Museums in North West England
The museums of Manchester and Liverpool – including the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Art Gallery, the Museum of Liverpool, Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum – as well as venues in the Lake District and along the coast.
North West England Museum Guide
Our guide lists 69 museums in North West England across 37 towns and cities. You’ll find the widest choice in Liverpool (14), Manchester (13), and Kendal (3).
Broken down by focus, the largest shares go to Castles, Palaces & Monasteries (28%), Art & Design (19%), and History & Cultural History (13%) – 10 of our 12 categories are represented.
25 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs £13 at the median, and the middle half charge between £7.50 and £17.
32 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 54 offer dedicated programs for families, and 50 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 museums in North West England
The best-known museums in North West England
Walker Art GalleryArt · Liverpool
Lady Lever Art GalleryArt · Port Sunlight
Manchester Art GalleryArt · Manchester
Manchester MuseumNature · Manchester
Chetham's LibraryHistory · Manchester
Tate LiverpoolArt · Liverpool
U-534History · Birkenhead
MendipsPeople · Liverpool
National Football MuseumSpecial · Manchester
Imperial War Museum NorthHistory · Manchester
Museums in North West England with free admission
- Walker Art GalleryArt · Liverpool
- Lady Lever Art GalleryArt · Port Sunlight
- Manchester Art GalleryArt · Manchester
- Manchester MuseumNature · Manchester
- Tate LiverpoolArt · Liverpool
- Imperial War Museum NorthHistory · Manchester
World MuseumWorld cultures · Liverpool
International Slavery MuseumHistory · Liverpool
Merseyside Maritime MuseumTechnology · Liverpool
Museum of LiverpoolHistory · Liverpool
Museums in North West England with programs for families
- Walker Art GalleryArt · Liverpool
- Lady Lever Art GalleryArt · Port Sunlight
- Manchester Art GalleryArt · Manchester
- Manchester MuseumNature · Manchester
- Chetham's LibraryHistory · Manchester
- Tate LiverpoolArt · Liverpool
- National Football MuseumSpecial · Manchester
- Imperial War Museum NorthHistory · Manchester
Lyme ParkCastles & Palaces · Disley- World MuseumWorld cultures · Liverpool
Wheelchair-accessible museums in North West England
- Walker Art GalleryArt · Liverpool
- Manchester Art GalleryArt · Manchester
- Manchester MuseumNature · Manchester
- Tate LiverpoolArt · Liverpool
- National Football MuseumSpecial · Manchester
- Imperial War Museum NorthHistory · Manchester
- World MuseumWorld cultures · Liverpool
Manchester Jewish MuseumHistory · Manchester- Museum of LiverpoolHistory · Liverpool
Science and Industry MuseumTechnology · Manchester
Museums in North West England with the highest published visitor numbers
By category
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many museums are there in North West England?
Our directory currently lists 69 museums in North West England across 37 towns and cities.
What are the best-known museums in North West England?
Some of the best known are Walker Art Gallery, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum, and Chetham's Library.
Which museums in North West England offer free admission?
25 museums are free to visit – for example Walker Art Gallery, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, and Manchester Museum.
Which museums in North West England are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 25 are open, such as Tate Liverpool, National Football Museum, and Imperial War Museum North.
Which museums in North West England are wheelchair accessible?
32 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Walker Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, and Manchester Museum. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit museums in North West England?
A regular adult ticket costs £13 at the median, with prices ranging from £3 to £37. Children, students and families usually pay less.
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