The world’s first and only international slavery museum in Liverpool, which looks at the historical and contemporary aspects of slavery, has been boosted with a £225,000 grant which will enhance its already unparalleled transatlantic slave trade and contemporary slavery collections.
Plans are to improve the Transatlantic Slavery Collection with acquisitions such as ivory tokens, abolitionist correspondence and objects and the Contemporary Slavery Collection, with the aim to increase public awareness of contemporary slavery and ignite discussion.
Dr Richard Benjamin, Head of the International Slavery Museum, said: "This is a tremendous boost and enables the museum to develop our story about transatlantic slavery and modern day slavery.
“There is nothing as immediate as being able to connect with a real object which has historical meaning. Real objects enable an emotional connection to strong personal stories of exploitation, the fight for justice and representation.”
The longer term plan for the development of the museum is to expand into the adjacent Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building. This will be the International Slavery Museum's new entrance, with spaces where visitors can engage in more education and community activity, research family history and view the museum’s newest collections.
“It is also a step forward in our ambitious long-term plans to expand the museum into the Dr Martin Luther King building."
The International Slavery Museum, situated on the third floor of Merseyside Maritime Museum at the Albert Dock, opened in 2007 and has welcomed nearly three million visitors to date.
liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ismfuture
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