GALLERIES AND EXHIBITIONS

ASTLEY CHEETHAM ART GALLERY , Trinity Street, Stalybridge. Open Mon to Fri (not Thurs) 1pm to 7.30pm, Sat 9am to 4pm. Tel 0161 338 2708.

ASTLEY HALL MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, Astley Park, Chorley. Open Tues to Sun, noon to 5pm. Adm free for Chorley residents with proof of address, adults £2.90, concs £1.90, family ticket £7 (up to two adults and two children under 16). Ring 01257 515555.

ATKINSON ART GALLERY, Southport. Ring 0151 934 2110.

BETTER WORLD SPACE, St James's Building, Oxford Street, Manchester. Ring 0161 247 1900.

BLACKBURN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, Blackburn. Elvis - The Return of the King. Runs until Saturday. Ring 01254 667130.

BLYTH GALLERY, Brazil Street, Manchester. Double Vision. Welsh-born artist Dai David and Mancunian Christine Lawley present the famous landmakers of Manchester from contrasting perspectives. Runs to Saturday. Body Language, an exhibition of glass sculpture, paintings and drawings by David Keenan and John Kimptom. Runs to January 6 2001. Open from 10am to 5pm Fri and 11am to 3pm Sat. Adm free.

BOLTON MUSEUM, ART GALLERY AND AQUARIUM, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton. Thomas Moran's masterpiece restored, celebrates the return to Bolton of Thomas Moran's masterpiece "Nearing Camp, Evening on the Upper Colorado River, 1882" to January 6. Rubens and his Workshop Engravers until January 6 . Bolton Art Circle, Annual Art Exhibition until December 9. Lancashire and Cheshire Woodcarvers from Saturday to January 27. Open Mon-Sat 10am to 5pm, closed Suns and Bank Holidays. Ring Bolton 332190.

BOTANIC GARDEN MUSEUM, Southport. Ring 01704 227547.

BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, Highgate, Kendal. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8.30pm and Sunday 11am to 8.30pm. Ring 01539 725133.

BRONTE PARSONAGE MUSEUM, Haworth. New archive featuring personal responses to the Brontes' lives and works by some of the famous people who have been inspired by them, now on display and includes Sir Cliff Richard, Mark Curry and Jane Horrocks. Museum open seven days a week, 10am to 5.30pm, entry adults £4.50, concessions £3.30, children £1.40, family ticket £10. Ring 01535 642323.

BURY ART GALLERY AND MUSEUM, Moss Street, Bury. Paradise Revisited until January 20. Tuesday, December 19, Centenary Preview, and family events including Saturday morning arts club, art-dance-drama club for children aged five to seven. Decorate the Christmas Tree, tomorrow, Saturday, 10.30am to 4pm. The Art of Looking until December 30. Museum and art gallery open Tues to Sat 10am to 5pm. Ring 0161 253 5878.

BUXTON MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, Open Tues to Fri, 9.30am to 5.30pm and Sat, 9.30am to 5pm. Ring 01298 24658.

CARTWRIGHT HALL ART GALLERY, Lister Park, Bradford. Private myths by Shanti Penchal until January 2001. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 1pm-5pm. Ring 01274 751212.

CASTLEFIELD GALLERY, Campfield Avenue Arcade, Liverpool Road/Deansgate, Manchester. The Grotto Show featuring photography, sculpture, art multiples, drawings and paintings from over 40 artists until December 23. Open Tues to Sun noon to 5pm. Ring 0161 832 8034.

CHAPMAN GALLERY, Chapman Building, University of Salford, University Road, Salford. Mon to Fri 10am to 5pm. Adm free. Ring 0161 295 5241.

CHARACTERS ART GALLERY, St George's Craft Shops, St George's Road, Bolton. Open Tues to Sat, 10am to 5pm. Adm free. Ring 521302.

CHINESE ART CENTRE, Edge Street, Manchester. Mon to Fri 10.30am to 4.30pm. Ring 0161 832 7280.

