series of exhibitions, events, and public engagement initiatives that shine a light on the library’s global significance and contemporary relevance.

Behind the scenes, a team of experts works tirelessly to conserve, digitise and interpret the collection for new generations.

The exhibition space itself will be dynamic, with items rotating every six months to ensure both preservation and the chance to showcase more of the library’s vast holdings.

As The John Rylands Library hits 125 years, the new gallery invites visitors to explore not just books, but the ideas, stories and personalities that shaped the world.

Find out more about the John Rylands Collections Gallery

You can find out more about the John Rylands Collections Gallery by clicking here