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. An exhibition of paintings of the 20th century icon known as The King by artist Malcolm Stead and an assortment of memoribilia. Runs until December 2.

Also, Turn of the Century, depicting life in Blackburn and Darwen from 1890 and 1910.

The exhibition features objects, images and artworks from the Victorian and Edwardian era. Runs until November 25. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4.45pm. Ring 01254 667130.

BLYTH GALLERY, Brazil Street, Manchester. Double Vision. Welsh-born artist Dai David and Mancunian Christine Lawley present the famous landmakrs of Manchester from contrasting perspectives portraying two very different interpretations of the same city. Runs from November 7 to Saturday December 2. Open from 10am to 5pm Fri and 11am to 3pm Sat. Adm free.

BOLTON MUSEUM, ART GALLERY AND AQUARIUM, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton. An exhibition: Contemporary Ceramics, runs until November 25, examines the oriental and early English influences of contemporary ceramics.

Also, to January 6, Thomas Moran's masterpiece restored, celebrates the return to Bolton of Thomas Moran's masterpiece "Nearing Camp, Evening on the Upper Colorado River, 1882".

Also, Rubens and his Workshop Engravers. An exhibition of prints including The Garden of Love, The Battle of the Amazons and The Last Judgement examining the importance of printmaking in establishing the reputation the reputation of the Baroque artist. Runs until January 6. 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.

The exhibition also features the coat worn by Sir Cliff Richard as Heathcliff in his 1996 rock musical, a unique album of photographs and stills from the 1920 silent film of Wuthering Heights. 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. Tuesday, November 28, Paradise Revisited and Tuesday, December 19, Centenary Preview, and family friendly events, including Saturday morning arts club, art-dance-drama club for children aged five to seven.

Decorate the Christmas Tree, Saturday, December 2, 10.30am to 4pm.

Also, mother and daughter Sue and Anna Furnival are displaying oils and watercolours featuring flowers, landscapes, cats, fish and doorways and a colourful suspended batik fish. Runs until November 25. 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.

CASTLEFIELD GALLERY, Campfield Avenue Arcade, Liverpool Road/Deansgate, Manchester. 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. Bloomberg Newcontemporaries Panel Discussion. A discussion looking at the issues surrounding Bloomberg newcontemporaries and the role the art school plays in nurturing new talent. Monday, November 6. Starts 3pm. Tickets £3.50 and £2.50 concessions.

Also, Bloomberg Newcontemporaries 2000 exhibition featuring works of contemporary art. Runs until November 12.

Also, You Are Free, Do you have anywhere to go? by Clive Caswell. An exhibition of paintings showing artificial, green and luscious landscapes. Runs until December 11. Ring 0161 200 1500. Open Tues to Sat 11am to 6pm and Sun 2pm to 6pm. Ring 0161 228 7621.

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

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. A fascinating look at the development of the working woman's wardrobe in a bid to achieve equality in the workplace. Open daily 10am to 5.30pm. Ring 0161 224 5217.

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 and signalling a return to the crafted and the hand made using manual and mechnical processes.

Also, until January 2001, English Watercolours featuring work by John Sell Cotman, Paul Nash, John Piper, Thomas Rowlandson, John Ruskin, Paul Sandby, Graham Sutherland and JMW Turner.

Also, 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. The programme of talks on Tuesdays at 7.30pm November 14, Post Horn Gallop. 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 new millennium.

Also, 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. A Scholars' Paradise. A comprehensive presentation of political reform, literature, warfare, natural history and science and medicine. Runs until November 3. 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. Ring 0151 443 5619.

LANCASTER UNIVERSITY, The Ruskin Library, Lancaster. 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 and environment with a display of photographs. Runs until January.

Lowry's Places, an exhibition observing Northern towns and the landscapes inspired by Lowry. Runs until January.

Out of Place, Memory, Imagination and the City. Runs until January. 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 METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY, Righton Gallery, All Saints Campus, Higher Ormond Street, Manchester. Worte und Musik. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the German composer Kurt Weill the University in co-operation with the Goethe Institut is presenting an exhibition of rare, original theatre posters from The Berliner Ensemble's productions of plays and a series of panels depicting his life in a reconstructed 1930s Berlin cafe. Runs until November 8.

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 Teapots by Robert Johnson. An exhibition charting the rise and fall of this patented teapot. Runs until November 5. Open daily from 10am-5pm. Ring 0151 478 4499.

