Educational Tours - History & Leisure Tour - Liverpool

With such a variety of locations and places of interest available in Liverpool, it is our intention to lead you on a journey that reveals the culture and history that has had a massive influence in the development of Britain, its industry and trade that in turn is reflected in the further development of countries around the world.

An Educational Trip to Liverpool - General Information

A visit to Liverpool offers opportunities for students of History, Music, Architecture, Art, Sports, Technology, Engineering and Culture.

Liverpool has a fascinating social history from the earliest days of a fishing village, through the days of the Slave Trade as the port developed as an idustrial city, up to the prominence of the 60's Music scene - not to mention the Beatles. Liverpool is now re-inventing itself as a City of Culture and a university hot-spot.

Liverpool boasts two cathedrals with the Anglican Cathedral being the largest in Europe. The Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Building grace Liverpool's famous Pier Head.

The World Museum in Liverpool and the Walker Art Gallery offer a wealth of inspirational and informative displays. Liverpool is also host to the World Slavery Exhibition that houses a permanent display of artefacts and records the history of this terrible trade.

To fire up your imagination, here are a few ideas of what is available in Liverpool...

Liverpool Albert Dock

Rich heritage meets modern attractions at the waterfront's Albert Dock, boasting magnificent architecture and the largest group of grade 1 listed buildings in the UK, whilst providing fun for the whole family and lively entertainment venues. Home of Tate Liverpool, Maritime Museum, International Slavery museum and the Beatles Story as well as an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants; making it a place where today meets yesterday and day meets night.

Albert Dock has been part of Liverpool's landscape for over 160 years and remains a key feature of Liverpool's world-renowned Waterfront. Transformed in the early 1980s, we have developed into the most popular free tourist attraction in the North West with our museums, boats and tours providing an action-packed experience.

http://www.liverpoolwaterfront.org/albert-dock.aspx

World Museum

The museum's planetarium, said to be the first in the UK outside London, opened in to the public on 22 May 1970.

The museum was one of a group of museums and galleries that were 'nationalised' on 1 April 1986 under the new organisation, National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, now called National Museums Liverpool.

The museum's ground-breaking Natural History Centre opened on 1 August 1987. It was the first hands-on centre in a museum and has been imitated across the globe.

The museum was renamed World Museum on 29 April 2005 when a new aquarium, refurbished galleries and a new entrance were opened.

Today the museum is famous for its great collections, its history of innovation and the family-friendly experience that it offers. In 2010 visits to the museum totalled 748,065 making it one of the most popular and respected museums in the UK.

Walker Art Gallery

One of the finest art galleries in Europe, the Walker Art Gallery is home to renaissance masterpieces, Tudor portraits and one of the best collections of Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite art in the country.

For 130 years it has housed Liverpool’s most outstanding art collection. Many of the gallery’s most important works have been on display in the city for nearly 200 years.

The gallery also has an outstanding display of contemporary art including work by David Hockney, Lucian Freud and Bridget Riley.

Football Grounds

Liverpool

A visit to Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club is a memorable experience for all. If you're visiting as part of a group, we offer competitive rates plus the services of a dedicated Groups Manager to help organise your visit.Stadium TourOur award winning Stadium Tour offers your groups the chance to see behind the scenes at one of world's greatest football clubs. The tour is approximately one hour and includes entry into The Liverpool FC Story, our interactive museum.

The Liverpool FC Story - No visit to Anfield Stadium is complete without a visit to The Liverpool FC Story, the Club's interactive museum. Here, you'll discover over 120 years of LFC history and explore football, past and present, with the help of state of the art technology and never seen before displays.To enhance your experience every member of the group is provided with a multimedia handset with personalised 40 minute commentary by LFC Legend, Phil Thompson.

Everton

As the first purpose built stadium in England, Goodison Park can offer 122 years of rich history, befitting its affectionately known nickname ‘The Grand Old Lady.'

The stadium tour takes you behind the scenes of a top Premier League club, providing you with an insight into the traditions and ways of Everton Football Club. The itinerary includes:

~ A visit to the inner sanctum of the Players' Lounge
~ An opportunity to view the stadium from the Directors' Box
~ A unique behind the scenes view of the first team dressing room
~ Recreate the entrance of the players from the tunnel to the famous Z Cars theme tune and out onto the historic hallowed turf.

International Slavery Museum

The new museum opened on 23 August 2007. Not only was this the date of the annual Slavery Remembrance Day, but the year 2007 was particularly significant as it was the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade.

The International Slavery Museum highlights the international importance of slavery, both in a historic and contemporary context. Working in partnership with other museums with a focus on freedom and enslavement, the museum provides opportunities for greater awareness and understanding of the legacy of slavery today.

It is located in Liverpool's Albert Dock, at the centre of a World Heritage site and only yards away from the dry docks where 18th century slave trading ships were repaired and fitted out.

Liverpool's First Dock

Merseyside Maritime Museum offers tours of Liverpool’s revolutionary old dock.

Discovered during excavations in 2001, after having been buried since 1826, the Old Dock is the world’s first commercial enclosed dock.

The tour gives us an insight into this unique location, which includes a bricked-up ancient tunnel in the dock wall. The tunnel is believed to be hundreds of years older than the dock.

