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Waking up to sunshine in England is an exciting thing, especially when you’ve planned to travel to it’s seventh largest city…Liverpool. Good weather is definitely a must when you are going exploring!
The train from Oxford Road station was about an hour’s journey to Liverpool Lime Street Station. Our hotel’s concierge had secured a map for us, so when we emerged from the station, we were well equipped to navigate the city’s streets.
Since this was the home of John, Paul, George and Ringo, we thought it fitting that our first order of business was to visit the award-winning Beatles Story. Located on the Liverpool Waterfront on the Albert Dock, it is a short 20 minute walk from the city center.
The last time I was in Liverpool, was before Merseytravel had taken over the Beatles Story in 2008…it was then called the Beatles Museum. Many improvements have been made including a second site at Pier Head which can be accessed with the same ticket.
Entering the museum, we were surprised to find a long queue to purchase tickets. Because every person uses an audio guide to navigate the museum, the institution must wait until audio guides are returned in order to allow others to purchase tickets and enter. Besides purchasing tickets online, another method of avoiding the wait is to visit the Pier Head site. There is hardly ever a line and your can purchase your ticket there while taking in the 4D animated movie and the Grammy Museum exhibition. Your ticket will then take you to the front of the line at the main Beatles Story location.
This fun and interactive exhibition is teeming with the Beatles history…from how the four young lads got their start to their ventures into solo careers. The museum contains detailed replicas of the Cavern Club and the stage where the band performed during their early years as well as a massive collection of unique photographs of the Beatles in Liverpool. Rare memorabilia, including John Lennon’s round glasses and George Harrison’s guitar are among the many items on display in the museum. The audio guide, narrated by John Lennon’s sister, Julia, guides you throughout the exhibition.
After our visit to both the Albert Dock and Pier Head locations, we walked along the Albert Dock, which is home to some of the city’s best bars and restaurants and two other well-known museums, the Merseyside Maritime Museum and the Tate Liverpool. The Merseyside Maritime Museum offers free exhibitions on seafaring heritage and floors of maritime history including Titanic displays, films and hands-on displays. The Tate Liverpool offers art lovers modern art in dockside warehouses.
We then made our way to inspect the Royal Liver Building, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city of Liverpool. The building is the home of the Royal Liver Assurance group, opened in 1911, and is the fourth tallest structure in the city. The building is best known for its two large fabled Liver Birds that watch over the city and the sea. Legend has it that were these two birds to fly away, then the city would cease to exist.
Making our way up James and Lord Streets, we soon found ourselves on Mathew Street which is best known as the location of the Cavern Club, where the Beatles played often early in their career. Many other attractions include a statue of John Lennon, a Beatles store and several pubs formerly frequented by The Beatles. Worth checking out is a sculpture by Arthur Dooley entitled “Four Lads Who Shook the World”. Mathew Street also was the home of Eric’s, the music club that hosted many famous punk bands in the late 70’s.
- Albert Dock Summer (21Mar-31Oct) 9:00-1900, Winter (01Nov-31Mar) 10:00-18:00
- Pier Head Summer (01Apr-31Oct) 10:00-18:00, Winter (01Nov-31Mar) 10:00-18:00
- Open every day except December 25 and 26.
- Admission: Adults (17+) £14.95, Senior citizens (60+) and students £11.50, Children (aged 5-16) £9.00, Babies (aged 0-4) free