Liverpool’s World Museum has been inspiring curiosity amongst visitors for more than 170 years. The museum welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year with its extraordinary mix of natural history, ancient civilisations, live animals, dinosaurs and space exploration. Best of all, it’s completely free to visit. Here’s a floor-by-floor guide to some of the highlights waiting to be discovered.
Floor 1: Aquarium
Our first stop was the Aquarium, which offers the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in an impressive range of sea wildlife, giving the chance to not just see the sea creatures but interact with them. Get up close with hermit crabs, starfish, dogfish, archerfish and many other fascinating species. My favourite bit was definitely taking a peek into their underwater viewing bubbles for a unique look at rescued terrapins, who are always keen to spot a friendly face! We made sure to say hello to Marge the lobster, who loves peeking out from her cave and playing with her enrichment toys. As we explored, projections shared inspiring conservation stories, while displays showcase the incredible variety of marine life found both locally and across the globe. The World Museum are proud members of BIAZA (the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums), committed to animal welfare, sustainability, science and education.
Floor 2: Bug House & Natural Clore History Centre
We then ascended into the museum’s fascinating world of bugs and come face to face with beetles, spiders, scorpions and many more incredible creatures. After making your way through the gigantic drainpipe, you’ll discover thriving colonies of leaf-cutter ants, impressive tarantulas and a host of other creepy crawlies waiting to be explored. Packed with fun displays and fascinating facts, Bug World offers the perfect chance to learn more about the tiny creatures we share our planet with. And before we got inside, we were greeted by the museum’s giant two-metre fly- which I have to say was quite the jump scare !
Recently refurbished, the Clore Natural History Centre offers an exciting opportunity to discover the natural world like never before. Bringing the museum’s natural history collections to life, the centre combines fascinating displays with interactive experiences designed to spark curiosity in visitors of all ages. We explored it’s incredible collection of animal skeletons, including the Earl of Derby’s echidnas and a remarkable Neptune Cup Sponge. Other highlights include a replica of the famous Liverpool Pigeon—the only surviving specimen of an extinct species—alongside its relatives, the dodo, solitaire and Victoria crowned pigeon. Throughout the gallery, engaging films and displays reveal the stories behind these extraordinary specimens, while exploring important themes of conservation and sustainability. For those eager to get even closer to the collections, the centre also offers the chance to handle real specimens, including the skulls of elephants and rhinos, providing a truly hands-on glimpse into the wonders of the natural world.
Floor 3: World Cultures, Ancient Egypt and Weston Discovery Centre
We then travelled across the globe in the World Cultures gallery, where more than 1,600 fascinating objects from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania bring stories from different cultures to life. Through immersive displays and thought-provoking exhibits, the gallery explores how people, ideas and traditions have connected across continents throughout history. From stunning Chinese ceramics to powerful stories of identity and survival, this part of the museum gave me a fresh perspective on the world around us. Creative, engaging and sometimes surprising, the gallery invites visitors to discover the stories behind some of the museum’s most remarkable collections.
Ancient Egypt
Next up was a trip back in time to feist our eyes on 5,000 years of life in the Nile Valley in the Ancient Egypt gallery. Discover ancient burial customs, uncover powerful spells from the Book of the Dead and learn how people lived, worshipped and prepared for the afterlife. Featuring more than 1,200 remarkable objects, the gallery brings the ancient world to life while revealing Liverpool’s connection to archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Sudan. Visitors can also see artefacts damaged during the bombing of World Museum in 1941, now back on display decades later. My highlight was admiring the impressive four-metre-long Book of the Dead scroll, displayed in full for visitors to admire.
Weston Discovery Centre
We then headed next door to immerse ourselves in the remarkable collection of artefacts from Ancient Greece and Anglo-Saxon Britain . From mythology and religion to fashion, warfare and everyday life, these displays offer a glimpse into two influential civilisations from the past. Some of the stand outs are the beautifully carved marble panel featuring Chiron, the wise centaur of Greek mythology, and the impressive Kingston Brooch, the largest known Anglo-Saxon composite brooch ever discovered. Alongside these extraordinary objects, visitors can learn about the pioneering archaeological work that uncovered many of the treasures on display, bringing centuries of history to life through the stories of both the artefacts and the people who discovered them.
Floor 4: Wild World – Dinosaurs and Natural History
We then went up another floor to be guided through our ever-changing world, from Liverpool’s ancient mudflats and frozen polar landscapes to dense forests and vast grasslands. We learnt how life on Earth has evolved over millions of years and the remarkable ways species have adapted to survive. My personal highlight in this exhibition was coming face to face with full-sized dinosaur skeletons, including the mighty Allosaurus, and uncover the story of a mysterious reptile that roamed Merseyside more than 220 million years ago, leaving only its footprints behind. Along the way, learn about the scientists and naturalists who helped shape our understanding of the natural world, before stepping into the Time Tunnel to explore life from the distant past through to the emergence of our own species.
Floor 5: Space and Time and Planetarium
We then prepared ourselves for lift-off in the Space and Time galleries, where fascinating displays explore both the wonders of the universe and the science of timekeeping. It was captivating to be up close to rockets, telescopes, meteorites and even genuine moon rocks as you discover the story of our solar system and humanity’s exploration of space. Meanwhile, a remarkable collection of watches, marine chronometers and scientific instruments reveals Liverpool’s important role in navigation, astronomy and timekeeping. To complete our journey, we sat back and marvelled at the universe in the museum’s full-dome Planetarium, where spectacular shows bring the cosmos to life.
Liverpool’s World Museum really feels like an epic journey through time, space and the natural world, all under one roof. The museum brings learning vividly to life and best of all, it remains completely free to enter, making it one of the Liverpool city region’s most accessible cultural attractions.
