When The Lowry opened on Pier 8 of Salford Quays on 28 April 2000, the local press half-mockingly called it “Salford’s Guggenheim”. Twenty-five years and 18.5 million visitors later, the joke is on the press. The James Stirling and Michael Wilford-designed building genuinely catalysed the regeneration of Salford Quays from a derelict dock to a media-and-arts neighbourhood; it holds the world’s largest public collection of L.S. Lowry’s work; its Lyric Theatre is the biggest theatre stage in the UK outside the West End; and the 25th-anniversary programme running through 2026 is the most ambitious in the building’s history. Free galleries, paid theatre, 15 minutes from Piccadilly by tram.
This is the 2026 visitor guide to The Lowry: the architecture, the LS Lowry collection (including the £7.8m Going to the Match and the new LOWRY 360 immersive), the autumn theatre season (Operation Mincemeat in February 2026, Blaze FM, Selene, Madonna On The Rocks), how to get there, and how to combine with the wider Salford Quays day. For the full Quays picture see our Salford Quays guide.
The Lowry at a glance
- Address: Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ
- Building opens: Daily from 10am; closes 6pm if no performance, later on show days.
- Galleries: Sunday–Friday 11am–5pm; Saturday 10am–5pm. Free, with a suggested £3 donation.
- Theatre tickets: Show-by-show; £10–80 typical range.
- Nearest tram: MediaCityUK Metrolink, ~15–20 minutes from Manchester city centre.
- Parking: Quayside multi-storey M50 3AH (5–7 min walk); £3 for 3 hours; £5 pre-paid evening flat rate; Blue Badge 4 hours free.
The architecture story: Stirling and Wilford’s “Salford Guggenheim”
The Lowry was designed by the office of James Stirling and Michael Wilford, one of the most internationally celebrated British architectural practices of the late 20th century (Stirling was the 1981 Pritzker Prize laureate). Stirling died in June 1992, before construction began; Michael Wilford completed the project after his colleague’s death, with the firm renamed Michael Wilford and Partners. Ground broke on 19 June 1997; the building cost £106 million (the National Lottery contributed £21m+); engineering by Buro Happold; main contractor Bovis Construction.
The site is a triangular plot at the end of Pier 8. The plan responds to the triangle — interlocking volumes around a central spine, with an encircling promenade offering 360-degree views over the Manchester Ship Canal towards The Lowry Footbridge, Imperial War Museum North, and Old Trafford. The exterior is clad in stainless steel and glass — a maritime-industrial aesthetic that catches and reflects the changing light over the water. Inside, Wilford’s signature use of purple and orange defines the lobbies and circulation spaces (the exterior is the cool industrial steel; the interior is the bold colour). The aerofoil entrance canopy — a perforated steel airfoil internally lit at night — is the signature flourish.
The building won the Royal Fine Art Commission Building of the Year 2001. Then-Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell in 2005 called Salford “the new Bilbao,” explicitly referencing The Lowry’s catalytic role in regenerating the Quays.
The galleries: world’s largest LS Lowry collection
The Lowry holds the world’s largest public collection of L.S. Lowry’s work — approximately 400 pieces across oil, pastel, watercolour and pencil. About 57 are oil paintings. The collection rotates so what’s on display changes through the year. The dedicated Andrew and Zoë Law Galleries form the gallery suite, on the upper floors of the building. Free entry; suggested £3 donation.
How the collection got here
L.S. Lowry was born in Stretford in 1887, lived most of his life in Salford and Mottram, and painted Manchester’s industrial landscapes and the working communities within them. Salford Museum and Art Gallery began collecting his work from the 1930s onwards, when he was largely unknown nationally. When The Lowry opened in 2000, the entire Salford Lowry holding was transferred to the new building, supplemented by major purchases and bequests since.
Key works to find on display (rotation permitting)
- Going to the Match (1953) — the most famous painting in the collection. Acquired at Christie’s in 2022 for £7.8 million with the support of the Law Family charitable foundation, returning the painting to public ownership after a private sale by the Football Association. Shown with the preparatory pencil sketch alongside.
- Coming from the Mill — Lowry painted this scene twice (a 1917–18 watercolour and a 1930 oil); both have been in the collection.
- The Cripples (1949) — an unflinching portrait that complicates the cheerful “matchstick figures” reputation.
- Industrial Landscape (1953).
- Portrait of Ann (1957).
- A Head of a Man with Red Eyes (1938) — a self-portrait, painted during a year of depression after his mother’s death.
LOWRY 360 (new for 2025)
The LOWRY 360 immersive experience is the 25th-anniversary highlight — a free, room-scale installation that lets you step inside Going to the Match, walking among the crowds on the way to a 1953 Bolton Wanderers home game. Developed in collaboration with Barcelona studio Layers of Reality. Opened 2025; running throughout 2026.
