No points for guessing the right answer 😛 If you didn’t know the answer, here it is – World Museum, Liverpool
Jokes apart, if you are ever in Liverpool, a visit to the World Museum is a must. It is an amazing world out there – something you or your kids don’t want to miss. It is totally worth your time. Located on William Brown street at the city centre, it is easily accessible for all.
About World Museum, Liverpool
World Museum is the oldest and largest of the museums in Liverpool, England. It has extensive collections in the field of archaeology, ethnology and the natural and physical sciences. Home to special attractions such as the Natural History Centre and planetarium, the World Museum is a part of National Museums Liverpool. Entry to the museum is free.
History of Liverpool World Museum
Originally started as the Derby Museum ( thanks to the natural history collections of the 13th Earl of Derby), the museum opened in 1851 as humble two room set up on the Duke Street along with a library. As the museum became popular, they decided to go for a new, purpose-built building.
Local MP and Merchant William Brown donated land for the new building along with some funds for a building that will be known as the William Brown Library and Museum. The new museum opened in 1860 and around 400,000 people attended the opening. The museum was named the Liverpool Museum.
By late 19th century, the museum’s collection outgrew the building and they opened an extension in 1901.
The museum sustained heavy damages in the German bombing during the WWII blitz. Although they shifted most of the collections to safer locations, German firebombs hit the building and destroyed it. The damages were so high that parts of the museum could open only after 15 years.
A major refurbishment worth £35 million in 2005 saw the museum double the display spaces and improve accessibility. A central entrance hall as well as a six-storey atrium were a part of this work. New galleries such as World Cultures, Bug House and Weston Discovery Centre also came into being. Furthermore, they renamed the museum as World Museum.
Important Exhibits
- Astronomy
- Space and Time
- Human History
- Archaeology
- Natural History
- Biology and Zoology
- Planetarium
Liverpool World Museum has a 62 seat planetarium. Opened in 1970, it has shows on various aspects of space science and conducts special shows for children.
Egyptology
The Egyptian section contains approximately 15,000 objects from Egypt and Sudan. It is one of the most comprehensive collections on the subject in the entire country. Over 5000 Egyptian antiquities were donated to the museum in 1867 by Joseph Mayer, a local goldsmith and antiquarian. Mayer wanted to give the citizens who were unable to visit the British Museum in London to get some idea of the achievements of the Egyptian civilization.
For this purpose, he had displayed his collection in his own ‘Egyptian Museum’ in Liverpool. Several other people donated Egyptian material to the museum, and by late 19th century the museum had a substantial collection.
The Mummy Room in the Egypt Gallery is a must-see.
Ethnology Collection at Liverpool World Museum
The ethnology collection at World Museum is said to be among the top six collections in the country. The four main areas of Africa, the Americas, Oceania and Asia are represented here.
Geology – The geological collection at World Museum contains over 40,000 fossils as well as extensive rock and mineral collections.
The Museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5PM. Entry is free. However, it is advisable to check the timings and restrictions (if any) owing to the pandemic situation. Advance online booking (free of cost) might be required. Check out the World Museum site for pre-booking and other details.
You can watch our vlog on World Museum here