CLITHEROE CASTLE MUSEUM, Castle Hill, Clitheroe. Ring 01200 424568.

COLIN JELLICOE GALLERY, Portland Street, Manchester. Open Mon to Fri 11am to 5pm, check though because closed some Mons, Sat 1pm to 5pm. Ring 0161 236 2716.

CORNERHOUSE, Oxford Street, Manchester. You Are Free, Do you have anywhere to go? by Clive Caswell until December 11. Future Perfect bringing together works of Modernist architecture in the form of plans, models, photography, sculpture, sound paintings and drawings until January 21. Ring 0161 200 1500. Open Tues to Sat 11am to 6pm and Sun 2pm to 6pm. Ring 0161 228 7621.

CRUMPSALL LIBRARY, Crescent Road, Manchester. Cheetham and Broughton 2000 until December 23. Open Monday and Wednesday 10am-8pm, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am-5pm.

CUBE, Portland Street, Manchester. Tues to Fri, noon to 5.30pm, Sat and Sun noon to 4pm. Ring 0161 237 5525.

DUKES OAK ART GALLERY, Sandbach. Contemporary Art Exhibition until December 31. Ring 01477 544778.

EXECUTIVE BUSINESS CHANNEL LTD, The Edgar Wood Building, Daisy Bank Road, Manchester. Tues/Thurs 12.30pm to 5.30pm.

FLEETWOOD MUSEUM, Queen's Terrace, Fleetwood. Open 11am to 5pm. Ring 01253 876621.

GALLERY OF COSTUME, Wilmslow Road, Platt Hall, Platt Fields, Rusholme, Manchester. A Suit of Her Own: A History of the Working Woman's Wardrobe. Open daily 10am to 5.30pm. Ring 0161 224 5217.

GAWTHORPE HALL, Padiham, Nr Burnley. Objects of Desire featuring hand and machine tufted textiles based upon the methods and techniques of rag rug making. Runs until December 2000. Ring 01282 771004.

GENERATION X, New Wakefield Street, Manchester. Mon to Thurs 11am to 11pm, Fri and Sat 11am to 2am, Sun noon to 10.30pm. Ring 0161 236 4899.

GREEN ROOM, Cafe Bar and Foyer areas, Whitworth Street West, Manchester. Contact venue for full details. Ring 0161 950 5900.

HARRIS MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, Market Square, Preston. The Harris Museum Project 7 featuring work by Simon Starling. English Watercolours featuring work by John Sell Cotman, Paul Nash, John Piper, Thomas Rowlandson, John Ruskin, Paul Sandby, Graham Sutherland and JMW Turner until January. The Permanent Collection featuring paintings and sculptures such as Pauline in the Yellow Dress by Sir James Gunn, Dorette by Gerald Brockhurst and works by the Devis family, The White Piano by Arthur Melville and Hesperia by Frank Dicksee. Ring 01772 258248. Open Mon to Sat from 10am to 5pm. Adm free.

Heaton HALL, Heaton Park, Middleton Road, Manchester. Open Wed to Sun 10am to 5.30pm. Ring 0161 773 1231.

HENRY DONN GALLERY, Bury New Road, Whitefield, Manchester. Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm, closed 1pm to 2pm. Ring 0161 766 8819.

HOLDEN GALLERY, Cavendish Street, Manchester. Open Mon to Fri, 9.30am to 5pm.

Horwich HERITAGE CENTRE, Resource Centre, Longworth Road, Horwich. Specific aspects of Horwich life over the last 100 years through videos, displays, artefacts and exhibits. Admission is free, open Sat 10am to noon and on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm. Special openings can be arranged. Ring Bolton 692930 or 693462. Subscriptions pensioners £4.50, others £5.50, members pay 30p per meeting and non-members pay 60p per meeting. Ring Bolton 692930.

