Merseyside Maritime Museum

About the museum

The Merseyside Maritime Museum is part of National Museums Liverpool and stands in a former warehouse block at the Royal Albert Dock. Its collection goes back to the 1860s, and by the 1930s the city had a shipping gallery that was partly destroyed in the Blitz of May 1941. New maritime galleries opened in the 1960s and 1970s, and a dedicated maritime museum opened for a trial season in 1980, fully opening in 1984 and expanding in 1986.

The museum tells the story of the port of Liverpool and of the people who sailed from it. Its collections include material about the Titanic, which was registered in Liverpool, and about RMS Lusitania, as well as shipping posters, the story of the Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic, and the loss of the City of Benares and the Empress of Ireland. It also houses the Archives Centre, which holds the former Maritime Archives and Library.

The museum closed to the public in January 2025 for essential maintenance work ahead of a major redevelopment project, together with the International Slavery Museum, which shares the building. The work is part of the Waterfront Transformation Project and depends on funding. While the building is shut, National Museums Liverpool offers online resources, virtual tours, school workshops that visit schools, and guided Old Dock tours.

Highlights

• Titanic collection and the ship's links with Liverpool
• Lusitania collection
• Liverpool shipping posters from the 1850s to the 1990s
• Virtual tours of the Titanic, Life on Board and Seized! galleries
• Old Dock tour beneath the Liverpool ONE shopping area (bookable while the museum is closed)

Founded

1980

Operated by

National Museums Liverpool

Visitors per year

approx. 836,980 (2019)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to National Museums Liverpool museums is normally free with donations welcome; the museum is currently closed.

Accessibility

The Maritime Museum is closed for redevelopment and its reopening depends on funding.

Kids & families

The Maritime Museum is closed for redevelopment and its reopening depends on funding.

Getting there & parking

The museum is at the Royal Albert Dock, next to the International Slavery Museum and about a 5 minute walk from the Museum of Liverpool. It is closed to visitors.

Amenities & dining

The Maritime Museum is closed for redevelopment and its reopening depends on funding.

Events & venue rental

The Maritime Museum is closed for redevelopment and its reopening depends on funding.

Plan your visit