Wondrous Place returns to Museum of Liverpool with new exhibits

The Museum of Liverpool will officially reopen its Wondrous Place gallery this month.

The newly renovated second floor space celebrates the stories of some of Liverpool’s most creative and culturally important figures on the national and international stage.

It will be reopened on Saturday, November 27.

The gallery was closed in 2018 and stripped out to make space for the hugely popular blockbuster exhibition Double Fantasy John & Yoko which ran for 18 months, followed by Liverpool on Wheels which closed in January this year.

Since then, it has been refurbished and the content reinvigorated to include a wealth of new material among 650 objects, interactive and immersive experiences which feature a fantastic range of performers, poets, writers, artists, musicians, comedians and sports people.

They include a new exhibit – Stage and Screen – which features items like a Jodie Comer costume from Killing Eve and explores hard-hitting TV productions like Little Boy Blue and Anthony, and a second new display, Black to the Future, which celebrates the contribution of Liverpool’s Black artists to the city’s rich music scene.

Above: 'Teens want Beatles not Jesus!' T-shirt. Image is front page taken from The National Tatler. c.2021. Villanelle costume worn by Liverpool actor Jodie Comer in Killing Eve. Credit Sid Gentle Films Ltd

The story of Liverpool music itself is brought up to date with a fresh look at contemporary sites and scenes, including a particular focus on dance music and festivals and displays co-produced with Sonic Yootha and URBEATZ, while new exhibits include Melanie C’s stage costume worn on the Spice World - 2019 Tour and Garry Christian’s hat and sunglasses. 

New objects have also been added to the sporting legacy section, including running shoes worn by 2019 World Champion heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and which are on loan from the Liverpool Harriers.

And another new section offers an insight into the region’s gaming industry, particularly the important role of the Liverpool studio Psygnosis, and a chance to play games developed in the city such as Lemmings and Wipeout Omega Collection.

A poster for Terrence Davies' film Of Time and the City

Kate Johnson, Head of the Museum of Liverpool said: “We’re incredibly excited to be reinstating the popular Wondrous Place gallery, with so many fabulous updates. Visitors can look forward to a vibrant, fascinating gallery, that take them to the heart of what makes Liverpool such a creative place.  

“Wondrous Place will of course be celebrating the world-famous names, from The Beatles to Liverpool and Everton FC, but it will also explore lesser-known cultural creators; the writers, producers and performers of Merseyside that have helped craft the city’s sense of place in the world, how it and its people are seen.

“We are grateful to all those people, communities and organisations who have worked with us to reinstate this much-loved gallery with new and inspiring content.”  

Wondrous Place reopens to the public on November 27.