The exhibition 'Wonderland by the Waves' was curated by students from the MA Art Gallery and Exhibitions course. It brought together memories and memorabilia from the Central Library's Archives+ collection, revealing previously unseen donations from Manchester residents and a local history of traditional pastimes. The exhibition demonstrated the strong significance of holidays in Blackpool, which inspired the theme for this exhibition. Bolton Museum, the Transport Museum, North West Film Archive and Stockport Museum all loaned significant objects and films reflecting the popularity of travelling to Blackpool and sea-side holidays. 

Find out more about the Supporting Museums. 

While looking into the past, the Exhibition Team gathered new stories, images and collections of local holidays, creating a unique collaborative display of donations to the Central Library. 

See how Manchester Wakes Connected with Communities. 


Hannah Bonney, an Exhibition Curator for Wonderland By The Waves, said: 
“My favourite object from the exhibition is a family photo-album we discovered in the archives. It’s battered and falling to pieces, but the photos inside act like a time-capsule of this family’s holiday. There are wonderful photos of the family in their woolly swimsuits, the father building sandcastles with his son, and all the really iconic sites. It’s a truly magical object that transports you back to 1930s Blackpool.”
 Find out more about the Live Event that expanded on the exhibition theme.