Photos: ShimG777, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 kallerna, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Graham Robson , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: ShimG777, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 kallerna, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Graham Robson , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
John Rylands Library, a rare books call
Your local guide
Chloe Bracewell
View profile
Highlights
- A library built to look ancient
- Manuscripts shared live on screen
- Why the building looks centuries old
- A rare book collection explained
- A short, focused history session
About this tour
This is a video call rather than a live walk, built around the John Rylands Library's neo-Gothic building and the rare book and manuscript collection it was designed to hold. We cover why the architecture looks centuries older than it is. I bring images of the collection to share on screen.
We start with a short sound check, then go through the building's story and a few highlights from the collection, pausing wherever you want to know more. Afterwards I send a short list of items currently on display.
It suits book lovers and anyone curious about Victorian architecture built for a purpose. It also works well as a short, focused call between longer ones.
Included
- A 45-minute call with a local guide
- Honest tips on where to eat, stay and what to skip
- A short follow-up note with every place mentioned
Not included
- Bookings made on your behalf
- Phone or data charges from your provider
Itinerary
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Hello, and what you want to know 5 min
The guide calls you and asks what you are after: planning Manchester, recommendations, or just questions.
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What we cover 15 min
We start by mapping out why the neo-Gothic building on Deansgate was designed to look older than it is, and I check which part of the collection interests you most.
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Questions and sources 15 min
I share images of a few manuscripts and early printed books on screen, answer your questions, and finish with a short list of what is on public display if you plan to visit.
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Your questions 7 min
Ask anything that is still on your mind, there is no fixed script.
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A written note after the call 3 min
You get a short follow-up message with everything mentioned, so you do not have to remember it all.
Good to know
- A stable phone or internet connection, whichever the guide uses to reach you.
- No app to install. You answer when the guide calls, or join a video call if you would rather.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The call is not recorded. Keep your own note of anything you want to remember, or wait for the follow-up message.
- Have your questions ready, though there is time to think of more as you go.
Questions about this tour
What will the call cover?
The guide talks you through Manchester: where to go, what to eat, and answers to whatever you ask.
What happens if the call drops?
The guide will try you again straight away.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- Your guide calls the number you give at booking.
- We talk over a video call, and I share images from the library's rare book collection on screen as we go.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 30 Oct · 4 seats left From 21,00 €
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