The Portico Collection
The Portico Library holds a historic collection of more than 25,000 books, most dating from the nineteenth century. Many are first editions and together they reflect the intellectual interests of Manchester’s leading Georgian and Victorian citizens.
The collection sits at the heart of the Portico’s work today. It informs our exhibitions, public events, research activity and education work, and is central to the vision of Portico Reunited, which will enable the Library to care for the collection more effectively while opening it up to wider audiences.
The collection offers a remarkable window into the culture, knowledge and global outlook of Industrial Revolution Manchester. It spans a wide range of subjects including travel, biography, fiction, science, poetry, history and cartography. Alongside the books, the Library holds archives and other materials that illuminate the civic, cultural and commercial life of the city during this period.
This collection was assembled within the social and intellectual frameworks of the nineteenth century. As a result, some works reflect the colonial attitudes, cultural hierarchies and prejudices of their time, including racism, sexism and ableism. The Portico Library presents these materials as part of the historical record while encouraging critical reflection on the contexts in which they were produced and collected.
Alongside the historic holdings, the Library maintains a smaller modern and contemporary collection which helps to broaden interpretation of the historic material, offering alternative perspectives and reflecting changing ideas and scholarship. Members are able to borrow the contemporary collection for up to 4 weeks.
We are committed to continually improving how the collection is understood, described and shared. If you identify inaccuracies in our catalogue records or encounter material that raises concerns, we welcome your feedback at librarian@theportico.org.uk.
Please note that we require at least 48 hour notice to arrange access to collection materials.
