On William Brown Street, opposite the grand facade of St George’s Hall, World Museum Liverpool draws visitors into collections spanning archaeology, ethnology and the natural and physical sciences. Entry is free, and the museum is part of National Museums Liverpool. A six-storey atrium greets visitors at the central entrance hall, the result of a £35 million refurbishment completed in 2005 that doubled the size of the display spaces and opened up far more of the collections to the public.
From Derby Museum to World Museum
The museum’s origins lie in the natural history collection of the 13th Earl of Derby. When it opened in 1851, it occupied just two rooms on Duke Street, shared with a library. Demand quickly outgrew that space. The land on what was then called Shaw’s Brow – now William Brown Street – was donated by Sir William Brown, a local MP and wealthy merchant who also funded much of the new building. Around 400,000 people attended the opening of that purpose-built home in 1860. By the late 19th century, the collection had again outgrown its building, and a design competition for an extension was won by Edward William Mountford. The College of Technology and Museum Extension opened in 1901. The museum’s name changed to World Museum when it reopened after the 2005 refurbishment, and galleries including World Cultures, the Bug House and the Weston Discovery Centre were added at that time.
Wartime Losses
Liverpool’s importance as one of the UK’s major ports made it a target during the Second World War. German firebombs struck the museum building and caused heavy damage, though much of the collection had been moved to safer locations beforehand. Parts of the museum did not reopen until fifteen years after the war ended. Among the exhibits lost in the 1941 fires was the City of Ragusa, a 20-foot yawl that had crossed the Atlantic twice in 1870 and 1871 with a crew of just two men.
Collections and Attractions
Today the museum’s physical sciences collection, rebuilt after the 1941 devastation, draws on transfers from the Walker Art Gallery, the Prescot Museum and the Liverpool Royal Institution, among other sources. Special attractions include the Natural History Centre and a planetarium, which bring the astronomy and space holdings to life for visitors of all ages.