Collections and galleries

Our collections reflect the vitality and importance of the port of Liverpool and its role in world history.

At the museum you can see a variety of objects associated with nautical archaeology and the social and commercial history of the port. Highlights of the collections include ship models, maritime paintings, colourful posters from the golden age of liners and even some full sized vessels.

On this website there are also some special online features highlighting specific areas of the collections and research, for example Mapping Memory and Liverpool and the American Civil War.

Galleries

Basement

Seized! The Border and Customs uncovered

Enter an unseen world of smuggling, intrigue and detection where things are not always what they seem in the national museum of the UK Border Agency.

children in Seized gallery

Emigrants to a New World gallery

Discover the stories of the millions of emigrants who sailed from Liverpool in search of a better life in the 'New World'

Ground floor

Liverpool: world gateway

Open from 15 March 2008, this new gallery highlights the ships and shipping companies that have shaped Liverpool's history as one of the world's greatest seaports.

First floor

Titanic, Lusitania and the Forgotten Empress

This gallery tells the stories of three of the most famous and most tragic ships in history - the Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland. Each had strong links with Liverpool and its people.

Battle of the Atlantic

Visit the Battle of the Atlantic gallery to learn about the vital role that Liverpool played in the longest and most vital campaign of the Second World War. Find out about the extraordinary experiences of merchant sailors, who brought essential supplies of food and war materials into the country throughout the battle.

Life at Sea

As an island nation, Britain has always had a special relationship with the sea. Merchant ships and seafarers have provided a vital lifeline for the country by carrying goods and passengers in both peace and war. The fascinating Life at sea gallery highlights the role of merchant seafarers over the last three centuries.

Mapping Memory

A new project investigating Liverpool's waterfront during a time of great change. The small display and 40 minute film on the first floor accompanies the major Mapping Memory feature and interactive map on this website.

Hello Sailor! Gay life on the ocean wave

Hello Sailor! looks at gay life on board passenger and merchant ships at a time when homosexuality was illegal, to reveal a little known aspect of maritime history.

Hello Sailor!

Sea Urchins

A fun maritime-themed play area for early years visitors.

Second floor

Art and the sea

Liverpool has had a thriving artistic community for over 200 years. This gallery features a selection of paintings and models capturing the citys maritime past.

Ships and quaysides

Two historic vessels, the pilot boat Edmund Gardner and three-masted schooner De Wadden, are kept in dry dock opposite the museum.

Maritime archives

The archives of Merseyside Maritime Museum are one of the finest collections of merchant shipping records in the UK. They include:

  • ship registers
  • extensive records of the port of Liverpool, local trade associations, shipping companies, merchant houses, port services, charities and ship builders
  • seafarers' personal and family papers plus a wealth of plans, photographs and oral tapes.

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