£19 million funding secured to support regeneration of Liverpool Museums

A major UK Government investment has been secured to support the regeneration of Liverpool’s waterfront museums.

Ambitious transformation plans for Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum have been secured with a substantial £19 million public investment. Funded through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund, this financial backing marks an exciting new era for the city’s historic waterfront while significantly reinforcing Liverpool’s £6 billion visitor economy.

Laura Pye, Director, National Museums Liverpool, said:

“The transformation of the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum is a landmark project for Liverpool’s historic waterfront, promising to bring a significant boost to the region’s visitor economy.

“With the vision for both museums driven by community stakeholders and engagement, it also represents a powerful moment for unheard or under-represented stories to have a platform like never before.

“We’re hugely grateful to the UK Government for this investment and the confidence it shows in the vision for the museums, and teams making it a reality. This support is ensuring we continue to serve the needs of our communities and audiences, now and for generations to come.”

Liverpool Museums regeneration — North Vestibule with view through_Credit-Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios_LEAD IMAGE – Maritime Museum North Vestibule with view through_Image_© Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Museums Minister, Baroness Twycross, said:

“This £19 million investment for crucial infrastructure work will support Liverpool’s Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum in a striking redevelopment of both buildings. Once complete, the transformation will embody the museums’ commitment to creative storytelling, education and the representation of Liverpool’s history on the local, national and global stage.

“Liverpool’s historic waterfront is such an iconic part of our national heritage, and I look forward to this investment bolstering these museums’ position at the forefront of historic engagement and education.”

Following the Maritime Museum’s opening during the 1980s regeneration of the Albert Dock, and the subsequent launch of the International Slavery Museum in 2007, both institutions are embarking on their next chapter. Their shared redevelopment is the anchor of National Museums Liverpool’s Waterfront Transformation Project. This initiative will completely reimagine the stretch between the Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island, uniting heritage, community activism, and modern connectivity.

Architect Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) has designed the redevelopment to integrate thoughtfully with the Grade I-listed Hartley Pavilion and Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building. The plans feature a striking new entrance for the International Slavery Museum, matching its importance as a global institution. Shaped by extensive community feedback, this new design provides both modern accessibility and a prominent, dignified presence on Liverpool’s waterfront.

A new contemporary link bridge will connect the Hartley Pavilion and the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building, creating a ‘pause-point’ with panoramic views across the docks. Here, visitors can reflect on how the stories within the galleries relate directly to the historic landscape where they stand.

The Maritime Museum will undergo significant regeneration, enabling it to present a more comprehensive and coherent vision of Liverpool’s maritime history. A new entrance will create a more welcoming arrival for visitors, while new galleries will explore conflict, migration, and global connections, alongside a revitalised version of the popular ‘Titanic and Liverpool’ exhibition.

Meanwhile, the International Slavery Museum will become the home of the National Centre for Teaching Black History. The redeveloped second floor of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building will be dedicated to the centre’s learning programs and outcomes, with programming designed to connect with collections and representation across all National Museums Liverpool venues.

Ralph Appelbaum Associates is leading the exhibition design for both institutions, and the project will deliver new galleries alongside shared spaces for community use, research, education, and events.