What's on at Liverpool's museums this summer

National Museums Liverpool are hosting a huge array of events this summer. Find out what’s on here.

Summer is set to be a roarsome one at National Museums Liverpool, as dinosaurs take over World Museum for a packed programme of events.

Meanwhile at Museum of Liverpool, a dazzling late-night opening and a series of family-friendly activities kick off a Pride Weekender.

Take a look at just some of the highlights across National Museums Liverpool this summer…

Jurassic Park! Dinos are coming to Liverpool!

Dino Takeover at National Museums Liverpool — Credit: Gareth Jones

This summer, every Wednesday and Thursday from the 23 July, World Museum will be roaring into action with a programme packed full of interactive fun, perfect for the whole family.

There’s a whole host of family activities to enjoy this summer including special workshops, curator discussions, museum trails and even some very special prehistoric visitors!

Highlights include:

Roarapalooza! Meet the Dinosaurs: meet life-like dinosaur puppets of all shapes and sizes

Dino Dig: step into our Bug House for a hands‑on fossil‑hunting adventure.

Curator Chats: Get up close with the experts! Join discussions led by our curators.

Dino Treasure Hunt and Digital Discovery Trail: rab a treasure map and embark on your adventure around World Museum to discover dinosaurs. Or use your own device to follow our trail around the museum, discovering dinosaurs and the stories that surround them. Look for the Dino Discovery QR codes across the venue!

Creative Workshops: unleash your inner palaeontologist! Through fossil‑making workshops, kids and families can mould their own dinosaur bones using model magic, guided by our friendly team.

Find out more here.

PRIDE in Museum of Liverpool

The LGBTQ+ community has rallied to bring together a new version of the yearly Pride parade and Museum of Liverpool is proud to be supporting with a host of events across Pride weekend (26-27 July), alongside organisers Sahir House.

Friday 26 July kicks off the festivities with a Pride marketplace where visitors can find out more from some of the organisations supporting LGBTQ+ communities across the city. Then in the evening the Museum hosts a special Pride edition of NML Xtra.

Hosted by Drag Race UK’s Sister Sister, this NML Xtra is filled with performances, including Naya Thorn, Liverpool’s Rainbow Chorus and, of course, the fabulous House of Suarez. Tickets cost £10, with the event starting at 7pm.

On Saturday 27 July, Museum of Liverpool in partnership with Pride in Liverpool will host a family-friendly festival that celebrates love in all its forms. Activities include performances, craft sessions, storytelling and more to celebrate the wonderful diversity that makes Liverpool so amazing.

Find out more here.

Sudley House Handmade summer market

Talented local artists and makers are taking over Sudley House on 16 August as Sudley House Handmade returns to the Victorian house nestled in Liverpool’s Mossley Hill area. Following the success of the Sudley House’s Christmas market, Sudley House Handmade summer edition has even more crafty creators coming to showcase their wares. Delight in everything from ceramics, textiles, home fragrance, lifestyle goods and packaged food and beverages, all in the beautiful grounds of a South Liverpool hidden gem.

Find out more here.

Tea, teddies and tickly creepy crawlies and a grand parade

Sudley House and Lady Lever Art Gallery are both making the most of the sunshine, with events and activities in their gardens. At Sudley, little ones are invited to bring their favourite teddy to the hugely popular annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic on 8 and 9 August in the beautiful Sudley House gardens. Or if you are brave enough, join experts and take your bear on a Bug Hunt through Sudley House’s gardens.

At Lady Lever Art Gallery, come along on 24 and 25 July for an afternoon of storytelling, crafts and fun at the gallery’s Garden Party. There’s lots of fun to be had, with messy play, sandcastle building and much more.

At World Museum on 19 July, a procession of bees is set to arrive on William Brown Street. In association with the acclaimed exhibition Bees: A Story of Survival, which extends its run through to the end of September, dance group Movema soak up the summer vibes with Grand Parade of the Bees. A celebration of those powerful pollinators that are so vital to our world, you can also get int the spirit and book to make your very own bee costume before the parade!

Find out more here.

New places to discover at the waterfront

Opening for seven days a week this summer is the newly refurbished Hartley Hut – one of the smallest buildings in Liverpool’s famous Albert Dock. The Hut has been transformed into a micro museum as part of NML’s Waterfront Transformation project and visitors can hear real stories from dock workers who took shelter in the hut in times past.

And while you’re there you can keep cool and grab a snack from the Museum’s Hartley Hatch – an old toilet converted into an artisanal ice cream stand!

If you’re interested in finding out more about Liverpool’s rich maritime history, the Old Dock Tour reveals secrets of the city. Don’t miss the opportunity to go back in time with the family and join a fascinating tour with engaging and knowledgeable guides who bring this incredible story of innovation and hidden history to life. Discover the origin of Liverpool’s fortune, buried underneath Liverpool ONE. Tours take place weekly and slots fill up fast, so it’s best to pre-book.

Find out more here.

Fun for adults

There are lots of fun events for adults to awaken their creative sides this summer. Across different venues you can take part in activities such as paint pouring, still life drawing, life drawing, lino cut classes and even join our experts on field research trips.

Find out more what’s on across Liverpool Museums here.

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