The Portico Library’s Reunited capital project is a £11 million transformation that began in Jan 2024. The project’s goal is for the Portico to become one of the UK’s most accessible, sustainable and dynamic historic libraries.

The Portico’s visionary plan is to reunite, renovate and reimagine all parts of our building. They will bring all three floors back into the use of the Library and:

• A step-free entrance and lift, making the Portico accessible to all.
• Exhibition and event spaces to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s local / global heritage.
• A Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers.
• A creative Portico Kitchen, celebrating the city’s food culture, writing and history.
• A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore our collection, and experiment creatively.
• Improved collections care for the Library’s 25,000 historic books and archive.

The incredible project has planning and listed building consent, the civic roundtable has taken place successfully, and the library are entering a focused fundraising period with a critical milestone in June, when there’s a need to secure the remaining £3m in match funding in order to unlock the full NLHF investment.

You can support today, by donating via the link below.