The Museum handbooks were a series of publications issued by the Museum. Originally, these were primarily academic catalogues or guides to the collections, as well as reprints of articles about the collections which had appeared in specialist journals (Notes from Manchester Museum). Most of the these publications appeared before the 1920s. Thereafter the Museum seems to have concentrated on producing general materials, geared to its public audiences.
Volume 1: Notes from Manchester Museum, nos. 1-16, includes T H Huxley "Suggestions for a proposed Natural History Museum, originally issued in 1868. The Notes had been previously published elsewhere.
Volume 2: Notes from Manchester Museum, nos. 17-22 only.
Volume 3: Museum handbooks, comprising Handy guide to the MuseumGeneral Guide to the Natural History CollectionsCatalogue of Embryological ModelsCatalogue of the Hayfield Collection of ShellsThe Marine Mollusca of MadrasNomenclature of the Seams of the Lancashire Coral measuresA brief account of the Cosmo Melvill HerbariumCatalogue of Type fossils.
Volume 4: Museum handbooks, comprising Supplementary list of Type Specimens in the Geological DepartmentNomenclature of the Seams...Catalogue of Embryological ModelsChapters from the evolution of plantsThe Marine Mollusca of MadrasCatalogue of the HapaticaeA brief account of the Cosmo Melvill HerbariumCatalogue of the Egyptian Antiquities.Outline Classification of the Animal Kingdom
Volume 5 includes The Stela of Sebek-khu, Notes from Manchester Museum nos.22-28, 30-36, 38-39; Outline classification of the Animal Kingdom, Guide to the Manchester Museum (19480, New Greek Vases in the Manchester Museum, Guide to the Greek Vases, Further Greek vases in the Manchester Museum and the School of Art
Volume 6 includes Supplementary list of Type and Fred Specimens in the Geological DepartmentHandy guide to the MuseumCatalogue of the Hadfield Collection of Shells from the Loyalty Islands.Nomenclature of the Seams...The Marine Mollusca of MadrasPrincipal Divisions of the ColeopteraOrders and Families of WormsPrincipal Divisions of the LepidopteraCatalogue of Embryological Models
/7 General Guide to the Museum (1893)
/8 General Guide to the Museum (1915)
/9 A Short Guide to the Manchester Museum 1933)
/10 A Catalogue of the Books and Pamphlets in the Library (1895)
/11 Museum Labels
/12 An Index to the Systema Naturae of Linnaeus
/13 General Statement of the Work of the Museum (1911)
/14 Some collections of the Manchester Museum n.d. (prob. post-1945)
/15 Museum guide, 1970.