The Beatles Tour

A ‘fun and fascinating’ tour of Beatles Liverpool, the tour takes you to key locations in the Fab­ Four’s upbringing, formation and rise to world wide super­stardom.

The tour shows us Beatles' childhood homes, schools, colleges and the places that inspired now legendary songs: Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields, accompanied by professional Beatles guides and the music of Liverpool’s best­-loved group.

Liverpool Cathedrals

“If you want a Cathedral, we’ve got one to spare…” so goes the old Liverpool folk song. Located either end of the aptly-named Hope Street, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (Catholic) are vastly different in architecture but both majestic and beautiful. Halfway along Hope Street, outside Hope Street Hotel, two bronze statues represent the life and work of Bishop David Sheppard and Archbishop Derek Worlock. The two religious leaders, working together and with others, were a uniting force in the city during the less prosperous years of the 1970s and 1980s.

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral is Britain’s biggest Cathedral, and took 74 years to build from the foundation stone being laid in 1904. Sir John Betjeman called it ‘one of the great buildings of the world.’ The Cathedral has a full programme of events and hosts many conferences, large-scale gala dinners and functions. The Tower is open every day and boasts spectacular views across the city.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King was originally conceived as a huge structure in a similar style to the neo-gothic Anglican Cathedral. Of that design, only the Lutyens Crypt was built and due to the pressures of war and rising costs, the design was abandoned. The current modern, circular Cathedral opened in 1967, and features modern works of art and glorious multi-coloured windows. The majestic barrel vaults of fine brickwork and granite pillars of the original Lutyens Crypt can still be seen.

Speke Hall

Speke Hall is a rare Tudor timber-framed manor house in a most unusual setting on the banks of the River Mersey. Restored and brought back to life in the 19th century, it is a unique and beautiful mixture of Tudor simplicity and Victorian Arts and Crafts' aesthetics.

Built by the devout Catholic Norris family - keen to impress visitors with the grandeur of their home and in particular the magnificent Great Hall - this beautiful building has witnessed more than 400 years of turbulent history. From the Tudor period when a secret priest hole was an essential feature, to years of neglect and decay in the 18th and 19th centuries (including a spell when it was used as a cow shed) and then being dragged into the Victorian era of improvement and technology, the Hall has seen it all.

In the 21st century, Speke Hall and its surrounding estate now provide a real oasis from the hurly burly of modern life. As you come through the gates, relax, take a breath and enjoy all that this wonderful place has to offer. The Hall is surrounded by beautiful restored gardens and protected by a collar of woodland.

Liverpool Maritime Museum

Merseyside Maritime Museum is in the Albert Dock, Liverpool. It contains a variety of objects associated with the social and commercial history of the port of Liverpool. Highlights include ship models, maritime paintings, colourful posters from the golden age of liners and even some full sized vessels. There is also the major current exhibition Titanic and Liverpool: the untold story, which tells the story of Liverpool's links to the ill-fated liner. The Museum also houses the International Slavery Museum (on the third floor) as well as the Border Force's national museum: Seized! The Border and Customs uncovered (in the basement).

Museum of Liverpool

The Museum of Liverpool reflects the city's global significance through its unique geography, history and culture. Visitors can explore how the port, its people, their creative and sporting history have shaped the city.

The museum opened on 19 July 2011 in a purpose-built landmark building on Liverpool's famous waterfront. Since then it has won a number of awards, most recently the Council of Europe Museum Prize for 2013.

Mersey Tunnel Tour

The Liverpool Queensway Mersey tunnel tour offers the opportunity to explore beneath the city and witness a masterpiece of engineering first hand.

Liverpool Universities

For Sixth Form students who are thinking of university, Liverpool has four universities that offer a wealth of courses in an incredible range of subjects. We would be pleased to liaise with the universities in Liverpool to arrange visits for students thinking of studying in Liverpool.

Liverpool has always been a vibrant city and a centre of cultural wealth and diversity. In 2004 the city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its impressive waterfront which, according to UNESCO, represents a 'supreme example of a commercial port at the time of Britain's greatest global significance.' It became the first English city to be designated European Capital of Culture in 2008 and this has had a huge impact on the city which is currently enjoying a period of investment and development with the help of funding from central Government and the EU. The Liverpool ONE development is evidence of great progress. Liverpool is a friendly and economical base for students, with excellent opportunities for part-time work and one of the lowest costs of living in the UK. Students tend to live and socialise around the central Smithdown Road area because of the cheap rents, but the Kensington area is also popular.

Liverpool Culture & Street Art

Take a walking tour around Liverpool’s street art, hidden attractions and alternative sights. The ideal tour to seek out some hidden spots and abandoned corners of the city, this tour will show you how easy it is to overlook the colourful parts of Liverpool.

The experience includes: ~ Expert guided tour around Liverpool’s Ropewalks area
~ Multimedia Show & Tell
~ Secret Stories
~ City Guide
~ ‘Learn Yerself Scouse’ Guide

You will see and learn about: ~ Local and International street art
~ Liverpool’s alternative shopping areas
~ Groundbreaking art installations
~ Local culture and community
~ Liverpool’s amazing history
~ Forgotten buildings and streets