A free exhibition celebrating some of the best-loved characters from classic children’s stories has opened at The Lowry in Salford.
The new exhibition, Wild Things, will run throughout the summer in the Andrew Law Galleries, inviting young visitors to step into the world of picture books through colourful animal characters brought to life with illustrations, interactive displays and games.
From beloved classics including Elmer, Dear Zoo, Poo in the Zoo and Meerkat Mail, to new favourites, including The Steves and The Great Unicorn Rescue, families are being invited to take a fun-filled adventure through the most loved stories of all time.
The exhibition runs until Sunday 1 November 2026.
Michael Simpson, Director of Visual Arts at The Lowry, said: “We are all thrilled with the response to Wild Things following the opening days of the exhibition.
“It is a joy to see so many families exploring the gallery and discovering old and new illustration favourites, as well as enjoying the range of themed activities around the whole building. We think the next few months are going to be really special and look forward to seeing lots more families enjoying Wild Things together.”
Original illustrations by artists including Diane Ewen, Nick Sharratt, Helen Oxenbury, Lydia Monks and Rod Campbell and many others will feature throughout the exhibition, alongside stories by Julia Donaldson, Michael Rosen, Yasmeen Ismail and Lizzy Stewart.
Designed to support reading, play and imagination, the Wild Things exhibition also includes lots of fun, screen‑free interactives and games designed especially for under‑7s, including Vera’s Veggie Delights Stall and The Furry Wardrobe.
The exhibition will focus on creating opportunities for young children and their families to enjoy shared reading and be creative together. Every young visitor will also receive a free specially designed notebook, so they can write and draw their own animal stories inspired by the exhibition and the Reading Nest is a space to relax in and read together.
Michael Simpson continued: “We’ve set a high bar at The Lowry with our recent free summer exhibitions celebrating the works of legendary authors and illustrators including Quentin Blake and Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler – and we have pulled out all the stops with Wild Things.”
Children visiting during the school holidays can look forward to free, interactive activities across the building including a playful drama adventure inspired by the story Queen Bee’s Day Off, and the Storytelling Corner, plus kids eat for free in the Lowry Bar & Kitchen this summer.
Wild Things is open now until Sunday 1 November; more information on how to pre-book a timeslot can be found here.
