The excellent Merseyside Maritime Museum is located, appropriately enough, in the renovated Albert Dock.

Liverpool has a long and varied maritime history, dating right back to the origins of the city as a small 12th century fishing village. This museum traces its maritime past right up to the present day.

It is divided up into several different galleries, covering topics ranging from Emigration, the Second World War and Ship Building.

Particularly interesting is the exhibition “Transatlantic Slavery”, which tells the compelling tale of Liverpool’s less than savoury association with the slave trade.

Also part of the Merseyside Maritime Museum is the excellent Customs and Excise Museum which tells the story of smuggling on the Mersey and the complicated processes of revenue collection.

The Merseyside Maritime Museum is open daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm. Admission costs around �0 for adults, which also covers admission to the Museum of Liverpool Life opposite.