The Lowry — Attraction in Salford

Lowry Galleries – A great place where the artwork takes centre stage

What is the Lowry Art Gallery?

The Lowry Art Gallery is a modern art space that is located in the heart of Salford, Greater Manchester. It is a great place for art fans where a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions take place throughout the year.

In addition there is the LS Lowry collection where there is a beautiful selection of his artwork and paintings that are on display.

Exhibitions Visited

Julia and Axel – Thirty Years Of Favourite Stories

Who are Julia and Axel?

This exhibition charts the lives of writer Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. It also showcases the brilliant illustrations from their famous works. Julia is famous for children stories including The Gruffalo, The Smartest Giant in Town, Zog, and more.

Beautiful Stories

This exhibition showcased each story that is written by Julia Donaldson in a lovely way. Each one such as Zog gave us a eye-catching summary of what the story entails and the characters involved. It is done in a way that is engaging and appealing to both adults and children.

The Illustrations are magical

Axel Scheffler’s artwork and illustrations are brought to life by injecting a large palette of colours. They were imaginative and captivating to see. However, descriptions were on the thin side. I expected a bit more.

Games and interaction

It was great to see the exciting flaps on the walls where if opened it revealed little interactive one liners and silly games which are mostly aimed at children. I would have liked to have seen something interactive too that was aimed more for adults.

The Exhibition as a whole

It was a good exhibition that gave an interesting insight at the work that a hard-working partnership have produced. The way that it was organised was great in that for each story they produced they gave you a summary, creative artwork that related to each storybook however the downside in that it was aimed at a younger audience. It is great that this exhibition is designed with care at children but I expected more for adults. They should have injected something exciting for them whilst the kids are enjoying the activities for them.

Entry and Admission

This exhibition Julia and Axel – Thirty Years of Favourite Stories is free to enter however due to the busy demand then you are required to book a time slot ticket in order to guarantee entry.

Facilities

There is a Tower Café on the premises but not on the same floor that offers a variety of sandwiches, cakes and drinks at a reasonable price.

There are other cafes nearby if that is not your taste.

Toilets are on site.

Lighting and Access

The environment in which the exhibition took place was well lit which meant that I was able to take advantage by seeing all the artwork and reading the summaries for the stories produced.

In relation to access at the Lowry Gallery then there are lifts or escalators that will enable you to access the floor in which the exhibition is taking place.

Parking

Parking is available at the Quayside Media City UK (formerly The Lowry car park). If you have a Blue Badge then you can stamp the ticket at Customer Services where you can get 4 hours free. This takes effect from the time of arrival. If you go over that time then you are required to pay £1.10 per hour over.

If you are a fan of Julia and Axel’s work and you want to learn more in an interesting way or that you have children that love the story books then you are guaranteed to have a great day out at the Lowry Gallery for their current exhibition. Grab those tickets...

was hugely disappointed by this theatre. I haven't been before and it will probably be my last time. The staff were all wonderfully helpful and that’s as far as it goes and what brought it from 2 to an otherwise 1 star experience. I’m fairly new to Manchester, heard a lot about the Lowry and the exciting Media City so I was hugely disappointed with my whole experience.

Things got off to a bad start. We had a nightmare journey and in addition Media City itself is well off the beaten track and signally fails to live up to its glossy description. It seems to me to be no more than a sprawling mess.

We went to see Death of a Salesman, a brooding but moving tragedy which relies on the close connection between audience and players as its dialogue and exposition needs to be aimed directly at the audience. Despite this, the play was staged in the cavernous 1600 seater Lyric theatre. This was a huge logistical mistake as it destroyed any suggestion of intimacy and connection with the audience. We weren’t very far back but the players looked like distant, disembodied figures with whom it was impossible to find any connection. The stage was also much too large for a play as even the actors seemed disconnected onstage.

I also noticed that the front few rows stretched right across the auditorium with no aisles which seems to me to be highly inconvenient if you’re unlucky enough to have a seat in the middle of the row.

The final straw came when I was smugly told they inexplicably didn’t have wi-fi access for customers. I use hearing aids and can alter the settings via an app so I can hear the dialogue better but as there was no wi-fi I couldn’t access it. In the end we decided to leave at the interval, partly because I couldn’t hear the dialogue but mainly because I couldn’t feel any rapport with the production; this is the first time in my life I’ve ever done so.

As we were leaving we spoke to some of the staff who were the one saving grace. They tried valiantly to manage our disappointment and even referred me to a mobile wi-fi system they had which they said would mitigate my hearing difficulty. I now realise this was an audio-description device which in my view is even worse than only partially hearing. I don’t want to be told what the actors are saying, I just want to be able to turn up my hearing aids so I can actually hear them!!!

The Lyric Theatre is a concert hall, not a venue for plays. My advice to the Lowry would be only stage plays in your smaller, more intimate venues and get off your elitist high horse and provide wi-fi access to visitors. Date of...

2025 Update: If you're in Manchester, go and see the new Lowry 360 immersive room. It takes you inside one of Lowry's fanous paintings using the latest display technology. It's truly impressive, and completely free to enter! A breathtaking experience.

About the Building: The Lowry Theatre at Salford Quays in Manchester is a fantastic cultural hub that offers a wonderful blend of performing arts and visual arts. It is a renowned venue that showcases a wide range of theatrical performances, including drama, dance, and comedy. Named after the famous artist L.S. Lowry, the theatre is a prominent landmark in the area.

One of the highlights of the Lowry Theatre is the FREE Lowry Museum, situated upstairs. This museum is dedicated to the life and works of L.S. Lowry, showcasing a remarkable collection of his paintings, drawings, and other artistic pieces. It's a fascinating opportunity to delve into the world of this iconic artist and gain insights into Manchester's industrial heritage.

If you're in need of a quiet spot to relax and unwind during the day, the Lowry Theatre is an excellent choice. There are cozy cafes where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and some nice cakes. Additionally, there are bars where you can savor a refreshing beer while taking in the vibrant atmosphere of the quayside.

What's more, the Lowry Theatre frequently hosts other free exhibitions, providing visitors with the chance to explore various forms of visual arts. These exhibitions cover a diverse range of themes and artistic styles, ensuring there's always something new to discover. When we visited, there was a children's book exhibition on, which was very colourful and interesting.

p.s. They will check your bags at the entrance, so don't carry a big bag with you when...