National Museums Liverpool to celebrate huge 40 year landmark with new exhibition

Forty years since the Merseyside Museums and Galleries Order was laid before Parliament (13 February 1986), National Museums Liverpool is inviting visitors to dig, dive and delve into their vast collections, to celebrate four decades of Liverpool’s national museum network.

With seven museums and galleries in its portfolio, England’s only national museum group outside of London will for the first time display items from each venue as one exhibition. National Museums Liverpool at 40 runs from 1 April and celebrates the diverse, powerful and important collection that the organisation is responsible for.

From objects as simple as a front door, to artistic masterpieces, the free exhibition highlights the range of objects cared for by the museums and the stories that accompany them. The 40 objects in the exhibition also include some never before showcased objects from National Museums Liverpool’s collection.

Founded in 1986, the formation of National Museums Liverpool marked an historic moment in the city’s history. Seven museums and galleries now form the internationally recognised portfolio of museums based on Merseyside: Lady Lever Art Gallery, International Slavery Museum, Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Sudley House, Walker Art Gallery and World Museum.

During the 40 years since its creation, National Museums Liverpool has welcomed 80 million people through their doors.

Objects included in the exhibition include rare artefacts from the Titanic, clothing that tells a story of one of Liverpool’s many cultural landmarks, masterpieces by world-famous artists and seemingly innocuous objects that have a significant story to tell from Liverpool’s past.

Alongside items selected by museum curators, some of the objects in the exhibition are chosen by those who work in the organisation, including Museums director Laura Pye and the new chair of National Museums Liverpool Andrea Nixon. Colleagues who have worked at the museums and galleries for 40 years or more were also given the opportunity to choose an object to go on display.

While celebrating their internationally renowned collection, the museums will also explore the history of items as part of a wider, ongoing commitment to uncover colonial links, to provide context on how items came to exist in the organisation’s collection.

Joe Brook, head of audiences and media at National Museums Liverpool, said:

“Marking 40 years of National Museums Liverpool provides us with an opportunity to look back on highlights of the past four decades, and celebrate our city’s huge impact on UK and international culture.

“It is also an opportunity to look forward to the future. To think about the purpose and role of museums and galleries in not just telling stories of the past but shaping how we continue to change lives in the future.”

To ensure as many young people are able to visit the exhibition, National Museums Liverpool has partnered with Arriva, Merseyrail and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to provide more opportunities for young people and students to engage with the museums and galleries in 2026.

Alongside the free exhibition, free learning sessions will be available from September to schools and other organisations, with more information on how to book available once the exhibition opens.

National Museums Liverpool at 40 is part of a busy programme across the year that celebrates the importance of the organisation’s collection for the city and the huge impact the museums and galleries can have on the city, the wider region, and the world.

Find out more about National Museums Liverpool here.

The World Museum’s iconic dinosaur gallery is also reopening with a fresh new look. Find out more here.

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