IRLAM HERITAGE UNIT, Irlam Library, Hurst Fold, Liverpool Road, Irlam. The Irlam and Cadishead Local History Society present a special exhibition to mark the Millennium. If music be the Food of Love. Photographs and displays and musical memorabilia from the Irlam and Cadishead Local History Society. Open Mon 9.30am to 7.30pm, Tues, Thurs and Fri 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed for lunch 12.30pm to 1.30pm), Wed 9.30am to 1pm and Sat 9am to 1pm. Ring 0161 775 3566.

JOHN RYLANDS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, Deansgate, Manchester. Mon to Fri 10am to 5.30pm, Sat 10am to 1pm. Ring 0161 834 5343.

G-MEX CENTRE, Manchester. Ring 0161 834 2700.

THE GALLERY, MANCHESTER'S ART HOUSE, Portland Street, Manchester. Mon to Fri 10am to 5pm, except Thurs 10am to 7pm, Sat 10am to 4pm. Ring 0161 237 3551.

KIOSK PHOTOGRAPHERS GALLERY, Smithfield Buildings, Tib Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester. Tues to Sat 10am to 6pm. Ring 0161 833 3300.

KIRKBY GALLERY, Newtown Gardens, Kirkby, Merseyside. Outside The Archive by Sarah Nicholson until January 7. Open Monday and Friday, 9.15am-5pm, Tuesday and Thursday, 9.15am-7pm, Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 12 noon to 4pm. Ring 0151 443 5619.

LANCASTER UNIVERSITY, The Ruskin Library, Lancaster. Praeterita: Photographs by John Riddy, until December 17. Open Monday to Saturday 11am to 4pm and Sunday 1pm to 4pm.

THE LOWRY, Harbour City, Salford Quays. Salford Revisited. Shirley Baker shows the changes around Salford and Manchester within the last 40 years in a stunning display of photographs. Runs until January. Also, Ordsall A-Z. Andrew Robinson displays the impressions of local schoolchildren of their neighbourhood until January. Lowry's Places until January. Out of Place, Memory, Imagination and the City until January 2001. Open Mon to Wed 11am-5pm. Thurs, Sat and Sun 11am to 8pm and Fri 11am-10pm. Adm free. Ring 0161 876 2000.

LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS REGIMENTAL MUSEUM, Lancashire Headquarters, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Wellington Barracks, Bury. Open Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun. Adm 50p for adults and 25p for children and OAPs.

MANCHESTER CRAFT AND DESIGN CENTRE, Oak Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester. Mon to Sat 10am to 5.30pm. Ring 0161 832 4274.

MANCHESTER JEWISH MUSEUM, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. The Century Saved, an exhibition of Manchester's Jewish History 1900-1999. Mon to Thurs to 4pm Sun 10.30am to 5pm. Tickets £3.25, concs £2.50, family ticket £8. "The Century Saved" is the latest temporary exhibition and tells the story of Manchester's Jewish community during the 20th century. Bookings and details 0161 834 9879.

MANCHESTER'S ART HOUSE, Portland Street, Manchester. Specialising in British Contemporary Art including ceramics, furniture, jewellery, paintings, sculpture and textiles. Open Mon to Fri (not Thurs) 10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-6pm and Sat 10am-4pm. Ring 0161 237 3551.

MANCHESTER JEWISH MUSEUM, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. One Hundred Years of Cheetham and Broughton until July 29. Open from Monday to Thursday 10.30am to 4pm and Sunday 10.30am to 5pm. Admission £3.25, concessions, £2.50 and family ticket £8.

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY, Righton Gallery, All Saints Campus, Higher Ormond Street, Manchester. The provincial is the Universe. A debate with Catherine Pichler, Helen Hills, Tim Brennan and Nikos Papastergiadis. Holden Gallery. Wednesday December 6. Starts 3pm to 5pm. Admission £6 and £4 concessions. You Are Here by Graham Parker until December 15. Open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm.

MANTO, Canal Street, Manchester. Taking The Proverbial by John Adams.

MATHEW STREET GALLERY, Mathew Street, Liverpool. Open Mon to Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 11am-4pm. Ring 0151 236 0009.

