
National Museums Liverpool is a group of free national museums and art galleries in Merseyside. We have a huge range of significant and diverse collections, including everything from Impressionist paintings and rare beetles to a lifejacket from the Titanic.
It all started way back in 1851 when the 13th Earl of Derby donated his enormous natural history collection to the town of Liverpool. This was the beginnings of what would one day become World Museum.
Fast forward over 170 years and the creation of 6 more museums and galleries, Liverpool now has one of the largest collections of museums and galleries in the UK.
In 1986 it was decided that the museums in the city had collected works of art and objects of such historic and scientific significance that ownership should be handed over to the nation in order to protect them. From here, National Museums Liverpool was born.
We exist today to allow you, and future generations, to learn from and enjoy our amazing, varied collections and venues.