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Liverpool, is a port town perfectly situated at the mouth of the Mersey River as it flows into the Irish Sea. Historically, since most jobs centered around the shipping and the sea (there's even a part of town called the Rope Streets where the streets were designed for ropes to be laid out while being braided) It really has the feel of a blue collar town, which all locals seem to identify and have a great pride of their roots. They like to call themselves "Scousers", scouse is a contraction of "lobscouse", which was a type of stew (Norwegian in origin), once popular among sailors, and is still eaten in Liverpool today.
It was the site of mass Irish immigration in the 1800's due to it's proximity to Ireland and job opportunities, and still has the largest Irish descended population in England. Antwerp, Belgium had the Red Star Line, Liverpool had the White Star Line, both were major carriers of emigrants primarily to The Americas. To it's credit, the White Star line, was the first to have more humane accommodations for third class passengers. Due to it's significant strategic port and shipping business Liverpool was heavily bombed in WWII which affected almost every family, and shaped the collective psyche. The Titanic and Lusitania were built here, so those disasters also were personally felt by many neighborhoods in Liverpool.
We learned all of this from visiting a bunch of rather unique (and free) museums, each effectively portraying Liverpool's significant role in major world events over the past 200 years.
Everywhere we went there was this balance of pride in showcasing the city's achievements (shipping, music, early abolitionists, first schools for blind/deaf) while honestly acknowledging shame in their participation supporting the slave trade, racism and abject poverty. We left almost every museum with pretty strong emotions; often sadness although usually tempered with an appreciation of Liverpool.
The museums could be divided into ones that were in those stately, beautiful old buildings that are beautiful even without anything in them (The Walker Gallery, Victoria Gallery) and the museums housed in more modern buildings that are only there for their contents (Tate). Liverpool had a lot of both, interesting for a town we did not really associate with fine museums. Diverse buildings and pretty diverse exhibits but all were related to Liverpool
The Victoria Gallery, on the campus of the University, is one of those beautiful buildings museums. But what was unique is that you entered through a lovely food hall (campus meal hall?) and smelled peas and roast beef the whole time. Mix of art (old and modern), biology (history of dentures), social commentary (history of the Rathbone family-abolitionists and progressive MP, great video on Russian treatment of ethnic groups) and botany models. They also had an exhibit on Audubon who had a short stay in Liverpool (supported by the Rathbones) which dove-tailed with The Central Library permanent display of one of the few remaining original copies of Birds of North America . This was not the only inter-museum collaboration, almost every museum seemed to have something on display from the World Museum. The stand-out at the World Museum was the extensive ancient Egypt exhibit as the pyramids at Thebes were excavated by Liverpudlians 1902-4. Maritime (all about the Titanic and Lusitania) and Slavery museums shared a building at the historic Albert Docks. The Slavery museum seemed a bit different then most as it not only presented the history but also the continued influence on modern life such as products and street names associated with slavery and the roots of racism as related to slavery. Slavery rebellions were highlighted- primarily in that they happened and never publicized.
Hit the "Liverpool Biennial" at the Tate (could of skipped) although there were these cool "constellations" linking artists which reminded us of the character charts our kids used to make in middle school- both effective.
Then moved on to the Liverpool Museum.
It was the site of mass Irish immigration in the 1800's due to it's proximity to Ireland and job opportunities, and still has the largest Irish descended population in England. Antwerp, Belgium had the Red Star Line, Liverpool had the White Star Line, both were major carriers of emigrants primarily to The Americas. To it's credit, the White Star line, was the first to have more humane accommodations for third class passengers. Due to it's significant strategic port and shipping business Liverpool was heavily bombed in WWII which affected almost every family, and shaped the collective psyche. The Titanic and Lusitania were built here, so those disasters also were personally felt by many neighborhoods in Liverpool.
We learned all of this from visiting a bunch of rather unique (and free) museums, each effectively portraying Liverpool's significant role in major world events over the past 200 years.
Everywhere we went there was this balance of pride in showcasing the city's achievements (shipping, music, early abolitionists, first schools for blind/deaf) while honestly acknowledging shame in their participation supporting the slave trade, racism and abject poverty. We left almost every museum with pretty strong emotions; often sadness although usually tempered with an appreciation of Liverpool.
The museums could be divided into ones that were in those stately, beautiful old buildings that are beautiful even without anything in them (The Walker Gallery, Victoria Gallery) and the museums housed in more modern buildings that are only there for their contents (Tate). Liverpool had a lot of both, interesting for a town we did not really associate with fine museums. Diverse buildings and pretty diverse exhibits but all were related to Liverpool
The Victoria Gallery, on the campus of the University, is one of those beautiful buildings museums. But what was unique is that you entered through a lovely food hall (campus meal hall?) and smelled peas and roast beef the whole time. Mix of art (old and modern), biology (history of dentures), social commentary (history of the Rathbone family-abolitionists and progressive MP, great video on Russian treatment of ethnic groups) and botany models. They also had an exhibit on Audubon who had a short stay in Liverpool (supported by the Rathbones) which dove-tailed with The Central Library permanent display of one of the few remaining original copies of Birds of North America . This was not the only inter-museum collaboration, almost every museum seemed to have something on display from the World Museum. The stand-out at the World Museum was the extensive ancient Egypt exhibit as the pyramids at Thebes were excavated by Liverpudlians 1902-4. Maritime (all about the Titanic and Lusitania) and Slavery museums shared a building at the historic Albert Docks. The Slavery museum seemed a bit different then most as it not only presented the history but also the continued influence on modern life such as products and street names associated with slavery and the roots of racism as related to slavery. Slavery rebellions were highlighted- primarily in that they happened and never publicized.
Hit the "Liverpool Biennial" at the Tate (could of skipped) although there were these cool "constellations" linking artists which reminded us of the character charts our kids used to make in middle school- both effective.
This museum and the MAS Museum in Antwerp were by far the best the "city" museums, although this one was by way simpler and more low tech then the MAS. This is the museum that really showed Liverpool warts and all while managing to display a degree of pride. While we skipped 99% of the Beatles heritage spots, we did go to the Yoko Ono and John Lennon exhibit at the Liverpool Museum, it was surprisingly touching- both how far ahead of the times they were and what a tragic loss.
All these back stories of Liverpool we learned, further enhanced our interpretation of what we saw on our first day in Liverpool. Not knowing the route details, we decided to walk toward our goal to the sea along the River Mersey. Unexpectedly, the walk, rather than being scenic, covered the entire industrial zone of Liverpool past metal recycling, water/sewage treatment center, abandoned port buildings, active loud port sites and weirdly a Costco (damn, forgot to bring the card). 
Now we know why Google maps did not present this as a walking option.
This week's photo of topless old man looking out window contemplating his life: A day at the beach...with friends.
This is why we walked to Crosby Beach. A hundred sculptures of the artist are widely spread across the beach, some as far as 100 yards into the sea, are collectively and aptly called "Another Place" by Antony Gormley, they were originally exhibited in German in 1997, then Norway and Belgium, before finding a permanent home here in 2007. With Liverpool's history of Immigration and Emigration; as the home of the Titanic and Lusitania; with its losses with the "Great War" and WWII, these hauntingly beautiful statues staring out to sea, seemingly reflecting on life, welcoming or saying goodbye to family, friends and dreams or waiting for those who will never come home, completely captures Liverpool's enduring history of hardships and longing for the better, making it the perfect location for this art. http://www.biennial.com/collaborations/another-place
Beautiful! Thank you for all you shared here. Such great experiences!
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