Plans to redevelop two major Liverpool museums have received £19 million in funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, supporting work at the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum.
The investment forms part of the Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund by DCMS and will contribute to National Museums Liverpool’s wider Waterfront Transformation Project. The programme is focused on the area between Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island, with the two museum projects expected to play a central role in reshaping the visitor, learning and cultural offer along the city’s historic waterfront.
For museum operators, exhibition designers and cultural infrastructure specialists, the funding reflects the growing importance of public investment in civic cultural assets. It also demonstrates how museum redevelopment can connect building renewal, interpretation, education and destination development within one strategic programme.
New Access And Learning Spaces
The International Slavery Museum is set to receive a new entrance designed to reflect its status as the only national museum dedicated to transatlantic slavery and its legacies. This access improvement is expected to give the institution a stronger civic presence while supporting a clearer visitor arrival experience.
A major component of the redevelopment will be the creation of the National Centre for Teaching Black History. A redesigned floor within the Dr Martin Luther King Jr building will be allocated to the centre’s learning outcomes, strengthening the museum’s role as a national resource for education, research and public understanding.
Plans also include a contemporary bridge linking the Dr Martin Luther King Jr building with the Hartley Pavilion. The bridge is intended to improve circulation while opening up views across the docks, connecting architectural design with the wider waterfront setting.
Maritime Museum Regeneration
The Maritime Museum will also benefit from significant renewal. The plans include a new entrance, new galleries and improvements to existing interpretive areas. The redevelopment will allow the museum to present a more coherent account of Liverpool’s maritime history and its global connections.
New galleries will explore themes including conflict, migration and international exchange. The existing Titanic and Liverpool gallery is also due to be refreshed, offering an opportunity to revisit one of the city’s most recognised maritime narratives within a broader historical context.
For exhibition teams, the project points to the value of rethinking long-standing museum displays through current audience needs and more connected storytelling. By addressing both spatial design and interpretive content, the redevelopment aims to create a clearer, more inclusive visitor journey across both museums.
Design Teams And Sector Impact
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios will oversee the building designs, and Ralph Applebaum Associates will lead the exhibition design. The appointment of specialist teams underlines the complexity of the programme, which will need to balance heritage buildings, sensitive subject matter, public access, education and destination strategy.
National Museums Liverpool has described the project as an important moment for the city’s waterfront and regional visitor economy. The organisation has also placed strong emphasis on community engagement, with stakeholder input shaping the direction of both museum redevelopments.
The investment sits within a wider DCMS infrastructure programme, which is due to deliver £600 million by 2030 following a £480 million increase earlier this year. For the UK cultural sector, the Liverpool funding demonstrates how capital investment can support museum resilience, improve public infrastructure and provide new platforms for historically underrepresented narratives.
Once complete, the redeveloped museums are expected to strengthen Liverpool’s position as a major cultural destination while expanding the role of museums as centres for education, public dialogue and place-based interpretation.
