World Museum

World Museum on William Brown Street in Liverpool, England, is a free museum combining natural history, archaeology, ethnology and science across several floors. It evolved from the collections of the 13th Earl of Derby and opened in its present building in 1860, which was later rebuilt after Second World War bomb damage. Highlights include the Ancient Egypt galleries with mummies and funerary objects, the Weston Discovery Centre for hands-on handling of specimens, and a bug house with living insects such as leafcutter ants. An aquarium on the lower floors holds fish, amphibians and sea creatures, and a planetarium offers ticketed shows about space, usually at around GBP 3-6. Natural history galleries display dinosaurs, minerals and birds, and the museum also hosts changing exhibitions on topics from ancient civilisations to science. Most visitors spend two to three hours and families often stay longer. The museum suits wet days and is busiest on weekends, school holidays and midday, while weekday mornings are calmer. It has a cafe, a shop and baby-changing facilities. Photography without flash is generally permitted. The museum is a five-minute walk from Lime Street station and next to the Walker Art Gallery and Central Library, so a full morning and afternoon of free cultural attractions is possible. The entrance on William Brown Street leads to a large central atrium. Because the museum is spread across floors, visitors with limited time may choose between the Egyptian galleries, the aquarium and the Discovery Centre. Planetarium shows should be booked on arrival as sessions fill quickly during busy periods.