Past exhibitions

The former Museum of Liverpool Life closed in 2006 to allow construction to begin, so while the new Museum of Liverpool was under construction we toured some of its fantastic collections ‘on the road’ to different locations across the city and occasionally further afield.

Find out more about Museum of Liverpool on the road

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This was the first ever exhibition revealing what life was like for people in Liverpool and the North West during the Roman period. The exhibition took visitors back in time, bringing them face to face with people who lived in the region nearly 2000 years ago. A full-size Romano-British farmhouse with realistic sounds and smells, plus artefacts, dioramas and models portrayed a vivid picture of daily life. 

North West England is well known for its Roman sites, from the great legionary fortress at Chester, forts at Manchester and Northwich, and civilian settlements such as Wilderspool, near Warrington. But until recently little was known of the native people who for generations farmed the land much as their ancestors had done. In this exhibition we showed how local people lived, worked and died in our region under Roman rule. It is only now that their story is beginning to emerge. Their homes and farms are difficult to find and it is only through the patient work of archaeologists, including the National Museums Liverpool Field Archaeology Unit, that we have been able to uncover traces of their lives. Some of the results of that work tell the story of the local native pople who were ‘Living with the Romans’.

Find out more about Living with the Romans

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This display of recently acquired Beatles memorabilia spanned the fab four's careers from the early days in Liverpool through to international acclaim. You could see original signed photographs, rare early promotional material and merchandise -including Christmas records and even Beatles nylon stockings!

Find out more about Collecting the Beatles

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Information about the former Blue Funnel seafarer.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Mr Cheng Shun Lin

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To celebrate Refugee Week 2005, the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS), part of Liverpool Education Service, launched an art competition in Liverpool’s primary and secondary schools. The subject of the work revolved loosely around the Refugee Week theme of Persecution, including images depicting children’s interpretation of 'Finding A Safe Place'. The winning entries went on display as part of Black History Month 2005.

Find out more about Finding a Safe Place

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A display about the first female Assistant Chief Constable in the country.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Alison Halford

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Display about the Liverpool boxer who was the lightweight champion of Lancashire.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Charles Blackburn

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Information about how technology brought visitors face to face with Merseyside's earliest skeleton.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Leasowe man

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A display exploring the legacy of Father Nugent, who saw the deprivation suffered by the people of the city and did something to help by highlighting the issues facing them and encouraging those with power, money and influence to help.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives displays

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Father James Nugent

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An exhibition that explored social housing and high-rise living from the tenants’ perspective, creating a feel of what it was like to live “up in the air”, in collaboration with the Liverpool Housing Action Trust.

Find out more about Living It Up

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Display about the swimmer who won the bronze medal winner for the 200m Butterfly at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Part of a monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Stephen Parry

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A display to mark the 65th birthday of Ronald Wycherley, better known as Billy Fury - Britain's own Elvis Presley.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Billy Fury

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A display about the Liverpool born singer who in best known for appearing with Marilyn Monroe in 'Lets make love'. He was awarded a CBE for his charitable work with young people.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Frankie Vaughan

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Information about the education reform pioneer.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Jessie Reid Crosbie

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A hundred model boats were created by members of Chinese communities for Year of the Sea. Over 500 people from Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and Leeds collaborated on the project, forming a striking wall display of model boats. The designs were based on memories about how individuals and families came to Britain, and explored community links to the sea. Many Chinese people settled here after working as crew members with British shipping companies such as the Blue Funnel Line.

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Information about the Museum of Liverpool's unusual collection of personal items that once belonged to William Webster, a motorcycle enthusiast and member of the Liverpool Imperial Motor Cycle Club.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: William and Lillian Webster

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Yours Faithfully was a celebration of different faith groups that are part of Liverpool's rich heritage including Anglican, Baha'i, Buddhist, Catholic, Free Church, Greek Orthodox, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh. The exhibition was based on the findings of young people who explored diverse religious traditions and practices to coincide with the city's Year of Faith. Personal items on display included a Hajj prayer mat, a Hindu hand-painted scroll, a Passover book, a photograph of Bethlehem, offering bowls, a heart-shaped cushion, an icon of the Virgin Mary, a steel bracelet (Kara) and a communion set.

Find out more about Yours Faithfully

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Portraits of disabled people are featured in this positive exhibition created by North West Disability Arts Forum. Part of DaDaFest 2004

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Information about Angus Wood, who volunteered to come to Britain in the Second World War to aid the war effort and settled in Liverpool.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Angus Wood

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This major exhibition commemorated a powerful and important subject by recounting the experiences of those who lived and worked through the Second World War in Liverpool, in particular the Blitz bombing of May 1941. The profound effects that the war had on the community of Liverpool were examined through the personal accounts of people who were there - a disappearing generation.

To accompany the main exhibition at the Maritime Museum, the nearby Museum of Liverpool Life featured a wartime garden and the Piermasters House was converted into a 1940s house. There was also a display of wartime vehicles in the Great Western Railway building.

Find out more about Spirit of the Blitz

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Display about the poet and performer who first made his name in the 1960s as one of the Liverpool Poets, along with Adrian Henri and Roger McGough. Their popular anthology The Mersey Sound published in 1967 has sold over 250,000 copies to date.

Part of a monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Brian Patten

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This small but unique collection explored the impact of a club that had a major influence on the Liverpool music scene of the late 70s and early 80s. Objects and memorabilia captured a time when bands like Big In Japan, Teardrop Explodes and Echo and the Bunnymen were creating a new Merseybeat.