MERSEYSIDE MARITIME MUSEUM, Liverpool. Cube Open daily from 10am-5pm. Ring 0151 478 4499.

MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL LIFE, Liverpool. Ring 0151 207 0001.

MID PENNINE GALLERY, Yorke Street, Burnley. 100 per cet Manmade Christmas Crafts 2000. A selection of glass, ceramics, furniture, textiles, prints and jewellery. Runs to December 23. Ring 01282 421986. Open Mon to Sat from 10am to 5pm, except Tues, closes 1pm.

MILLYARD GALLERY, Alexandra Craft Centre, Uppermill, Oldham. Tues to Sun 10am to 5pm. Ring 01457 870410.

MUSEUM OF THE LANCASHIRE TEXTILE INDUSTRY, Helmshore Textile Museums, Rossendale includes Higher Mill and Whitaker's Mill and Queen Street Mill, Burnley. For Helmshore ring 01706 226459 and for Queen Street Mill ring 01282 412555.

MUSEUM OF LANCASHIRE, Stanley Street, Preston. AD 2000, The story of Christianity in Lancashire until December. Tuesday, December 5, Church Needlework with Josephie Ratcliffe. Ring 01772 264061.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester. The Human Factor until April 1. Space and Ocean until January 7 2001. Hubble's Universe. until January 7. Museum admission price of adults £6.50, adult concessions £3.50. The museum is open from 10am-5pm every day. For more details ring 0161 832 2244.

THE MUSEUM OF HATTING, Wellington Mill, Wellington Road South, Stockport. Ring 0161 355 7770. Stunning display of hats through the centuries featuring top hats, baseball caps and some of the hottest contemporary fashions. Also, craft workshops to January 7. Also, Ten and Textiles. Runs until January 7. Open Mon to Sat 10am-5pm and Sun from 11am to 5pm. Adm charges are adults £3.95, children, £2.50 or family tickets £11.

MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT, Boyle Street, Manchester. Ring 0161 205 2122 for further information.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND TELEVISION, Bradford, West Yorkshire. The Art of Star Wars. Over 200 original objects including models such as Darth Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer and The Millennium Falcon, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Darth Vader and Queen Amidala to April 29. Tickets £6 for adults, £4.50 for concessions. Book by ringing 01274 202030. Open Tuesday to Sunday (plus Bank Holidays and Monday during school holidays) 10am to 6pm.

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM, Leeman Road, York. Connections with artists Mike Slater and Lee Lewis presenting a passenger's view of contemporary train travel until February. Ring 01904 621261.

NORTON PRIORY MUSEUM AND GARDENS, Runcorn. Open 2pm-3pm. Open Mon to Fri noon to 5pm, Sat, Sun and Bank Holidays, noon to 6pm. Ring 01928 569895.

THE OBSERVER GALLERY, Rawbottom Square, Off Wallgate, Wigan. Mon to Sat 9.30am-5.30pm. Ring 01942 233022.

OLDHAM ART GALLERY, Union Street, Oldham. Tues 10am-1pm, Wed to Sat 10am-5pm.

OPIES MUSEUM OF MEMORIES, Wigan Pier. Ring 01942 323666.

ORDSALL HALL MUSEUM, Ordsall Lane, Ordsall. Ring 0161 872 0251.

THE OX, Liverpool Road, Castlefield. Mon to Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri and Sat 11am to midnight. Ring 0161 839 7740.

PANKHURST CENTRE, Nelson Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. Mon to Fri 10am to 4pm. Ring 0161 273 5673.

PHILIPS CONTEMPORARY ART, Little Lever Street, Manchester. A new gallery for local art enthusiasts. The gallery focuses on presenting the work of young, contemporary British artists. Also, Can't Take My Eyes Off You. Tues/Thurs noon to 4pm, Sat 1pm to 4pm, or by appointment. Ring 0161 282 0318.

PHILHARMONIC HALL, Liverpool. Open Mon to Sat, 10am-5.30pm. Ring 0151 709 3789.

