Not to be confused with the Lowry hotel, also in Salford, The Lowry is an excellent theatre and gallery complex in Salford Quays named after prominent Manchester artist Laurence Stephen Lowry.
What to see at The Lowry
The Lowry arts complex was designed by Michael Wilford and was intended to do for Salford what the Guggenheim Museum did for Bilbao but The Lowry simply isn’t big enough or bold enough to be the iconic drawcard that was originally envisaged. However, it remains an excellent arts centre with a 2,000 square metre (22,000 sq ft) art gallery plus two theatres including the Lyric Theatre, which has the largest stage in the United Kingdom outside London’s West End.
The Lowry’s art gallery is the main attraction for most visitors. The gallery displays the LS Lowry collection, which is the world’s largest public collection of works by LS Lowry with around 400 artworks in oil, pastel and watercolour depicting all stages of the artist’s career.
Visiting The Lowry
The Lowry is in Salford Quays immediately south of the MediaCityUK television studio complex. The easiest way to get here is by tram and the closest Metrolink tram stop is MediaCityUK, which is served by lines 3 and 7.
There are free 20-minute guided tours of the LS Lowry exhibition every day at noon and 2pm, that give the visitor background information on the artist and his work.
The complex includes Pier Eight restaurant and bar. The restaurant is a stylish venue with a dining menu that is focused on local and seasonal ingredients and the adjoining bar has a more casual dining menu.
There are also plenty of places to eat out nearby, including inside The Lowry Outlet Centre next door and at MediaCityUK, both less than a five-minute walk from the arts centre.
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