Find out more about Spotlight on 'Eric's Club'

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Information about the inventor of Meccano and Hornby.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Frank Hornby

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Information about The Emerald Gem - an 'Irish Comedian, Patterer and Dancer' from Liverpool.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

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Liverpool football club's legendary Kop was remembered ten years after its demolition in this exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool Life from 28 May to 19 September 2004. The original all-standing Kop, which stood from 1906 to 1994, played a key part in the history of the soccer team during its glory years when players captured top trophies.

The Kop's Last Stand told the fascinating story of the stand where thousands of fans jostled and swayed as they sang, chanted, cheered and jeered. It focused on the highs and lows experienced on its hallowed terraces. The exhibition featured Liverpool Post & Echo archive photographs and items lent by Liverpool FC Museum, including banners, programmes and memorabilia. The show was complimented by 'Everton's 80s Heroes' on display at the Conservation Centre

Find out more about The Kop's Last Stand

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Kathleen's memories of the Second World War.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Kathleen Thomas

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A display about the man behind the popular Liverpool brand of jeans.

Part of the Liverpool lives monthly series of displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: William Henry Fleming

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Display about the Liverpool policeman, who was killed while on duty during the blitz.

Part of a monthly series of Liverpool lives displays

Find out more about Liverpool lives: PC Frederick Doran

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Information about the chess champion and journalist.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Amos Burn

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An exhibition by Liverpool-born artist David Jacques. In it he explored the experiences of people from different communities who have settled in Liverpool over the last 100 years. The exhibition included large-scale banners, photographs and drawings.

Find out more about David Jacques - 'As if in a dream dreamt by another'

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A display about 'Tommy Brown' the Nigerian seafarer who settled in Liverpool.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives displays.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Thomas Oladipo Kuforiji

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Information about the Liverpool musician with an unusual speciality.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Jack Robinson

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Information about the couple who met while serving in the Liverpool Rifles just before the Second World War. They were married for nearly fifty years and devoted much of their time to the Royal British Legion.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: Florence and Henry Bolton

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Information about the Labour leader who achieved international fame as a revolutionary trade unionist.

Part of the monthly series of Liverpool lives features.

Find out more about Liverpool lives: James Larkin

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A fascinating collection of personal effects that once belonged to Stuart Sutcliffe. One of the original Beatles, Sutcliffe was also a talented artist. His death at the age of 21 from a brain haemorrhage cut short a promising career. These items helped bring to life one of the most poignant chapters in The Beatles story.

Find out more about Stuart Sutcliffe

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During the swinging sixties Mike McCartney had access to the most happening and interesting people around. This exhibition was an entertaining mix of snapshots of stars and everyday Liverpool life, from pictures of his dad at home in Forthlin Road to Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. In specially written picture captions, Mike shared some marvellous memories such as Paul McCartney's 21st birthday party and George Harrison's first Jaguar. A must for any McCartney, music or Mersey enthusiast!

Find out more about Mike McCartney's Liverpool Life

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Initiated by museums in Liverpool, Luxembourg, Helsinki and Bonn, this stimulating exhibition looked at the similarities and differences between these four different cities. The achievements and advantages of each city was celebrated, and social and cultural difficulties examined. Largely generated by research amongst the members from each city's communities, the show challenged opinions about urban life today.

Find out more about Your History, Our History

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The Historic Environment of Liverpool Project was devised by English Heritage to explore and record Liverpool's unique status as England's finest Victorian City. As part of the process, the exhibition 'Memory Blocks' will drew on the memories and experiences from members of the community. Clear perspex building bricks forming a 3-dimensional wall contained the participant's pictures, photographs and ideas about the city's heritage.

Find out more about Memory Blocks

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Indian Presence examined the origin of the Indian community in Liverpool. Between 1920 and 1960, Bachan Singh and Ashok Burman interviewed more than 20 Indian settlers and recorded their experiences and memories. Photographs, personal items, costume, music and documentary help to tell their story.

Find out more about Indian Presence in Liverpool

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An exhibition of specially selected photographs from the Stewart Bale collection showing Liverpool scenes from the 1930s to the 1950s. The pictures showed the everyday places where people worked, shopped and enjoyed themselves.

Find out more about Liverpool Memories

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'Bottle Your Culture' was one of the most imaginative cultural audit Liverpool has ever seen, celebrating the life of the city and its residents. School children, local businesses, celebrities and community groups all contributed by stuffing literally thousands of bottles with their unique interpretations of Liverpool's cultural heritage. This startling collection formed part of the city's bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Find out more about Bottle Your Culture

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Exploring how the complimentary traditions of Irish music and dance are expressed in the cities of Liverpool and Coventry, this exhibition used photographs, music and video to describe how Irish traditions were maintained and developed by Irish people living in Britain.

Find out more about Talking Traditions: Irish music and dance in two British cities

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Soccer Shots: Stephen Shakeshaft's Football Photos, featured over 100 behind the scenes pictures at Everton and Liverpool. For four decades, the award-winning photographer followed the fortunes Merseyside's footballing giants, enjoying a unique insider's perspective.

Find out more about Soccer Shots

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An exhibition in two parts:

The main exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool Life featured trains, cranes and beauty queens - the story of the Meccano factory at Binns Road, Liverpool that exported toys around the world.

To accompany this, at Merseyside Maritime Museum there was a display of kits, models and collectors' tales, including Hornby trains, tracks and accessories, Dinky Toys and Bayko sets, along with guilds, clubs and magazines.

Find out more about Meccano: Twentieth Century Toys