PLATT HALL, Platt Fields, Rusholme, Manchester. Daily 10am-4pm. Ring 0161 224 5217.

PORTICO LIBRARY AND GALLERY, Mosley Street, Manchester. Open Mon to Fri, 9.30am-4.30pm.

PUMPHOUSE PEOPLE'S HISTORY MUSEUM, Left Bank, Bridge Street, Manchester. Travel back in time and find out about the history of "Every Street" in Manchester by visiting the new exhibition. Manchester-based artist Bill Longshaw has collected the memories of more than 60 people who lived in Every Street in Ancoats. Also, to Sunday April 1, Hung, Drawn and Caricatured, cartoons from the collection 1750 to 2000. Open Tues to Sun, 11am-4.30pm, closed Mons, admission £1, children and concessions free. Ring 0161 839 6061.

QUARRY BANK MILL TRUST LTD, Styal, Cheshire. Explore one of the largest historic working cotton mills. Contact venue for Adm prices. Open Tues to Sun 11am-5pm.

RICHARD GOODALL GALLERY, Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester. Ian Beesley -- Photographs 1975-2000. Selections from the Hulton Getty Picture Archive showing photographs from the early 20th century. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm. All works are for sale. Ring 0161 832 3435.

RIGHTON GALLERY, Cavendish Street, Manchester. Open Mon to Fri from 9.30am-5pm.

ROCHDALE ART GALLERY, The Esplanade, Rochdale.Tues to Sat 10am- 4.30pm. Ring 01706 342154.

ROSSENDALE MUSEUM, Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall. Rossendale. Open Monday to Friday, 1pm-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 12 noon-5pm. Ring 01706 226509.

ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUM, Armouries Drive, Leeds. Artillery in Miniature until January 14. Knights of Christmas from December 16 to January 7 2001.Open from 10.30am-5.30pm every day for the summer season. Ring 0990 106666.

SADDLEWORTH MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, High Street, Uppermill, Oldham. New work by John Thompson. An exhibition of northern life in a series of paintings. Runs from December 3 to January 6 20001. Mon to Sun 1pm-4pm. Ring 01457 874 093.

SALFORD MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford. The Borrowers. Activities for children with an exhibition featuring 150 years of weird and wonderful borrowings. Mon to Fri 10am to 4.45pm, Sat and Sun 1pm-5pm. Ring 0161 736 2649.

SALLY BROWN STUDIO AND GALLERY, Marple Bridge, Stockport. Open Thurs to Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon to 4pm. Ring 0161 427 2654.

SAMLESBURY HALL, Preston New Road, Preston. Open every day except Mon 11am- 4.30pm. Ring 01254 812010. Adm for adults is £2.50 and children under 16 £1.

SANDBAR, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Mon to Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 5pm- 10.30pm. Ring 0161 273 1552/3141.

SLUG AND LETTUCE, Canal Street, Manchester. Ring 0161 228 1360.

STOCKPORT ART GALLERY, Wellington Road South, Stockport. Mon to Fri 11am to 5pm, (closed Wed), Sat 10am-5pm, closed Sun. Ring 0161 474 4453.

STOREY GALLERY, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster. Geoff Wood presents Bridges over the Lune, an exhibition of paintings featuring the bridges over the River Lune. Runs to December 20. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 12 noon to 4pm. Ring 01254 844133.

SWINTON LIBRARY ART GALLERY, Chorley Road, Swinton. A show of portraits and landscapes in watercolours, oils and pastels by Swinton Art Club. Open Monday 9.30am to 7.30pm, Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm.

TATE GALLERY, Albert Dock, Liverpool. Project Space by Ian Davenport to January 21. Ring 0151 702 7400.

THE TRIANGLE, Hanging Ditch, Manchester. Jigsaw Kitchen until December 15.

WENSLEY GALLERY, 6-8 Market Place, Ramsbottom. Winter exhibition to February 4. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Ring 01706 824772.

WHITWORTH ART GALLERY, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester. The Times of our Lives: Beginnings. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 2pm to 5pm. Ring 0161 275 7450.