Description: Liverpool’s Albert Dock is a brilliant example of how a piece of Britain’s industrial heritage can be preserved and re-purposed. It was cutting edge when it was first constructed and today it is home to some of the country’s finest museums and galleries. A far cry from the dilapidation it fell into in the 1970s, the Albert Dock is now Liverpool’s most popular tourist attraction and Britain’s most popular multi-use attraction.
Many people just come to stroll around the docks; I like to do it myself. I have permanently itchy feet and there’s something about being on the docks at Liverpool that makes you feel like you’re at the gateway to the rest of the world. In years gone by ships would bring spices and other commodities to Liverpool from all over the world, now there are restaurants and cafes serving the foods we’ve now become accustomed to though the ingredients must have seemed very exotic indeed to the stevedores unloading them from the ships.
The whole complex makes up the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in Britain. They were designed by Jesse Hartley in the late 1830s and the Albert Dock was opened by Prince Albert in 1846. Hartley, an engineer by profession, had the idea of using a metal construction rather than wood in order to reduce the risk of valuable goods being destroyed by fire. Indeed, it was the first building in Britain to be constructed entirely from iron, brick and stone.
In its heyday Liverpool was one of the busiest ports in the country but slowly activity started to decline and by the 1970s the Albert Dock was forced to close. Regeneration work started in the early 1980s and the complex opened just in time for the International Garden Festival in 1984.
With two hotels contained within the dock complex (a Holiday Inn and a Premier Inn) and several others very close by, you could easily make the Albert Dock your destination for the whole weekend, visiting some of the museums and other attractions during the day and relaxing in the excellent restaurants and bars in the evening.
The world famous Tate Gallery has an outpost here; Tate Liverpool plays host to temporary exhibitions of modern art year round (there have been recent acclaimed exhibitions of work by Gustav Klimt and Turner) but also shows a rotating selection of pieces from the Tate’s collection in London.
The Beatles Story tells the story of ‘the four lads that shook the world’. The exhibition covers the period from the first meeting of McCartney and Lennon, moving on to the bands residency in Hamburg and rapid rise to international domination. There’s a recreation of Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club and finally a ‘Going Solo’ room in which the exhibition looks at the various post-Beatles projects of all four members of the band.
The Mersey Maritime Museum has a lot to cover because Liverpool has so many nautical connections. This exhibition covers the story of the Titanic, the Battle of the Atlantic in World War Two and smuggling among other subjects. This Maritime Museum incorporates the national museum of the UK borders agency and additionally offers guided free tours of the Albert Dock and the Edmund Gardner, a retired pilot cutter which is now in dry dock nearby.
The International Slavery Museum (reviewed in this journal) is a fascinating look at the origins and history of the slave trade, Liverpool’s involvement in it and the wider legacy of slavery including modern day versions.
It had been hoped that the Albert Dock would become a shopping destination but shoppers are still drawn to the city centre, especially with the revamped city centre boasting the excellent Liverpool1 shopping area. Instead the units not occupied by museums and other visitors attractions, are filled with bars and restaurants. You can travel the world in culinary terms or finish the evening at one of the Dock’s stylish boutique bars. The brilliant views are an added bonus.
The Albert Dock typifies the quirky side of Liverpool; you can jump on board a yellow 'duck' (a reconditioned amphibious landing vehicle from World War Two) and take a tour of the city centre before plunging into the Salthouse Dock to see the city waterfront, or you can stay on board The Joker, a luxury boat built for the Batman movies and salvaged and brought to Liverpool. There are frequent festivals throughout the year and plenty of activities for families.
If you have only a short time in Liverpool, spend it at the Albert Dock. You won't be disappointed.
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