Day trips to Liverpool

Whether your educational tour takes you to the WWI dazzle ships or explores the city's iconic musical and sporting heritage, an enrichment school trip to Liverpool promises a colourful and memorable experience. 

Liverpool is a perfect destination to take your History students to discover more about key topics such as migration and slavery. You can visit the International Slavery Museum to better understand Enslavement, the Middle Passage and the Legacy of slavery, whilst a guided walking tour can bring to life the human stories of migration. 

Explore the city on foot to discover the industrial and maritime history of the UK. Or visit interactive museums and art galleries to delve into Liverpool's rich culture. From Anfield and Goodison Park, to The Beatles Story, The British Music Experience, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site at the Royal Albert Dock, your students are guaranteed a rewarding experience here.

Get your tailored quote today with the expert school tour providers at WST Travel.

Itinerary

Day Trip - History

Tour Day 1

Morning
Depart for Liverpool then spend the morning at the International Slavery Museum to include a workshop
Afternoon
Guided walking tour of the city focusing around migration and slavery.
Evening
Late departure back to school

Day Trip - Enrichment

Tour Day 1

Morning
Arrive in Liverpool mid morning to check in for your River Explorer Cruise with Mersey Ferry and enjoy a 50 minute cruise. You may then have free time around Albert Dock.
Afternoon
Visit the British Music Experience for a celebration of British rock and pop music. You'll then have free time at Liverpool One for shopping.
Evening
Depart Liverpool for evening return to school

Accommodation

If you wish to stay for longer than a day trip, Liverpool has a number of good quality branded hostels and hotels which are suitable for school groups. These include the YHA, Premier Inns, Travel Lodges and a Campanile Hotel. They are all in excellent locations either in, or very close distance to the city centre.

Study Visits

The International Slavery Museum

Located in the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum highlights the international importance of slavery, both in a historic and contemporary context. Its three main galleries cover the following:

  • Life in West Africa - Exploring the story and culture of Africa and its peoples, who are central to the story of transatlantic slavery.
  • Enslavement and the Middle Passage - Revealing some of the brutality and trauma suffered by enslaved Africans on the voyage across the Atlantic; then the oppression of their lives on plantations in the Americas.
  • Legacy - The continuing fight for freedom and equality; the contemporary impact of transatlantic slavery, such as racism and discrimination; and the achievements of the African Diaspora.

The museum offers guided school tours, and a range of activities, workshops and resources for groups of all ages. 

River Explorer Cruise - River Mersey

School tours in Liverpool can enjoy a 50-minute River Explorer Cruise on the world-famous Mersey Ferry, and see incredible views of Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage Waterfront.

The on-board commentary highlights the River Mersey’s key landmarks as well as their history, so the cruise is the perfect mix of fun and education for your class. 

Walking Tour

Meet your local guide for a walking tour of Liverpool and its key historical sites, specially designed for your school trip.

The specific sites visited and themes covered can be tailored to the needs of your group. Popular tours include Maritime and World Heritage Sites, or the Slavery Tour, which introduces students to the part England played in the international slave trade.

Merseyside Maritime Museum 

This museum brings Liverpool’s nautical history to life. Discover the city’s pivotal role as the gateway to 'the new world'.

Popular topics for students include pirates, the Titanic, the Second World War and life in the 1940s, emigration, and unique school tours of Liverpool's Old Dock.

Seized! The Border and Customs Uncovered Gallery

Located in the basement of the Merseyside Maritime Museum, this gallery allows you to enter the world of the Customs officer – a dark and unseen world of smuggling, intrigue and danger. One of the key themes is anti-smuggling. This includes detective work, crime fighting, patrolling frontiers and investigation. In uncovering this story you will reveal some of the clever tactics of the criminal, and discover some of the methods needed to catch them.

The World Museum

Revealing millions of years of the Earth’s history through thousands of exhibits and hands-on activities, top themes at Liverpool's World Museum include Ancient Egypt and the Stone Age to Bronze Age. There are also opportunities to study natural history in dedicated hands-on centres.

British Music Experience

Located in the city’s iconic Cunard building, the British Music Experience is a celebration of British pop and rock music.

With an unrivalled collection of stage outfits, objects and instruments, the museum charts the beginnings, rise and influence of British pop from 1945 to the present day.

Liverpool Empire 

In 1866, Liverpool Empire began its life as The Prince of Wales Theatre and Opera House, and was run by gas light and steam power. It is the largest two tier theatre in the UK, hosting the very best in touring theatre productions.

A top destination for drama school trips, the theatre also has an in-house Creative Learning team that can create bespoke workshop and learning packages for your group.

The Museum of Liverpool

The Museum of Liverpool is the world’s first national museum devoted to the history of a regional city, and the largest newly-built national museum in Britain for more than a century.

Exhibits showcase popular culture and tackle social, historical and contemporary issues of Liverpool’s region in an accessible, engaging manner. More than 6,000 objects bring Liverpool’s incredible heritage to life, celebrating thousands of years of the city’s achievements.

Tate Liverpool

Home of the national collection of modern and contemporary art in the north of England, Tate Liverpool is the UK’s most visited gallery of its kind outside London.

Displaying famous modern works alongside cutting-edge contemporary art, the gallery is a must-see for any fan of the arts visiting the city.

Get a quote for your enrichment trip to Liverpool now

 

Cultural Visits

Royal Albert Dock

The Albert Dock is a firm Liverpool favourite, a top British heritage attraction, it should be on the agenda of every visitor. Located on Liverpool's stunning waterfront, the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in Britain is part of Liverpool's designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Beatles Story, Albert Dock

The Beatles Story, Albert Dock is the world’s largest permanent exhibition purely devoted to the lives and times of The Beatles. The exhibition is located on the UNESCO World Heritage site at the Albert Dock and will guide you through the music, culture and story of the band that changed the world.

Liverpool Cathedral

Visit the largest Anglican cathedral in Britain and the fifth largest in the world. A general guided tour of the Cathedral for school groups can be pre-booked, or your tour can focus on a specific theme. The Tower Experience offers a breath-taking 360˚ view of the city from the Cathedral’s rooftop.

Radio City Tower

adio City Tower was built in 1969 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II. It is 138 metres tall, the second tallest free-standing building in Liverpool and the 32nd tallest in the United Kingdom. The observation platform at St Johns Beacon is a unique way to see the ever changing landscape of the city.

The Walker Art Gallery

This gallery holds a stunning collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts spanning over six hundred years. Home to outstanding works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Poussin and Gainsborough, the Walker is one of the finest art galleries in Europe.

The Liverpool FC Story

At Liverpool Football Club's interactive museum, The Liverpool FC Story, school tours can discover over 120 years of LFC history and explore football, past and present, with the help of state of the art technology and never seen before displays. Also at the museum, visitors can take a tour through the Halls of Fame.

To enhance the experience, every visitor is provided with a multimedia handset, with interactive games and activities – including 'place a penalty,' where your students can take a penalty at the European Cup final!

Everton FC - Goodison Park Stadium Tour 

Take a behind-the-scenes tour where expert guides will express their passion and knowledge for Everton FC, and teach your students about the club's exciting history. 

Liverpool ONE

A spectacular shopping destination near the waterfront, where you’ll find the biggest and best range of Liverpool shops. Located at the heart of the city centre, Liverpool ONE is a shopping experience that has something for everyone.

Book your school trip to Liverpool now with the expert school tour providers at WST Travel