John Rylands Research Institute and Library

The John Rylands Library is famous for its building, which is an unparalleled masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture. It was built by the wife of John Rylands, one of the most successful Manchester industrialists, in memory of her late husband. It houses an extensive collection of the world's oldest and rarest books and manuscripts such as William Caxton's 1476 copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, also has a nice shop and café.