Museums & heritage in Liverpool

Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre

Northwich

Free to visit engineering landmark with a boat trip, a play area and a maze made from the lift's old counterweights.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféDog friendly+2 more

Astley Hall

Chorley

Free entry to a 400 year old hall with a play area, a walled garden and a café for cake afterwards.

CaféGift shopFood on siteOutdoor play+2 more

Bridgewater Cruises

Manchester

A slow boat along the Bridgewater Canal with seasonal cruises built around Santa or Easter crafts.

Birthday partiesCard onlyGroup bookingsFood on site

Casbah Coffee Club Historic Site

Liverpool · ages 0-16

Walk into the actual basement club where the Beatles played their first gigs, on a pre-booked tour that traces the birth of Merseybeat.

Booking required

Castell Rhuddlan

Rhyl · ages 5+

A ruined stronghold by the River Clwyd with a moat to explore and twin-towered gatehouses to climb around.

Accessible toiletBike parkingDog friendlyEV charging+1 more

Castle Park Arts Centre

Frodsham

Free galleries, changing exhibitions and a courtyard with live music most mornings, tucked into Frodsham's Castle Park.

CaféDog friendlyParkingStep-free access+2 more

City Explorer Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 5-16

Hop on and off an open-top bus at 11 landmarks round Liverpool, with a live guide and a 24-hour ticket.

Toilets

Denbigh Castle

Denbigh · ages 5+

Climb the wall walk and poke round the exhibition inside a proper ruined castle, best tackled by kids who can manage steps and gravel.

Baby changeBike parkingDog friendlyEV charging+6 more

FACT Liverpool

Liverpool

Free galleries with art installations, an arthouse cinema, and a monthly relaxed screening built for families who need the lights left up.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parkingCafé+6 more

Fort Perch Rock

Wirral

A sandstone sea fort where you walk the 15ft-thick walls on a guided tour, or lock yourselves in a WWII escape room with actors playing along.

Booking requiredCafé

Gwrych Castle

Abergele

A real gothic ruin to explore on a self-guided trail, hunting down ten photo spots with a QR code as your guide.

CaféDog friendlyParkingToilets

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

Lane

A genuine Cold War nuclear bunker 40ft underground, packed with authentic equipment and a spy mouse trail for the kids to follow.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsSchool visits

Kirkby Gallery

Kirkby

Contemporary art exhibitions and children's art classes in a free-to-browse gallery, with weekend hours squeezed into a Saturday morning.

Accessible toiletWheelchair accessible

Kittywake Canal Cruises - Wigan

Wigan

A canal cruise with a proper meal on board, from pizza to a full roast, and a lock or two along the way.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsFood on site+2 more

Lancashire Canal Cruises

Ormskirk

Kids get to steer the boat, wear the captain's hat and work the swing bridges on a canal holiday you book as a family group.

Allergy awareBooking requiredDog friendlyFree parking+5 more

Lancashire Mining Museum CIO

Manchester

Wander round a real colliery site with a 98ft headgear to gawp at, colliery cottages and a miner's canteen to poke round, all free to get in.

Café

Leighton Observatory (Liverpool Astronomical Society)

Widnes

Free public stargazing every Wednesday at 7pm, with members on hand to point telescopes at whatever's overhead.

Liverpool Beatles Museum

Liverpool · ages 5+

A three floor trawl through Beatles history, from Liverpool clubs to Hamburg and the studio years, with over 1000 original items.

Liverpool Boat Charter

Liverpool

A cruise along the Mersey past the Liver Buildings, Albert Dock and Gormley's statues, with a stop at New Brighton for refreshments.

Food on siteToilets

Liverpool Cathedral

Liverpool

Free to wander the cathedral itself, with a paid Tower climb for city views and a hunt for hidden treasures along the way.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeCafé+10 more

Liverpool City Sights Tour Bus

Liverpool

Hop on an open-top bus for a live-guided loop past the big sights, or take the longer Beatles run out to Penny Lane and Strawberry Field.

Toilets

Mount Sion Steam Crane

Manchester

Free crafts and guided nature or wildlife walks around a historic steam crane site on a Canal Fun Day.

