Manchester Art Galleries: Gallery of Costume.

Gallery of Costume Platt Hall Rusholme Manchester M14 5LL Tel: 0161 224 5217 Fax: 0161 256 3278 Minicom: 0161 235 8893

Established in 1947, the Gallery contains one of the most important collections of historical and contemporary dress in the United Kingdom. The displays and collections cover garments from the 16th Century to the present day. The Library contains fashion magazines, tailoring manuals, etiquette books, and catalogues for Manchester and North West shops, warehouses and department stores. There is also a collection of fabric samples, manuscripts, several thousand photographs and fashion articles.

For the serious student of dress, the Gallery of Costume offers research facilities unrivalled in the north of England. Access to costumes and textiles in the reserve collection can be arranged by appointment, as can use of the library and archive, which holds some 18,000 books and much other material. Please contact the Principal Curator on 0161 224 5217 for further information.