16 Liverpool historical gems you can see inside free as part of Heritage Open Days

The hugely popular Heritage Open Days are back from Friday September 12 to Sunday September 21 and that means a chance to see inside some of Liverpool’s fabulous buildings free.

Every year teams of volunteers help people to celebrate our past and explore places they might never have been to before. Here are 16 Liverpool historical gems you can visit as part of the event …

The Nordic Church and Cultural Centre

Liverpool Nordic Church — Credit: Phil Nash

On Park Lane near Liverpool ONE, the Grade II* Listed Gustaf Adolf Church was designed and built by renowned architect William Douglas Caroe in 1883. Visit or take a guided tour to learn about the history of the Nordic Community in Liverpool and sample homemade Nordic cake!

Friday September 19, 11am-4pm & Saturday September 20, 11am-4pm. No booking needed.

Find out more here.

St Michael’s Cast Iron Church

In the conservation area of St Michael’s in the Hamlet near Sefton Park, the Grade I listed cast iron church is one of the earliest prefabricated churches. It’s one of Liverpool’s many beautiful Georgian buildings and now also one of its best music/gig venues.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 & 21, 10am-4pm. No booking needed.

Find out more here.

The Bluecoat, School Lane

Bryan Biggs, Bluecoat’s Director of Cultural Legacies, will be giving Heritage Tours of the Grade I listed building, talking all about its fascinating 300+ year history, from being a charity school in the 18th century to the UK’s first arts centre.

Tuesday September 16, 11am-12.30pm & 2pm-3.30pm, Sunday September 21, 11am-12.30pm. Booking needed.

Find out more here.

The Atheneum

Tucked away between Church Street and School Lane, The Athenaeum private members club was founded in 1797 and has been in Church Alley since 1928. It’s usually only available to members but Heritage Open Days give everyone a chance to see the unique space and its famous Library.

Sunday September 21, tours between 10.15am and 12.30 pm & 2pm-4.15 pm. Booking needed.

Find out more here.

LJMU Archives Exploration Saturday

Head to LJMU’s Library Reading Room on the Mount Pleasant Campus, Maryland Street for a rare chance to explore the Special Collections & Archives. The uni is showcasing archive material from 62 collections in a hands-on drop-in workshop. Clean hands but no food, drink or pens!

Saturday September 20, 10,30am & 1.30pm. Booking preferred.

Find out more here.

Liverpool Naval Memorial

Liverpool Naval Memorial at Mann Island commemorates over 1,400 officers and men from the Merchant Navy who died on active service during the Battle of the Atlantic, aboard more than 120 ships. Join the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for a tour and learn about those heroes.

Thursday September 18 & Friday September 19, 10am & 12pm. Booking needed.

Find out more here.

Wavertree Congregational Church

Inside the 188-year-old building on Hunters Lane, you can take a tour, see a World War I commemoration plaque of interest to local historians and a display put on by members of the church of wedding dresses through the years from the 1940s which are connected to the church.

Saturday and Sunday, September 13, 14, 20 & 21, 12pm-4pm. No booking needed.

Find out more here.

Mersey Tunnel Tours – Georges Dock Building

The ornate Art Deco Georges Dock Building, next to the Three Graces, was one of six ventilation stations for the Queensway Mersey Tunnel. Visitors can view artefacts, a small photographic exhibition and go on mini tours to the original Control Room, Fan Chamber and Dock room dating to 1771.

Saturday September 13 & Sunday September 14, 10am-4pm. Tours throughout the day on a 1st come 1st served basis.

Find out more here.

Walton Church

Credit: St Mary the Virgin, Walton Parish Church

The Original Parish Church of Liverpool, St Mary’s Walton, has a history that dates back further than the Domesday book. Mostly destroyed in the May Blitz of 1941, it still has an ancient font that’s over 1,000 years old. The 118ft tower will be open weather permitting, archive documents will be on display, and guided tours.

Saturday September 13, 10am-4pm & Sunday September 14, 1pm-4pm. No booking needed.

Find out more here.

St Mary’s Grassendale

On St Mary’s Road in Garston, this Gothic church built in 1852 will be offering guided tours revealing links to Queen Victoria, Jack The Ripper, war heroes and wealthy Liverpool merchants plus the finest example of a laminated timber roof in Britain and one of the last remaining set of Irish bells.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday September 18, 19 & 20, 10am-3pm. No booking needed.

Find out more here.

Battle of Britain 85 Open-Air Wartime Display at the Old Liverpool Airport

As part of Liverpool’s commemoration of the Battle of Britain 85th anniversary, an open-air event shares the wartime heritage of RAF Speke which played a vital role during WWII. Highlights include an outdoor exhibition and display of wartime vehicles, equipment, and re-enactors in authentic uniforms.

Saturday September 20, 3pm-5pm. Booking needed.

Find out more here.

India Buildings

India Buildings on Water Street is one of Liverpool’s architectural gems, designed by Herbert Rowse, and emulating the style of the most impressive early 20^th century commercial buildings in the US, especially New York. Not usually open to the public, 60-minute tours will reveal its story and inspirations.

Saturday September 13 and Sunday September 21, 11.30am-12.45pm & 2.30pm to 3.45pm. Booking needed.

Find out more here.

Wavertree Lock Up

Liverpool Heritage Sites — Credit: Sue Adair

Wavertree Lock Up on Childwall Road was built of yellow sandstone in 1796 to house drunks and misbehaving locals! Cholera victims’ bodies were dumped inside to isolate them and in 1840, with a police station open on the High Street, the Lock Up was used to house families during the Irish famine.

Sunday September 21, 12pm-4pm. No booking needed.

Find out more here.

Bridewell Studios and Gallery

Like the name suggests, the Bridewell Studios and Gallery on Prescot Street had a previous life as an early 20^th century police station. Visitors can look around the building and witness evidence of its previous use including original tiles, concrete staircases and prison cells.

Saturday and Sunday September 13, 14, 20 & 21, 2pm. Booking needed.

Find out more here.

The Municipal Hotel

Now one of Liverpool’s top hotel and spas, hour-long Heritage Tours lead by The Municipal’s concierge team will give a unique glimpse into the Municipal Building’s fascinating history as the former home of Liverpool City Council.

Monday September 15, between 10am & 2pm.

Find out more here.

Classic Liverpool Bus Running Day

To celebrate this year’s Heritage Open days theme of architecture, Merseyside Transport Trust is running classic buses from its collection giving passengers the opportunity to take nostalgic free rides on buses from the second half of the last century on various routes across Liverpool.

Services start from 10.30am from the bus.

Find out more here.