The Camille Walala commission
For the 25th anniversary, the Promenade Gallery (the public space on the way up to the main galleries) has been transformed by the French artist Camille Walala in a riot of geometric pattern and colour. First in a new annual series of major international artist commissions. Worth seeing in person — Walala’s signature high-saturation graphic work scales beautifully to architectural space.
Who was L.S. Lowry?
Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887–1976) is the painter most associated with Manchester and Salford. Born in Stretford, raised in working-class Pendlebury after his family fell on hard times, worked as a rent collector for 42 years (he kept the day job a secret from the art establishment), studied evening classes at Manchester Municipal College of Art under Pierre Adolphe Valette. His signature subject was the industrial north-west — mills, terraced streets, football matches, religious processions — populated by stylised stick figures painted in flake white on stained background. He produced around 1,000 paintings and 8,000+ drawings.
By his death in 1976 he was the bestselling living British painter; the establishment had given him every honour he was offered, except a knighthood (which he refused — five times, a record). His work is in every major British public collection; the largest concentration is here.
The theatres
The Lowry runs three performance spaces, programming around 1,000 performances a year between them — touring drama, comedy, musicals, opera, ballet, contemporary dance. Opera North is in residence each season. The Lowry has also hosted the Royal Variety Performance (2011), Britain’s Got Talent auditions, and the 2003 Mastermind final.
Lyric Theatre (1,730 seats)
The main space — the biggest theatre stage in the UK outside the West End. Hosts the big touring musicals, the major drama transfers, ballet (Northern Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet), opera, and large-scale family shows.
Quays Theatre (around 466 seats, flexible)
The mid-scale space, with a flexible courtyard-style configuration that adjusts between productions. Smaller-scale touring drama, comedy, contemporary dance.
Studio (150 seats)
The smallest space, for experimental and emerging work.
What’s on at The Lowry in 2026
The 2026 programme combines major touring productions with the 25th-anniversary autumn contemporary season.
Spring 2026: Operation Mincemeat
16–28 February 2026 in the Lyric Theatre — the Olivier Award-winning musical about WWII intelligence operations launches its world tour from Salford. Likely to sell out at weekends; book early.
Spring/Summer 2026 highlights
Touring Northern Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Opera North seasons, comedy nights, major drama transfers. Check thelowry.com/whats-on for the live programme.
Autumn 2026: the Contemporary Season
The 25th-anniversary autumn season is the most ambitious in the building’s history. Confirmed shows:
- Blaze FM (The Big House) — 17–19 September 2026 in the Quays Theatre. Co-written by grime MC Jammz and James Meteyard; East London pirate-radio drama with grime, drill and garage; 80 minutes; UK regional tour debut.
- SELENE (Wright & Grainger) — 25–26 September 2026. Ancient lunar myth, immersive music and spoken word; from the brilliant North Yorkshire company behind The Gods the Gods the Gods.
- Madonna On The Rocks (Marie Hamilton) — 30 September – 1 October 2026. Neon-lit musical on motherhood and postnatal depression.
- Mistero Buffo (Rhum and Clay) — 2 October 2026. A contemporary reinterpretation of Dario Fo’s medieval folk-drama, set through the lens of the gig economy.
- Thanks for Being Here (Ontroerend Goed) — autumn 2026. The Belgian company’s reflective audience-connection piece.
- L’Addition (Bert and Nasi) — autumn 2026. Experimental deconstruction of a simple café scene about power and repetition.
- Iterations (Tom Cassani) — autumn 2026. The mechanics of sleight-of-hand magic.
Family programming
Christmas family shows (the 2025 run of The Enormous Crocodile The Musical ran into early January 2026); summer family programming; Quentin Blake and Me (a free family exhibition in 2025/26 — check current status).
Eating and drinking — Pier Eight
Pier Eight Restaurant on the ground floor is the on-site smart dining option — opened originally in 2000, relaunched in November 2015 with a £3m extension, expanded again for the 25th anniversary. 300 covers; 150-seat bar; curved zinc-topped bar; the signature “cotton-leaf feature tree” referencing the building’s connection to the Salford cotton-shipping history; open kitchen; seven private booths; views over the Ship Canal towards Imperial War Museum North and Old Trafford. Executive head chef Oliver Thomas; contemporary British, seasonal. Particularly good for pre-theatre dinners — they offer a fixed early menu for ticket holders.
For casual eats, the Foyer Café serves coffee and snacks throughout the day. Walk five minutes around the dock for the wider Quays food scene — Kargo MKT food hall, Nell’s Pizza, The Alchemist, Wagamama (all detailed in our Salford Quays guide).
Plan your visit
Building and gallery opening times
The building opens at 10am daily, closing at 6pm if there is no performance, later on show days. The galleries are open Sunday–Friday 11am–5pm and Saturday 10am–5pm (closed Mondays except bank holidays). The shop, café and box office follow the building hours.
