World Museum, Liverpool
Five floors, free, and it covers three things small children reliably love: giant dinosaurs, an aquarium and a space gallery. The best wet-weather day within half an hour.
The Beatles Story
Liverpool, Merseyside
Liverpool's flagship Beatles attraction, in the vaults under the Royal Albert Dock. You work through recreations of the Casbah, the Cavern and Abbey Road with a multimedia audio guide, narrated by Julia Baird, John Lennon's sister. The average visit is about an hour and a half, and every ticket includes the Discovery Zone, where kids record their own Hey Jude and bash replica guitars.
Be honest with yourself about your children before paying. A seven year old who knows Yellow Submarine will be swept along; one who doesn't will be tugging your sleeve by the Hamburg years. The Discovery Zone is the safety net, but it only opens weekends, bank holidays and Liverpool school holidays, so a term-time Tuesday visit is the grown-up museum and nothing else.
The Cavern recreation is dimly lit, worth knowing for kids with sensory sensitivities. Under 5s go free, which is fair, because it is not really for them.
Know before you go
- Go on a weekend or in the school holidays, when the Discovery Zone is open - it is the bit built for children, with a floor piano, a mini Cavern stage and instruments to try.
- No parking of its own. The Albert Dock car park is opposite the entrance, or use the Liverpool ONE Q-Park and walk down.
Worth knowing: Best for kids old enough to wear headphones for an hour. The Discovery Zone only opens weekends, bank holidays and school holidays..
Looking for more museums & science near Liverpool?
Also in Liverpool
Speke Hall
A Tudor hall with woodland walks, a maze and a natural play area in the grounds. Free if you have National Trust membership, and the indoor house is a good rain fallback.
Museum of Liverpool
The city's story with an overhead railway carriage to climb aboard and Little Liverpool, a dedicated hands-on gallery for under-6s. Free, on the waterfront, and the window views are half the fun.
Merseyside Maritime Museum
Titanic and Lusitania told in the city that crewed them, ship models, and the Seized! customs gallery in the basement where kids hunt smugglers. Free, and the Albert Dock outside is its own event.
Mersey Ferries River Explorer
The famous ferry across the Mersey run as a 50-minute sightseeing loop with commentary, and the honest truth is kids love the boat more than any museum. Hop off at Seacombe for Eureka! next door.
Calderstones Park
South Liverpool's favourite park: lake, playground, ancient trees and the Storybarn, The Reader's hands-on storytelling space in the old coach house. The neolithic Calder Stones are older than Stonehenge, which is a good fact to deploy.