By Ade Blackburn
St Helens, in the Liverpool City Region, offers plenty of exciting things to do. Explore its rich heritage at the North West Museum of Road Transport and the World of Glass, or enjoy a peaceful walk around Carr Mill Dam. Art lovers can dive into local workshops and events, while nature enthusiasts can relax at the Dream sculpture. For live entertainment, catch a show at St Helens Theatre Royal, or unwind with a visit to Inglenook Farm. Discover all the best things to do in St Helens for your next day out!
Things to do in St Helens:
1. North West Museum of Road Transport
This engaging Road Transport Museum is based in the old town centre bus depot, which dates back to 1881. The museum is home to a fleet of historic buses, previously in operation across the whole region.
Head along on weekends and Bank Holidays, to view their collection of single and double-decker buses dating back to the 1930s, all decked-out in their original livery.
The museum also displays other fascinating vintage vehicles, including a fire engine from the 1950s, and a range of historic cars.
The Old Bus Depot: 51 Hall St, Saint Helens WA10 1DU.
2. Heart of Glass
If you’re looking for things to do in St Helens that celebrate creativity and community, Heart of Glass is a community arts organisation in St Helens. They believe that art has the power to bring us together and create real change, for the people of their community. Through collaboration and conversation, they bring amazing art projects to the most surprising of spaces throughout St Helens, Knowsley and beyond.
Their community projects have included creating colourful murals to cover concrete buildings with the help of young families in supported accommodation (Sphere of Nature), or working with colleagues across Europe as a founding partner of the Collaborative Arts Partnership Programme, a four year programme of artist exchange, research and learning.
Their philosophy is simple: art belongs everywhere, to everyone. Discover their upcoming events and workshops here.
Haydock Street, St Helens, WA10 1DD
3. Wonder Arts
Wonder Arts (previously Citadel Arts Centre) is a children and families organisation operating exclusively in non-traditional spaces in St Helens. They provide high quality arts experiences for children and family audiences who would not otherwise engage with arts venues.
They operate as a building-free organisation and offer experiences different from the norm. The team work in the public realm, in communities and in outreach settings delivering their unique arts activities. Find out about their upcoming events here.
Dentons Green Lane, St Helens, WA10 2QB
4. Car Mill Dam
A lovely place to stroll around with an option of a scenic drink at a waterside cafe. Ideal to relax and watch the local wildlife, which includes Goldfinch, Blackbirds and Grey Herons.
The four hundred year old Carr Mill Dam is also a great spot for water sports enthusiasts and anglers, the lake is crossed by the impressive Nineteen Arches Bridge and there are well made footpaths around the entire dam.
The site also contains the only tract of ancient woodland in St Helens.
5. World of Glass
For a unique cultural experience, the World of Glass museum is one of the top things to do in St Helens.
Pilkington display their World of Glass collections at this excellent canal-side museum, located on the site of the former glass factory.
You can view the collections of ornate studio glass and discover the history of St Helens’ glassmaking trade, from its 17th-century inception to a heyday in the 19th and early 20th century.
Their Glass Roots Gallery looks at the wider history of glass, displaying pieces going back to Ancient Egypt. Glassmaking demonstrations are held every day, and you can even try your hand at a glassblowing course.
World of Glass: Chalon Way E, St Helens, Saint Helens WA10 1BX.
6. St Helens Theatre Royal
Dating back to the early 1900s, St Helens Theatre Royal was designed by renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham, and was later revamped in the 1960s.
Theatre Royal has a wide and interesting programme of events. This year, their programme features comedians such as Sarah Millican, pantomimes, musicals and Dinosaur World Live events for kids.
The venue hosts appearances by sports personalities, many relating to Liverpool FC, and popular cultural figures. In the school holidays, kids can also watch colourful science demonstrations and children’s shows adapted from books and TV.
St Helens Theatre Royal: Corporation St, Saint Helens WA10 1LQ.
7. Dream
Dream is an impressive sculpture and piece of public art by Jaume Plensa. In 2008, St Helens took part in Channel 4’s The Big Art Project along with several other sites. The project culminated in the unveiling of Dream, a 66-foot-high sculpture located on the old Sutton Manor Colliery site.
The council and local residents (including 15 former miners from the colliery) were involved in the consultation and commission process through which Dream was selected. The plans involved a full landscaping of the surrounding area on land previously allowed to go wild after the closure of the pit.
Sutton Manor, St Helens, WA9 4BE
8. Things to do in Inglenook Farm
The farm is ideal for a relaxing family day out, kids will love the farm’s animals, which include a pair of Shetland ponies, goats, ducks, peacocks and chickens. The land is also used to grow chamomile and lavender for essential oils, which are distilled on site.
There’s a host of local businesses based at Inglenook Farm’s courtyard, a craft beer shop, a vintage bike restorer, a pet groomer, and a garden room designer.
Visitors can also drop-in to their legendary farmhouse cafe for cooked breakfasts and lunchtime bites.
Inglenook Farm: Moss Nook Lane, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 8AE.
To discover events happening across the Liverpool city region visit our What’s On events listings.
Have we missed anything in this article? Let us know! Get in touch with Clare at clare@culture.org.uk. We strive to make our features as inclusive as possible, so we’re keen to hear your suggestions of things to do in St Helens.