Things to Do in Liverpool

Creative Tourist

Last Updated 7 February 2018

You’ve only to look up: a skyline that’s part of a World Heritage Site, a waterfront that never fails to impress, and Georgian streets that are as graceful as they are grand. It is these architectural cheekbones that, along with the grand sweep of the River Mersey, make Liverpool such a visual treat. There’s plenty of things to do in Liverpool too, with a world-class visual arts offer alongside theatre and great places to eat and drink.

Discover our top picks

Exhibitions 17 November 2018–10 March 2019, FREE

The Art Schools of North West England at Bluecoat

There were over 150 art schools in England in the mid-1960s; now most of them are closed or absorbed into other institutions. Bluecoat’s new exhibition, ‘Art Schools of North West England’, asks: What did it mean to have an art school in every town and what can we learn by discovering their fate?

Everyman Rock 'n' Roll panto The Snow Queen

Families 24 November 2018–19 January 2019, from £15.00

Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto: The Snow Queen at Liverpool Everyman

The Everyman’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto is as much of a festive tradition as matching Christmas jumpers and a trip to Father Christmas’ grotto.

Exhibitions 8 September 2018–28 July 2019, FREE

Serena Korda: The Bell Tree at Speke Hall

The Bell Tree by award winning contemporary artist Serena Korda responds to England’s alternative history of fairy-tale folklore, the ancient forest at Speke Hall and the legacy of hidden rebellion that surrounds the historic Tudor home.

Exhibitions 19 October 2018–3 March 2019, FREE

Quentin Blake and John Yeoman: 50 Years of Children’s Books at Lady Lever Art Gallery

Bookworms rejoice! The first exhibition to celebrate illustrator Quentin Blake’s decades-long partnership with author and childhood friend John Yeoman promises literary larks and crazy characters for all.

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Exhibitions 29 September 2018–17 March 2019, FREE

Leo Fitzmaurice: Between You and Me and Everything Else at Walker Art Gallery

Curated by Newport-born artist Leo Fitzmaurice, ‘Between You and Me Everything Else’ at Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool is an invitation to approach the age-old genre of portraiture through fresh, curious eyes.

Exhibitions 23 November 2018–17 March 2019, from £10.50

Fernand Léger: New Times, New Pleasures at Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool presents the first major UK exhibition in 30 years of renowned modern artist Fernand Léger’s work, exploring how the iconic French painter, sculptor and filmmaker redefined the value of art to 20th century society.

Exhibitions 15 March–26 August 2019, from £2

Charles Rennie Mackintosh: making the Glasgow Style at Walker Art Gallery

Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool prepares to present its blockbuster exhibition of 2019, dedicated to the life and work of the Glaswegian artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh – father of the UK’s part in the international Art Nouveau movement.

Exhibitions 26 September 2018–29 March 2019, FREE

Stability and Survival at Speke Hall

This autumn, learn about the inspiring life of Miss Adelaide Watt – an independent and powerful Victorian woman who fought the forces of modernity to preserve Speke Hall and all its treasures for generations to come.

Exhibitions 23 November 2018–3 March 2019, FREE

Broken Symmetries at FACT

A new international exhibition premiering at FACT in Liverpool, Broken Symmetries brings together artists who aim to understand and question the physical world by navigating the shifting realities of modern science.

Broken Symmetries encompasses a wide-range of artistic approaches: reflecting the diverse ways in which scientists and artists are collaborating in both tackling and communicating some of the most elaborate concepts of modern physics.