Top Picks
Guides
What’s on
Where to go
See all

Wolstenholme Square

Jennifer
Penelope scuplture
Photo: Vicky Andrews

Wolstenholme Square once was a highly fashionable address, but, typical of much 19th century commercial development, saw its elegance swept away by a tide of industrial warehousing.

Times are changing again, though, as regeneration is closing in on all four sides, while Cuban sculptor Jorge Pardo’s monumental Penelope (2004) sculpture takes precedence. With its brightly coloured tentacles, Penelope is one of the largest sculptures in the city. Commissioned in 2006 by Liverpool Biennial, the sculpture is apparently inspired by the story of Ulysses’ wife in The Odyssey.

Penelope waited faithfully for her husband to return from the Trojan war, and rejected numerous suitors by saying she had first to finish weaving a rope before she could consider remarriage. She unravelled her day’s work each night in order to maintain her cover story. The stalks on the sculpture are a reference to both Penelope’s weaving and to the local history of rope-making in this part of Liverpool city centre.

Wolstenholme SquareLiverpoolL1 View map

Admission Charges

Free

Opening Hours

  • MondayOpen 24 hours
  • TuesdayOpen 24 hours
  • WednesdayOpen 24 hours
  • ThursdayOpen 24 hours
  • FridayOpen 24 hours
  • SaturdayOpen 24 hours
  • SundayOpen 24 hours

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Wolstenholme Square

An image captured from overhead of two men embracing. One is seated, and the other is kneeling.
Until
ExhibitionsLiverpool
On the other side at FACT

‘On the other side’ at FACT presents the work of three artists, thoroughly examining themes of authority, power and control.

free entry
Until
ActivityLiverpool
Old Dock Tours, Liverpool

The Old Dock tour is a treat for younger and older visitors alike, fans of Liverpool’s maritime past, and anybody curious about local history.

£8.50 with concessions
See all events

Where to go near Wolstenholme Square

Clockworks building in Liverpool
City Centre
Bar or Pub
Clockworks

Clockworks is a great spot off the beaten track to grab a cosy pint or cocktail, and you’ll often find live music happening outside the front in Wolstenholme Square. It’s worth dropping by just to see Cuban sculptor Jorge Pardo’s Penelope, one of the largest sculptures in the city.

OUTPUT gallery in Liverpool
City Centre
Gallery
OUTPUT in Liverpool

Run by Gabrielle de la Puente, OUTPUT is a small gallery in Liverpool city centre that works exclusively with creatives from or based in Merseyside.

Liverpool
Kazimier Stockroom

Run by the heads behind The Invisible Wind Factory, Kazimier Stockroom is a micro venue with maximalist ambitions.

Inside Pilgrim Restaurant
City Centre
Restaurant
Pilgrim Restaurant

Pilgrim offers a fresh approach to traditional Iberian food, promising seasonal and ethically sourced regional produce with a big focus on live-fire flavour.

Vice Liverpool
Liverpool
Bar or Pub
Vice Liverpool

Vice is a new nightclub and bar in Liverpool, featuring neon lights, zebra-style flooring and a glossy white Ferrari taking centre stage.

The Bridewell Pub
Liverpool
Bar or Pub
The Bridewell

Legend has it that Dickens got himself sworn in as a special constable for the night to gather material for The Uncommercial Traveller. Charles Dickens loved Liverpool, and Liverpool adored him. On the wall of The Bridewell is a plaque which celebrates Dickens’ life as a journalist, novelist and for his one day as a Liverpool police constable.

ConcertSquare, image courtesy of Liverpoolmonuments
City Centre
Tourist Attraction
Concert Square

What was previously intended to be a ‘continental style piazza’ has become a mecca for late-night boozing.

See all places

Liverpool District Guides

Lark Lane, Liverpool

A little way out of Liverpool City Centre, and a short and leafy walk from St Michael’s train station, is the low-key enclave of Lark Lane. Rather beautifully named, this…
Baltic Triangle, Liverpool

Read our guide to The Baltic Triangle, a great spot for eating, drinking and partying in Liverpool.
City Centre, Liverpool

Liverpool city centre is not short of arts and cultural gems, which we round-up into a handy guide.

Hope Street, Liverpool

Our guide to Hope Street, one of Liverpool’s most graceful quarters, where religious heritage meets forward-thinking culture.
Ropewalks and Chinatown, Liverpool

The Ropewalks is a part of Liverpool that combines old and new. Taking in arts, culture and hospitality, read our guide to the area.
The ship in Liverpool Sound City
Waterfront, Liverpool

Our guide to Liverpool’s waterfront, an integral part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a glimpse into the city’s historical grandeur.
Art galleries in Liverpool
William Brown Street, Liverpool

As city centre districts go, this one is relatively small: a cluster of buildings along a cobbled street, with Lime Street Station at the top and the Queensway Tunnel entrance…

Culture Guides