Tate Liverpool

This northern outpost of arguably Britain’s most important arts institution opened at Liverpool’s Albert Dock in 1988. Tate Liverpool is housed inside a Grade I-listed former warehouse, a redbrick beauty designed by Jesse Hartley in 1840 that was once an integral part of Liverpool’s gargantuan port industry. The warehouse was converted into a gallery by architect James Stirling; it now has four floors dedicated to modern and contemporary visual art. Exhibitions are drawn from the Tate’s enviable collection; these longer-running shows sit alongside a regularly changing programme of temporary exhibitions (often blockbuster shows, such as 2012′s Turner, Monet, Twombly exhibition). An impressive programme of events for adults and kids, plus decent ground-floor cafe and excellent shop make this one of the highlights of any visit to Liverpool.