Tickets
Theatre tickets are show-by-show; the box office (0843 208 6000) is open daily 10am–6pm (later on show days); buying online via thelowry.com is generally the cheapest route. Gallery entry is free — no booking needed.
Membership
The Lowry runs a tiered membership scheme — priority booking, discounts on tickets and food, members-only events. Worth it if you go to 4+ shows a year.
Accessibility
The Lowry holds the Silver award from Attitude is Everything for venue accessibility. Lifts to all floors; three wheelchairs available for free hire at the Box Office; the Lyric Theatre has accessible seating throughout; relaxed performances, BSL-interpreted shows, audio-described shows and captioned shows run regularly — see the access guide on thelowry.com.
How to get there
By tram
The MediaCityUK Metrolink stop (opened 20 September 2010 on a 360-metre spur off the Eccles Line) is the nearest. About 15–20 minutes from Piccadilly via St Peter’s Square; trams every 12 minutes weekdays. Harbour City (~7 min walk) and Imperial War Museum stops are nearby alternatives. Single fare £3.10 adult.
By car
M60 to junction 12 → M602 toward Salford → A5063 → follow brown tourist signs to The Lowry. About 25 minutes from Manchester city centre off-peak.
Parking
No on-site car park (passenger drop-off at the entrance is allowed). Use the Quayside multi-storey car park (M50 3AH, 5–7 minutes’ walk) — £3 for up to 3 hours, pre-paid evening flat rate £5 (17:00–01:00), Blue Badge 4 hours free. Alternative: Lowry Outlet Mall multi-storey (disabled bays on every level) or Pitch Car Park, MediaCityUK (M50 2EQ).
Pair with
The Lowry combines naturally with the wider Salford Quays day. Cross the silver Lowry Footbridge in 3 minutes to Imperial War Museum North (free; see our IWM North guide). Walk 5 minutes around the dock to MediaCityUK (BBC Tour, Coronation Street Experience, Kargo MKT). 10 minutes across the Detroit swing bridge to Old Trafford. See our Salford Quays guide for the full Quays day.
FAQ — The Lowry
Is The Lowry free?
The building and the LS Lowry galleries are free to enter (suggested £3 donation). Theatre tickets are paid show-by-show.
What’s at The Lowry Manchester?
Two main theatres (Lyric 1,730 seats / Quays around 466 seats), a Studio space, the Andrew and Zoë Law Galleries (world’s largest LS Lowry collection), the LOWRY 360 immersive experience, the Camille Walala Promenade Gallery commission, and Pier Eight restaurant.
Where are LS Lowry’s paintings?
The Lowry at Pier 8, Salford Quays — the world’s largest public collection (about 400 works). Manchester Art Gallery also holds some early Lowry works.
Where to park at The Lowry?
Quayside multi-storey M50 3AH (5–7 minutes’ walk) — £3 for 3 hours, £5 pre-paid evening flat rate, Blue Badge 4 hours free. No on-site parking.
How do I get to The Lowry by tram?
MediaCityUK Metrolink stop on the Eccles line spur; 15–20 minutes from Manchester Piccadilly via St Peter’s Square. Trams every 12 minutes weekdays.
What’s on at The Lowry in 2026?
Operation Mincemeat (16–28 February), the autumn contemporary season (September–October — Blaze FM, SELENE, Madonna On The Rocks, Mistero Buffo, Thanks for Being Here, L’Addition, Iterations), plus year-round touring drama, ballet, opera, comedy and musicals. The 25th-anniversary programme runs through 2026.
How big is The Lowry?
The Lyric Theatre seats 1,730 — the biggest stage in the UK outside the West End. The Quays Theatre seats around 466. The Studio seats 150. The galleries cover 2,000 square metres (22,000 square feet).
Who designed The Lowry?
The office of James Stirling and Michael Wilford. Stirling died in 1992 before construction; Wilford completed the project. The building opened on 28 April 2000; the official opening by HM Queen Elizabeth II followed on 12 October 2000.
When is The Lowry’s 25th anniversary?
The Lowry opened in April 2000; the 25th-anniversary programme runs throughout 2025 and into 2026, including the LOWRY 360 immersive experience, the Camille Walala commission, and the ambitious autumn contemporary season.
Is The Lowry good for kids?
Yes — regular family theatre programming (the Christmas family musical is an annual fixture), the LOWRY 360 immersive experience, free family exhibitions, and the wider Salford Quays area (Blue Peter Garden, river cruises, family-friendly restaurants).
Plan more of your Manchester visit
The Lowry pairs naturally with the rest of Salford Quays. Our Salford Quays and MediaCityUK guide covers the wider area; our Imperial War Museum North guide covers the Libeskind building across the footbridge; our Manchester art galleries guide covers the city centre galleries; our free museums in Manchester guide has the wider free list. For the full cultural picture, see our Manchester museums and culture pillar.
