International Slavery Museum

26/05/2026

Shout out to our multi-generation Liverpool delegation who visited Birmingham yesterday for African Liberation Day, an internationally recognised day of reflection, solidarity and action, rooted in the struggles for African freedom, self-determination and unity 🌍✨✊🏾

This year’s event, hosted by the Pan African Congress Movement, brought together activists, academics, artists, community organisers and families for a day of discussion, performance, learning and celebration under the theme “Africa’s Time Is Now: The Roadmap to Unity.”

Our group comprised museum colleagues, community leaders and representatives from local organisations. The visit supported our ongoing commitment to co-production, community engagement and connecting histories of transatlantic slavery with contemporary movements for liberation, identity and cultural resilience. 🙌🏾

20/05/2026

📰Funding news ✨

Our vision for the future of International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum has received the substantial backing of £19 million from the Department of Culture Media and Sport’s Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund 🎉

🎙️Laura Pye, Director, National Museums Liverpool said: “The transformation of International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum is a landmark project for Liverpool’s historic waterfront, promising to bring a significant boost to the region’s visitor economy.

"With the vision for both museums driven by community stakeholders and engagement, it also represents a powerful moment for unheard and under-represented stories to have a platform like never before.

“We’re hugely grateful to the UK Government for this investment and the confidence it shows in the vision for the museums, and teams making it a reality. This support is ensuring we continue to serve the needs of our communities and audiences, now and for generations to come.”

🎙️Museums Minister, Baroness Twycross, said: “This £19 million investment for crucial infrastructure work will support Liverpool’s Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum in a striking redevelopment of both buildings. Once complete, the transformation will embody the museums’ commitment to creative storytelling, education and the representation of Liverpool’s history on the local, national and global stage.

“Liverpool’s historic waterfront is such an iconic part of our national heritage, and I look forward to this investment bolstering these museums’ position at the forefront of historic engagement and education.”

📸 Stratus Imagery, Pete Carr, Mina Bihi

19/05/2026

"..as long as you're raising questions you survive.." 💛✊🏽

Ahead of the opening of 'Listening All Night To The Rain' at Walker Art Gallery last week, it was a great privilege to host an insightful and moving conversation between the artist, Sir John Akomfrah, and art historian, Christine Eyene.

Exploring John's own practice, his connection to Liverpool and the role of contemporary art in shaping how we understand the world around us, guests enjoyed a very special afternoon of dialogue, exchange and personal connection.

〰️Catch John Akomfrah: Listening All Night To The Rain at the Walker Art Gallery until 31 Aug 2026.

📸 John Dom Paiva

13/05/2026

International dialogue is key to our work to redevelop the International Slavery Museum. Recently, Project Curator, Alex Scott and Engagement Producer, Maxine Brown travelled to the United States to speak at a conference at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. They contributed to discussions about how slavery is commemorated in port cities and presented a video featuring oral history interviews with Black Liverpudlians. The interviews were recorded as part of the Unfinished Conversations series, a project with significant global reach.

Alex and Maxine also joined colleagues from University of Liverpool and Tate Liverpool visiting various sites including the new African American Museum of Rhode Island and the newly-refurbished Studio Museum in Brooklyn, New York. The trip was a great learning experience and a fantastic chance to share our goal to explore and share the truth of transatlantic slavery and its legacies.

More info 〰️

Reconsidering Port Cities: Critical Commemoration of Slavery, and Transatlantic Legacies: https://simmonscenter.brown.edu/events/conferences-and-symposiums/ports

Unfinished Conversations Series:https://simmonscenter.brown.edu/work-center/public-humanities-projects/unfinished-conversations-series

30/04/2026

20 years of research, collaboration and impact! 🎉

This year, the Centre for the Study of International Slavery celebrates two decades of advancing global understanding of slavery, past and present.

In partnership with the University of Liverpool and International Slavery Museum, this milestone year will be celebrated with a lecture led by author Ashleigh Nugent, and will centre around how music, memory and mixed identity forged his power and purpose.

From pioneering research to powerful public engagement, CSIS continues to connect voices across continents and challenge how these histories are told.

Book your lecture tickets ⬇️

Tickets are now available for CSIS Annual Lecture 2026 with Dr Ashleigh Nugent at SOTA Library, University of Liverpool, University of Liverpool on Tue 5 May 2026 at 5:00PM. Click the link for further information and to secure your tickets now!

23/04/2026

"I reflect with grief and gratitude: grieving the struggles of my ancestors and our ongoing fight against the legacies of slavery and colonialism, while honouring the path they paved"

Last August we were pleased to share the work of artist, Jioni Warner as part of a special commission for Slavery Remembrance Day.

Explore the spiritual and symbolic artwork once again 👇🏽✨

16/04/2026

"I remember losing all power,
the heat of Africa,
the closeness of family,
the rhythm of habit."

As part of The Congo-Liverpool Routes Project, members of the Congolese Association Merseyside were guided by Daniel Sebuyange, professionally known as Blue Saint, to imagine the voices of Nkisi sculptures in creative written word.

In works that reflect on feelings of displacement, captivity, and memory, the poems explore a collection of Nkisi, currently displayed in World Museum alongside contemporary artwork by LR Vandy.

Read more 👇🏽

A collection of poetry written by members of the Congolese community of Liverpool

13/04/2026

Our 'On Tour' sessions bring history into the classroom and community centres, helping children and young people engage with the subject of transatlantic slavery.

Using objects, discussion, and guided activities, we explore key aspects of transatlantic slavery and its lasting impact.

Find out more 👇🏽

International Slavery Museum is now closed for essential maintenance works ahead of a major redevelopment project - subject to funding. However you can still book our workshops online or 'on tour' at schools or learning bases in the Liverpool city region.

04/04/2026

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

On this day 58 years ago the world lost Dr. Martin Luther King Jr —a man whose voice, courage, and vision helped change the course of history.

♥️

02/04/2026

Another milestone for our Waterfront Transformation Project - don't miss this unique little space by Museum of Liverpool holding almost 200 years of dock history.