Victoria Gallery and Museum

If you like fine arts this is the place to be.
The building itself is very imposing and houses a lot of fine art from the 16^th century up to 21^st century, paintings, casts, glassware etc. it’s very educational and in a nice relaxed atmosphere. It was quite empty when I was tree because I arrived just in opening time. If you prefer more contemporary art try the TATE Liverpool instead.
Good half a day out enjoy.

An imposing gothic building on Ashton Street, the Victoria Gallery & Museum houses the University of Liverpool’s impressive collection of fine art and scientific artefacts. Spanning the sixteenth to twenty first century, it includes everything from paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics and glassware to temporary exhibitions. Artists include Lucien Freud, Elizabeth Frink, Barbara Hepworth, Jacob Epstein, John James Aubudon, Charles Sydney Jones and several Liverpool born artists including Barry Flanagan and Arthur Dooley.
Whilst I can appreciate the time, energy and craftsmanship that’s gone into the work, I prefer the mix of outsider and contemporary art exhibited at Tate Liverpool and the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. My mum however, seemed to thoroughly enjoy walking around the different rooms and discovering old masterpieces. The fact the admission was free also put a smile on her face.

Ah it’s summer so those pesky students have all left and the rest of us can reclaim the sights such as The Victoria Gallery that are usually off limits.
I was not a student in Liverpool so I have missed out on the wonderful architecture and marbled halls of the Victoria — ah who am I trying to kid, like any of the students ever step foot in here!
Within the impressive walls of the Victoria building is a less than impressive gallery. There are very few pieces on display so I felt just as I found something to get me interested the exhibit was over and it was on to another floor. But if you take the time to look around there are some rewarding pieces such as the small religious icons, Rembrandt sketches and the temporary exhibits like the current Bridgit Riley show.
However I was quick to dismiss the Tate museum pieces way up on the top floor but after looking at the weird collection of items I was strangely engrossed. Anyone who has seen Alien Resurrection — or maybe Jar City is a more creditible reference — will find the preserved creatures in test tubes and jars a bit freaky but fascinating.

For most of my time at Uni of Liverpool, there has been scaffolding over this building, and now you can see this beautiful architectural piece in all its glory as the Victoria Gallery and Museum. There is a little turret at the top and I really wish it was my bedroom! I love it!
Aside from my over-​active imagination, inside is a place of true imagination; they have all sorts of specimens in jars and dinosaur footprints and I remember being particularily disturbed by a selection of foreceps for aiding childbirth and how they developed through the ages…
The section on dentistry where a dentist had given his entire office to the gallery to be exhibited is really interesting, it’s all in tact down to the insides of draws and the doom-​laden dentist chair!
And when you’re done with all that sciency stuff and perhaps took a wander around the other exhibitions on calligraphy and fine art then perhaps it’s time to rest those weary bones in the café downstairs!

This fantastic building in the centre of the Liverpool University campus has a commanding presence amongst the rest of the University’s buildings. The museum and gallery host the University’s vast collection of scientific specimens and fine art. There is also often a guest exhibition on, the last of which was an exhibition on contemporary Chinese calligraphy featuring works borrowed from the British Museum.
Whilst it is fair to say that the Victoria gallery and museum is quite limited in what it can offer. Only a fraction of the collection is on display and there is therefore only so much to see. However, entry is free so if you have a few hours to spare its worth a look.
Keep an eye on the University’s public lecture series, these are often free and take place in the buildings lecture theatre which is worth looking at even if there isn’t a lecture on!

The Victoria Gallery and Museum is a beautifully renovated gothic building housing the University of Liverpool’s amazing collection of fine art, silver, sculpture and ceramics along with zoological specimens and pioneering scientific equipment.
Some highlights include early x-​rays, a fully re-​created dentist’s surgery from the 1930’s and dinosaur footprints discovered in the north west. How weird and wonderful!
This new museum in the heart of the University’s campus may be compact, but definitely packs a punch and is well worth a visit! It also has the lovely named Waterhouse café on the ground floor where you can snack up some tasty treats and a nice brew. Delicious food, lunches and afternoon teas are served between 10am-​4pm Tuesday to Saturday.