World Museum

Come along on selected Thursdays for Tiddlers - Seaside Explorers 🐋🐚

We'll enjoy fun activities and games together all in the sensory underwater surroundings of our aquarium. Drop in - no need to book.

When: Selected Thursdays, 10am-11am (not including school holidays)
Age group: pre-school, babies, nursery groups (older siblings welcome)

More info here:https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/world-museum/event/tiddlers-seaside-explorers

The name Albert Einstein is synonymous with genius, theoretical physics and the Nobel Prize, but how many people realise that Einstein was also a refugee?

This landing card captures a significant moment in Einstein’s life, when he arrived at Dover in 1933, temporarily seeking refuge in the UK from N**i persecution.

Signed by Einstein, the card records his nationality as Swiss having renounced his German citizenship. He was destined for Oxford, where he was guest Professor at Christ-Church College.

Einstein’s journey did not end there, he later settled in the US with his family where he lived in exile until his death in 1955.

Before leaving England he addressed 10,000 people in London’s Albert Hall to raise money for fellow refugees.

“Our task must be to free ourselves…. by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty” - Albert Einstein.

This object was chosen for display by Alayna Ellis, Curator of Border Collections. "To me, this small piece of paper carries many meanings, but above all, represents Albert Einstein as a symbol of compassion."

Discover more at National Museums Liverpool at 40, on display at World Museum.

The return of the detector dogs for half-term 🐶⬇️

Are you looking for things to do next week for half-term?

While we are closed we are very grateful to our friends World Museum for hosting the super popular detector dog demonstrations 🐶

Don't miss the free shows and see how these amazing dogs support the work of Border Force:

▪️World Museum, William Brown Street
▪️Thursday 28 May
▪️11.30, 1.30 and 2.30

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/world-museum/event/return-of-detector-dogs

While you're there don't miss National Museums Liverpool at 40 exhibition - with highlights from our collection: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/world-museum/exhibition/national-museums-liverpool-40

⚠️ Partial closure of Wild World gallery - Wednesday 20 May ⚠️

Our Wild World: Dinosaurs and Natural History gallery on the fourth floor will remain partially closed to visitors today due to ongoing maintenance work.

There's still plenty to see at the Museum - head to our What's On page for a full list of activities.
https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/world-museum

The gallery will reopen to visitors on Thursday 21 May.

World Museum From Japanese Samurai armour to bugs galore, and ancient Egyptian mummies to outer space, there’s something for everyone at Liverpool's World Museum.

Time is running out to see the Amoxtli Tezcatlipoca display in the World Cultures gallery!

This Saturday at 2pm, World Museum is hosting a very special free event in the World Cultures gallery - Hasta Moztla, in partnership with Luma Creations, Luma Dance Group, Colibri Mexican Folk Dance and the Americas Research Network (ARENET), to mark the display’s final week.

Hasta Moztla translates as “See you later” in contemporary Nahuatl. The event will feature two dances by Colibri Mexican Folk Dance, two performances by the Luma Dance Group, and music from Grupo Luma, as well as an opportunity to view an exciting new acquisition for the World Cultures collection!

Full event info here:

Hasta Moztla On Saturday, 23 May 2026 at 2pm the Global Cultures team in cooperation with Luma Creations, Luma Dance Group, Colibri Mexican Folk Dance and the Americas Research Network (ARENET) will be holding an event entitled ‘Hasta Moztla’ ('See you later' in contemporary Nahuatl).

This is a model of a Mersey flat (local cargo barge) called Charity.

Mersey flats were often double ended/sided barges around seventy feet wide that carried cargo on the canals connected with the River Mersey, the Mersey itself and across the Irish Sea. Their flat hulls made them ideal vessels to traverse the changing water levels of the Mersey as they could navigate further upstream when the water levels dropped.

The object was chosen for display in National Museums Liverpool at 40 by Chris Moseley, who has cared for National Museums Liverpool's ship models for over 40 years. He first saw the model when arriving for his first interview to work at the museum. As he retells:

"I first saw this model when I came for my interview, it was on the old Port of Liverpool gallery. I liked the model from first sight - it may not be the biggest or the most elaborate model but is a simple Mersey 'flat', a local cargo barge named 'Charity'.

If you look carefully and imagine…. ‘Charity’ is heavily laden with Cheshire salt from Northwich, and now with the decks almost awash; she is being pushed along by a strong breeze heading for the docks in Liverpool. There are two crew members carved from wood one steering and one coiling rope. The wooden carved sea and billowing sail give a sense of movement.

You can always tell when something has been made with love, the ‘Charity’ was modelled by someone who had seen these boats many times, and for me brings alive a scene from the past."

You can see Chris hard at work in the second image - taken in 1983!

Why do we still need museums?

On , we’re asking an important question as we celebrate forty years of National Museums Liverpool.

In a new article, our Director Laura Pye reflects on the vital role museums continue to play - from safeguarding collective memory and sparking curiosity, to strengthening communities and creating spaces for dialogue, wellbeing and belonging.

The world still needs museums. But why?

Read: "Why do we still need museums?" now on our website via the link in bio. 🔗

⚠️ Temporary closure of Wild World gallery - Tuesday 19 May ⚠️

We're undertaking some important maintenance works on Tuesday 19 May, which means our Wild World: Dinosaurs and Natural History gallery on the fourth floor will be closed to visitors.

Don't worry - there's still plenty for you to explore if you're planning on visiting us!

The gallery will reopen to visitors on Wednesday 20 May.

Bees: A Story of Survival launches at the Royal Ontario Museum this weekend! 🐝

Designed and produced by Wolfgang Buttress Studio and developed in collaboration with National Museums Liverpool, the exhibition brings together art and science to explore one of nature’s most incredible creatures - the bee.

On display at World Museum between May 2024 and September 2025, the exhibition enabled visitors to discover the wonder of bees in ways that have never been experienced before.

We're buzzing for Canadian visitors to experience the wonderful world of these incredible insects!

Calling all home educators! We've got some fantastic workshops scheduled across our museums this year.

Find out more, and book a place for your child, here:https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/learn/schools-home/home-educators