Wirral Museums & Art Galleries
Birkenhead
Priory & St Mary's Tower, Priory Street, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 5JH.
Telephone 0151 666 1249. This Benedictine Monastery established in around 1150,
is the oldest standing building on Merseyside. First restored over a century ago
the site continues to develop with museums displays, education/meeting/concert
space and chapel dedicated to HMS Conway (open by appointment). Climb the tower
of Birkenhead’s first parish church, now also a memorial to those who lost their
lives aboard the submarine Thetis, and experience the magnificent views up, down
and across the Mersey to Liverpool.
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Birkenhead
Tramway & Wirral Transport Museum, 1 Taylor Street, Birkenhead, Wirral
CH41 1BG. Telephone 0151 647 2128. Birkenhead is the historic home of the first
street tramway in Europe. Take a guided tour of the Heritage Centre housing a
collection of restored and part-restored local buses and trams, and vehicles
working for Wirral Museums.
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Egerton
Bridge, Off Canning Street, Birkenhead, Wirral. Telephone 0151 666
4000. Viewing by appointment only. A fine working example of a Birkenhead
Bascule (see-saw) bridge. Climb the iron stairway for a bird’s eye view over the
Dockland.
Fort Perch Rock,
is a Napoleonic Fortification on the bank of the River Mersey. It houses a Second World War Aviation Archaeology Museum,
Luftwaffe over Merseyside and Blitz Exhibition, plus various other exhibitions including the only 'Elvis Meets the Beatles' and
Merseybeat Exhibition. Tea Room available plus Licensed Bar (selected times only). Open every weekend from 12.00pm, School Holidays &
Bank Holidays. Dogs welcome. Charges. Telephone 0786 636 4409 for more
information.
Lady
Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight Village. Telephone 0151 478 4136.
Admission Free. famous for its collections of 18th and 19th century paintings,
18th century furniture and outstanding Wedgwood. Visitors can also enjoy
beautiful Chinese porcelain, tapestries and embroideries, classical antiquities
and Pre-Raphaelites, paintings by Turner and Constable More
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Shore
Road Pumping Station, Woodside, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 6DN. Telephone
0151 650 1182. Admission Free. The home of the ‘Giant Grasshopper’ engine, a
working example of the giant steam pumps built in the 1870’s and used to clear
water from the Mersey Railway Tunnel. A video presentation tells the story of
the construction of the Mersey Railway Tunnel, the Pump and the building itself,
and ends with a view of the ‘Giant’ in action. A period 1901 Birkenhead Street
scene completes the visit.
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Wirral
Museum, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 5BR. Telephone 0151
666 4010. Admission Free. Among the artefacts on display is a remarkable model
of the Woodside area as it was on the day in July 1934 that King George V opened
the Queensway Road Tunnel. Additional exhibits include the Wirral Silver and
Mayoral collections, and a collection of Della Robbia pottery, for which the
town of Birkenhead is famous. Also houses an archive study centre where
historical documents relating to the Wirral area are collected and preserved.
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Williamson
Art Gallery & Museum, Slatey Road, Birkenhead, Wirral CH43 4UE.
Telephone 0151 652 4177. Admission Free. This purpose built Art Gallery was
opened in December 1928 and housed the vast majority of Birkenhead's collection
of artistic masterpieces in a series of varied and well proportioned galleries.
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