International Slavery Museum

The International Slavery Museum stands in Liverpool, beside the Merseyside Maritime Museum on the city’s waterfront. It occupies three galleries that trace the story of West Africa, the transatlantic slave trade and the long struggle for freedom. Modern galleries also examine present-day slavery, racism and discrimination. The building itself was once part of the old Dock Traffic Office, later renamed the Dr Martin Luther King Jr building. A new iron-and-glass bridge will soon link the two structures after extensive renovations. The museum reopened in 2007 on the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. Liverpool’s role in the slave trade is central to the displays. A dedicated gallery opened in 1994 within the Maritime Museum, and campaigner Dorothy Kuya helped push for a fully independent museum. The bicentenary of the 1807 Slave Trade Act brought worldwide attention and led to the creation of the International Slavery Museum. In 2018 the museum secured funds to restore the Wedgwood abolitionist medallion image, ‘Am Not I A Man and a Brother’. Michelle Charters now leads the museum, guiding its mission to confront historical injustice and modern forms of slavery. Visitors find three main galleries filled with artefacts, documents and artworks. The East Gallery holds about 400 songs that tell the story of slavery and its musical legacy. The restored Wedgwood medallion sits among exhibits that explain its significance as one of the first political logos. Outside, the waterfront setting offers views across the docks where ships once carried enslaved people. Inside, the planned renovations will create more space and a new bridge to the adjoining building. The museum remains a place to learn about the past and reflect on its continuing impact.