Nantclwyd y Dre Historic House and Gardens

Ruthin · ages 5-16

A house that grew room by room over 500 years, with a bat camera, medicine making and a piano you're allowed to play.

Accessible toiletGroup bookingsSchool visitsStep-free access+1 more

Norton Priory Museum & Gardens

Runcorn · ages 0-16

A medieval priory museum with woodland walks, a Georgian walled garden and a St Christopher statue that starred in a children's novel.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+7 more

Open Eye Gallery

Liverpool

Free photography exhibitions in a small gallery by the waterfront, with a quiet hour on Sunday mornings.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingEV chargingGift shop+4 more

Pigeon Tower

Bolton

Free grounds to wander around a Victorian tower, an Italian-style lake and gardens on the edge of Lever Park.

CaféDog friendlyFree parkingGift shop+2 more

Quirky Quarter

Liverpool

A one-level trail of illusion rooms and interactive puzzles that plays tricks on your eyes and your camera roll.

Accessible toiletChanging PlacesGroup bookingsParty rooms+2 more

Recycling Discovery Centre

Liverpool · ages 0+

A free guided tour showing where your rubbish actually goes, and how to sort it properly.

Booking requiredFree parkingToiletsWheelchair accessible

Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group

Liverpool · ages 10+

A hangar-and-terminal visit to see heritage aircraft up close and have a go on a flight simulator, best from age 10 up.

Booking requiredFree parking

Splash Tours Liverpool

Liverpool

An amphibious vehicle tour round Liverpool's streets that then drives straight into the Royal Albert Dock for a splashdown.

Birthday partiesBlue badge parkingPram storagePublic transport nearby+1 more

St Luke’s Bombed Out Church

Liverpool

A roofless, bombed-out church turned open-air garden and café, with a calendar that shifts around events and weddings.

CaféDog friendlyFood on siteToilets

Strawberry Field

Liverpool

Wander the gardens that inspired the Beatles song and play a virtual Mellotron in an exhibition packed with memorabilia.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Tate Liverpool

Liverpool

Free wide-angle art exhibitions and a family art trail round Albert Dock, currently based at RIBA North while the main building's redone.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+2 more

The Beatles Story Museum, Liverpool

Liverpool

A walk-through exhibition tracing the band's story, with a recreated Cavern Club and a Discovery Zone at the end.

Baby changeBooking requiredCaféCard only+2 more

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum

Leyland

Climb into real lorry cabs and grip the wheel of vehicles that used to rule the roads, all under one roof near the M6.

CaféFree parkingGift shopToilets+1 more

The Fab4 Store - Beatles Souvenir Gift Shop

Liverpool

A Beatles gift shop packed with official merchandise, from badges and mugs to soft toys and exclusive souvenirs, and it costs nothing to browse.

The Tung Auditorium

Liverpool · ages 5+

A proper concert hall in Liverpool for live music and spoken word, from classical to electronica, with tickets from £15.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféChanging Places+3 more

Unicorn Gallery

Widnes

A quiet spot to browse paintings and fine art from a mix of artists, open Tuesday to Saturday.

Step-free accessWheelchair accessible

Warrington Museum & Art Gallery

Warrington

Free permanent displays and changing exhibitions, plus Saturday craft drop-ins, all with no entry charge.

Gift shopParkingPicnics allowedWheelchair accessible

Western Approaches

Liverpool

Wander a real WWII bunker beneath the city streets, from the wartime shop fronts to the Operations Room where the maps still sit.

Baby changeCard onlyGift shopGroup bookings+2 more

Wheel of Liverpool

Liverpool · ages 0+

A slow 60-metre spin over the Albert Dock in a glass capsule, done and dusted in under 40 minutes.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingPublic transport nearbyWheelchair accessible

Williamson Art Gallery & Museum

Birkenhead

Free wander round art and museum collections in Birkenhead, with a café and a car park that won't cost you a penny.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféChanging Places+4 more

World of Glass

Saint Helens

Free walk through a Victorian glass street, hands-on light and lens exhibits, and live glass blowing you can watch for a few pounds extra.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsParking+1 more