Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum to host Libation Ceremony ahead of major redevelopment

On Sunday 5 January 2025, the International Slavery Museum will mark a pivotal moment in its history with a traditional libation ceremony.

Staff, visitors, and members of the community will gather at the International Slavery Museum from 3.30pm to honour its past and welcome an exciting new phase in its future.

The ceremony will also coincide with the closure of both the International Slavery Museum and the Merseyside Maritime Museum, later that day, as the two institutions prepare for essential repairs and maintenance ahead of a major redevelopment project as part of National Museums Liverpool’s Waterfront Transformation Project.

A libation ceremony (the ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering or in memory of ancestors) will welcome the next phase of the museum, which will see it expand in size and gain its own identity and prominence on Liverpool’s historic waterfront.

The libation will be led by community elders and spiritual leaders and include a multilingual blessing to reflect the global reach of the transatlantic slave trade. There will also be a collective moment of silence to reflect on the lives lost and the resilience of those who endured.

Michelle Charters, Head of International Slavery Museum said: 

“A libation, steeped in symbolism and meaning is a fitting way to mark this point for the International Slavery Museum.

“This simple but meaningful act will give visitors a last chance to say goodbye to the galleries for a short while, thank all of those who have supported our work and got us this far, and most importantly, find a moment of connection, remembrance and respect to the ancestors whose story we tell.”

In 1994 the Merseyside Maritime Museum launched a new gallery in its basement – The Transatlantic Slavery gallery. This marked a major moment for Liverpool in addressing its past, but it also galvanised members of Liverpool’s Black community, as well as the staff and board at the museum, to understand the work had only just begun.

In 2007 the International Slavery Museum opened on the third floor of the Maritime Museum. For almost 20 years the museum has explored the impact and legacies of transatlantic slavery. It has welcomed guests and experts from across the world and created and hosted meaningful dialogue around many contemporary issues.

The redevelopment of International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum is a major part of National Museums Liverpool’s Waterfront Transformation Project.  

Both museums are due to reopen 2028.

Read more on the traditions and meanings behind libation here.

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