National Museums Liverpool, known before 2003 as the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, several museums and art galleries in Liverpool.
Merseyside maritime museum tells the story of one of the remarkable port in the world and those who have embarked in this place. This museum currently open to the public has four floors; the fourth is reserved for special exhibitions, the space of treatre and conferences. On the ground floor we find a new gallery, opened on 15th March 2008, which highlights the ships and shipping companies that shaped Liverpool’s story as one of the world’s greatest seaports.
On the first floor is composed by three galleries. The first gallery of this floor tells the story of three of the most famous and most tragic ship in history. Their names were Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland. Each of them was a proud of Edwardian Britain and had strong links with Liverpool and its people.
Titanic: Transatlantic liner Britannia of White Star Line bought in 1907. Although it never visited Liverpool Titanic has strong links with it home port. It was registered in Liverpool, and so carried the city’s name on it stern. It was because the white star line had its head office in James Street in Liverpool. In this museum we find a selection of articles linked to Titanic including the model of the ship, the survivor life jackets and various objects that were in the vessel. The vessel disaster happened in April 1912 during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. There is the balance of this disaster: 1500 persons lost their lives and all 705 survivors were rescued by the Liverpool-based Cunard liner Carpathia. One display of museum says that captain SMITH of Titanic was based on the Merseyside for 40 years; he lived in Waterloo, near to Liverpool, before moving to Southampton in 1908.
Empress of Ireland: Two years after the Titanic disaster, Liverpool suffered another major shipping tragedy. This was the sinking of the Empress of Ireland in May 1914. This Canadian vessel bought in 1906, left Quebec to Liverpool. This vessel provided a weekly service from Liverpool; therefore there are in this museum paintings that tell the history between Liverpool and this vessel.
Lusitania: Transatlantic liner Britannia as Titanic, this vessel left Liverpool the 2nd September 1907 to New York for its maiden voyage. One year after the Empress of Ireland disaster came the sinking of Liverpool’s favourite liner: Lusitania. Lusitania and her partner Mauretania worked together to provide a weekly service from Liverpool to New York. We also find many paintings in the museum which tell the history of this disaster just another gallery we can visit on this floor is a boat collection’s gallery; it contains more than 70 full size vessels. This collection contains a number of types of ship including working vessels from Liverpool docks, working boats from around the world. On this floor, there are some objects that tell the story of the Atlantic battle during the World War II. It is one of important galleries of this floor because it informs on the role played by Liverpool during this battle. In the same gallery, there are also some tables which describe life at sea and maritime traditions of Liverpool. It shows the role of merchant seafarers over the last three centuries. On the same floor we can visit the maritime archives and the library. The archives of Merseyside Maritime Museum are one of the finest collections of merchant shipping in the UK.
They include extensive records of the port of Liverpool, some personal and family papers of the seafarers and ship registers. It covers each aspect of the maritime history of Liverpool from the early 18th century.
Liverpool adventure 