[@]Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre

Showcasing the best of international and local art and is the perfect place to enjoy contemporary exhibitions and discover more about the history of Bury.

The museum programme is supported by a range of events and activities that encourage visitors to further explore and enjoy the shows and collections.

Historic and contemporary works and objects are juxtaposed to provoke questions and present visual prompts that seek to inspire and challenge visitors to make their own connections and develop their own ideas.

Exhibitions and the collections are shown in the context of a contemporary dialogue to develop object conversations.

The Museum opened in 1901 as a purpose-built gallery to house and display a collection of Victorian oil paintings, watercolours, etchings, drawings, sculpture and Wedgwood plaques formed by local paper manufacturer, Thomas Wrigley.

Over the last century, Bury’s art collection has developed, but its outstanding strength remains the collection of 19th century British art, including works by Turner, Constable, Landseer and Clausen.

Since 2000 the Gallery has embarked on an ambitious programme of commissioning contemporary art. The building is a grade II listed and is regarded as the finest in the town.

In 2014 a sculpture gallery was added and allows the Gallery to continue to develop its ambitious programming and further its portfolio of International work; exhibitors include Lawrence Weiner, Auke de Vries and Richard Wilson.

Through its temporary exhibition programme, Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre is developing a reputation as a leading player in showing contemporary art in the North West of England.

The gallery’s aim is to show high quality art in new contexts and to make it understandable for people of all ages, no matter what their background.

The Gallery broadens its appeal to new audiences through its programme of workshops and educational activities.

As well as the excellent programme of exhibitions and events, visitors to Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre can also enjoy a unique shopping experience in Bury Art Shop.

Relax with lovely refreshments at Tina’s Tearoom which serves coffee, a selection of teas, soup, freshly made sandwiches and a tempting selection of cakes and afternoon tea.

The gallery is located in the town centre and it is 50 yards from the bus and Metrolink interchange.