THE MET ARTS CENTRE, Market Street, Bury. Until Tuesday November 21, Ron Thorpe Millennium Exhibition, painting inspired by jazz, runs cafe opening hours, Adm free.

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

MID PENNINE GALLERY, Yorke Street, Burnley. 100 per cent man-made Christmas Crafts 2000. A selection of glass, ceramics, furniture, textiles, prints and jewellery. Runs from November 4 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, Preston. Ring 01772 264061.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester. The Human Factor. An hand-on approach examining ergonomics and the study of human interaction with products. Runs until April 1.

Also, Space and Ocean revealing facts about the ways in which space and the Earth's oceans affect each other. Runs until January 7.

Also, Hubble's Universe. A collection of photographs showing the depths of space. Runs until January 7.

Also, BAYS talks -- a talk on science. Saturday, November 4. Starts 11am to noon. Places are limited, ring 0161 247 5212 to book. Adults £6.50 and concessions £3.50. 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. Open Mon to Sat 10am to 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. Classic Bus and Coach of the Century exhibition featuring buses and coaches from the early years of the previous millennium upto the present day. Visitors will be able to ride on a variety of historic buses and coaches between the Museum of Transport and Bury Transport Museum.

Adults £3, concessions £2 and under 5s free. Ring 0161 205 2122 for further information.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND TELEVISION, Bradford, West Yorkshire. The Art of Star Wars. More than 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 costumes and concept designs from the archive of Lucasfilm showing the artistic process behind the making of the films. Visitors can also explore key aspects of the production process on a journey through a series of displays and see how original ideas for the films and their characters were developed from script to screen.

Other attractions include drawings of Jar Jar Binks, Yoda and a replica animatronic created head of the character Ree Yees, models of the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 and a mysterious chamber of atmosphernic sound and light effects revealing the character of Darth Vader. Runs 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 at the beginning of a new millennium using photography, painting, video and sound. Runs until February. Ring 01904 621261.

NORTON PRIORY MUSEUM AND GARDENS, Runcorn. 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. Open Doors. Look through the keyhole at Ordsall Hall and learn about the Tudors.

Also, an exhibition of Ideal homes featuring old sodastreams and lava lamps and the unusual and outlandish objects people have in their homes. 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 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. An exhibition of the mining, textile and engineering industries. Runs to December 2.

Also, 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 Artists' Autumn Exhibition featuring canvas, paper and craft work displays. Runs until November 24. Open Monday to Friday, 1pm-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 12 noon-5pm. Ring 01706 226509.

ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUM, Armouries Drive, Leeds. Open from 10.30am-5.30pm every day for the summer season. Ring 0990 106666.

SADDLEWORTH MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, High Street, Uppermill, Oldham. Mon to Sun 1pm-4pm. Ring 01457 874 093.

SALFORD MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford. Success From Salford, an array of stars including Manchester United's Ryan Giggs, Gone in 60 Seconds Christopher Eccleston, MP Hazel Blears and writer Rasshied Ali Din talk about their glorious schooldays.

Also, START in Salford, a re-interpretation artwork display featuring a multi-media of paintings, cermaics, textiles and creative writing.

Also, 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 from November 9 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.

THE TRIANGLE, Hanging Ditch, Manchester. Jigsaw Kitchen present mirrorscape, an exhibition of photographs inspired by the use of mirrors to abstract the natural landscape by Mark Finzel. Runs until December 15.

THE WORLD OF GLASS, Chalon Way East, St Helens. Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Ring 08707 444 777.

TURNPIKE GALLERY, Civic Square, Leigh. The time for talking is over by Suky Best, runs to November 25. This exhibition brings together for the first time two bodies of work by the artist Suky Best, Inadmissable Evidence and the time for talking is over. By zooming in on aspects of picture postcards both projects create new photographic works.

Also, No Identity by Annek Pettican. An exhibition of installations and interventions using traditional time-based and electronic media. Runs until November 25 with a special event on Wednesday, November 15, when Annek Pettican will invite people to view and discuss her work in Leigh town centre. Meet in the gallery at 2pm. For more details ring 01942 404469.

RON THORPE MILLENNIUM EXHIBITION, Paintings inspired by jazz. Runs until November 21, visual arts. Ron's style ranges from lanscapes to still life to seascapes at cafe opening hours. Tickets are free. Ring 0161 761 7107.