Join experienced tour guide Jennifer Little for a British Sign Language tour of the Portico Library’s exhibition Dining In from 2-3pm on Saturday 23 September.

When the Portico Library first opened in 1806, minutes from the first board meeting tell us that the library sold “soups, tea, coffee, jellies, ices, orgeat and lemonade”. 

There is scant documentation on the kitchen in the library. What exists along with the building’s oral history tells us that eating and drinking have been at the heart of the library’s culture. The Portico library has been part of a rich and diverse history of food in the North West. 

The library's collection contains 19th century volumes that give us an insight into colonial encounters with global majority cultures through dining and food. It offers glimpses into a slice of Manchester's history at a time when it was becoming an industrial powerhouse. As a time capsule, the collection gives us material to reflect on current ideas and practices around the production of food, its preparation and consumption. 

In a city that speaks over 200 languages, with a multitude of cultures and traditions. How is this present in the kitchen’s offering today and in the future?

And as we face the climate emergency, how does the kitchen procure and prepare food ethically and responsibly? How do we continue our cultural food traditions?