1st – 5th September 2025
Liverpool has an exceptionally active cultural scene – with more museums and galleries than any city in the British Isles outside London, there is a lot to discover. Rising to prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries as a crucial port during the transatlantic slave trade and the Industrial Revolution, Liverpool experienced rapid growth. This expansion endowed the city with a remarkable architectural splendour, including its docks, which are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our trip will be a mix of exploring Liverpool’s maritime past, exquisite art collections and cathedrals. We will take a day trip to the Arts and Crafts model village of Port Sunlight and also have the opportunity to explore some contemporary works, including Antony Gormley’s sculptures on Crosby Beach and a visit to the Liverpool Biennial.
Our hotel, located in the heart of the city is a beautifully restored Edwardian building full of charm and elegance. Its central location makes it the perfect base for us to explore all that Liverpool has to offer.
Itinerary
Monday 1st September
We will meet up at our hotel and start with a good lunch. Afterwards, we will head out to delve into Liverpool’s rich history. We will visit the site of the Medieval castle, where some of the most dramatic scenes of Liverpool’s history played out during the civil war. We will continue on to the former headquarters of the White Star Line, the infamous shipping company behind the Titanic. Finally, we will admire the Three Graces on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront skyline: The Royal Liver Building, The Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building – each conceived as visible symbols of Liverpool’s commercial prowess in the early 20th century. Dinner at a great place in the centre.
Tuesday 2nd September
We will spend the day discussing matters of church and state. In the morning, we hope to have private access to Liverpool Town Hall, one of the finest surviving 18th century town halls, and St George’s Hall, a Victorian neoclassical building that holds both concert halls and law courts under one roof. We will then have lunch at a restaurant perched 34 stories above the city and enjoy the fantastic views.
In the afternoon, we will visit Liverpool’s two cathedrals. At either end of Hope Street lie The Anglican Cathedral and the Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral. The two buildings couldn’t be more different: the Anglican Cathedral, Britain’s largest, is solidly built from red sandstone, the Catholic Cathedral reaches to the heavens with an airy, spaceship-like, aluminium cone. En route, we will pause to visit the birthplaces of two men who have profoundly shaped British history: 19th century Prime Minister William Gladstone and 20th century Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
Wednesday 3rd September
We will hop on the train for a daytrip to Port Sunlight, a peaceful village in Merseyside founded by the Victorian ‘Soap King’, William Hesketh Lever, to house his ‘Sunlight Soap’ factory workers. The charming cottages surrounded by parks and woodland reflect William Lever’s ambitions for the quality of life of his workforce.
After lunch, we will visit the Lady Lever Art Gallery to see its world class collection of Wedgwood jasperware and some fabulous Pre-Raphaelite paintings. We will return to Liverpool by train for supper.
Thursday 4th September
We will start the day at the Walker Art Gallery, where we will cherry pick from its huge collection spanning from the 13th century to the present day. The collection is so rich we will be coming twice, on this first visit we will focus on works by Old Masters.
After lunch, there will be the option for a trip to Crosby beach to see Antony Gormley’s evocative installation, Another Place. With their gaze fixed on the horizon, 100 life-size cast-iron male statues stretch1.5 miles up the coastline and raise questions around the relationship between humans and nature, the body and space. Others may wish to visit the Biennial and explore the largest festival of contemporary visual art in the UK. We will all meet up again for dinner in the city centre.
Friday 5th September
In the morning, we will return once again to the Walker Art Gallery, this time with a focus on Pre-Raphaelite works to Modern. Starting with their world-leading collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings including works by Rossetti, Millais and Holman Hunt, we will progress through to other avant-garde artists featured in the Modern collection. After one final celebratory lunch together, we will return to the hotel and conclude the trip.
Further Details
Tuition – Dr Richard Stemp and Dr Frankie Dytor will lead the trip, both of whom are experts in their field and know Liverpool well.
Hotel – We will stay in the Municipal Hotel Liverpool, a beautifully restored Edwardian building located in the heart of the city. There is a good bar and its central location makes it the perfect base for us to explore all that Liverpool has to offer.
Travel – We will meet at the Municipal hotel on Monday at 13.00 and we will finish the course at the hotel on Friday at 15.00.
Transport – We will be travelling by train to Port Sunlight and for the optional trip to Crosby beach.
Ability – There is quite a lot of walking on this trip, As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.
Lunches and Dinners – Lunches are a set menu of two courses to include drinks. Dinner is by no means compulsory, but we book a table for the group each night at different restaurants and divide the bill equally between everyone. Sometimes these may also need to be a set menu but we try our best to avoid this. We will adjust the bill for those not drinking alcohol.
Cost – The fees are £1600 which includes accommodation and breakfast, all lunches, transfers for the recommended flight, transport when connected with teaching, entrance fees, tuition, reading lists and local advice. The single occupancy supplement is £150 (double room for single use). Not included are your travel to and from the trip, all suppers, travel insurance. The group will not exceed 16 people and we will divide in to two smaller groups wherever possible.
To register – Please complete the online registration form, having read our terms and conditions and pay a deposit of £600 via bank transfer. Your place is not confirmed until we have received the deposit.
NB you must buy your own flights.
Registration Form
Terms & Conditions
If you have any questions or would like to be pencilled in for this trip please email charlie@arthistoryabroad or call 01379 871800 (302)
