Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery in 32 brilliant time warp photos
It's attracted thousands upon thousands through the generations
For over a century, The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool has housed the city's most outstanding art collections – and these brilliant time warp photos offer a glimpse into its past.
The 'national gallery of the North,' many of the site's most important works have been on display in Liverpool for nearly 200 years and through the generations, thousands from the region and beyond have passed through their doors. Now 90 years after they were first opened, the gallery's Rooms 1-4 – Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque displays – have been through a major £4.5 million refurbishment and will be at last opening to the public after being closed for more than three years on July 29.
From Rembrandt to Rubens, Holbein to Murillo, the project will open up this collection to a wide and diverse audience, sharing stories of diversity, migration, faith and power. Underrepresented histories will be explored through the collection too, including Black, LGBTQ+ and women’s histories.
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Visitors will also be able to access to more of collection than ever before, through a brand new, changing gallery space dedicated to works on paper, including many previously unseen examples of Old Master drawings. With this in mind, we've delved into the archives to find these brilliant photos of The Walker Art Gallery through the decades.
Capturing all of the site from visitors to works on display at the time, these photos celebrate part of the history of The Walker Art Gallery in our city ahead of the reopening of the gallery's Rooms 1-4 this month. A trip back in time, you may recognise a piece of work or a familiar face.
To find out more, click here.
For beautiful, historic images from the past have a look at memorylane.co.uk/ and see what you can discover
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Scenes inside the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool. Sculptures by artist Steve Hitchen at the entrance to an exhibition by students taking the three year BA Course in Fine Art at Liverpool Polytechnic. November 7, 1974
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Blue silk demask from Lyon and period furniture provide the splendid new setting for 200 year old paintings in the refurbished 18th century gallery due to open next week. March 30, 1992
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Walker Art Gallery – circa 1870-1890
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Scenes inside the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool. May 1933
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Staff member Maggie Schneider with a double faced mask used in the dances of one of the Nigerian peoples. It is painted and covered with antelope hide. March 12, 1973
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Members of the Iliad Art Group from Caldy, Wirral, hard at work in the gallery. May 1997
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Scenes inside the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool. October 1933
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A private viewing for Walker Gallery cleaners Josephine Gorst and Norma Rawlisnon at some of the entries for the Topham Trophy competition. March 24, 1971
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Students from Liverpool Polytechnic and Prestatyn High School seen here in the Barque Gallery at the Walker Art Gallery. October 2, 1990
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Professor K Waterhouse accompanied by Alderman Vere E. Cotton (Chairman of the Libraries, Museums and Arts Committee), inspecting a new volume in the art library inside the Walker Art Gallery which was officially opened by the Professor.On the right are Alderman J Johnstone (Deputy chairman of the Committee) and Councillor L C Edwards. April 29, 1955
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Walker Art Gallery archive (around 1933)
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1982 John Moores Painting Prize
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A painting on display at Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, by former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe. May 1, 1964
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Director of Walker Art Gallery Mr Timothy Stevens pictured in the storage vaults. January 1972
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Dadaism exhibition in progress. August 15, 1969
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Walker Art Gallery – circa 1890-1900
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Scenes inside the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool during its official re-opening by the Lord Mayor Sir Kenneth Clarke, standing on the platform. July 13, 1951
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1963 John Moores Painting Prize
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Exhibition of works by Italian artist Giacomo Manzu. January 28 1988
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Exterior view of the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool. March 28, 1941
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Still life piece in progress in the sculpture gallery. May 1997
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Students from Liverpool Polytechnic and Prestatyn High School enjoy a guided tour of the Baroque section by assistant education officer Sharon Trotter. October 2, 1990
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Scenes inside the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool. September 19, 1933
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Cleaning staff put the final touches to the ?East? exhibition before its opening that evening. April 28, 1988
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Scenes inside the Walker Art Gallery in central Liverpool Sir Edward Boyle addressing a gathering, flanked on the platformed by Alderman Holdman (left), Councillor Vere E. Cotton (2nd left) and Councillor W R Maylor. April 18, 1960
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The redesigned coffee bar inside the Art gallery. July 24, 1964
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Technicians unpack the pictures being submitted for the John Moores Art exhibition. August 10, 1995
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Walker Art Gallery archive around 1933
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Queen Elizabeth II with Paul McCartney on her visit to the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool to see Paul McCartney's Exhibition in July 2002
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Walker Art Gallery archive 1989
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Walker Art Gallery 1960
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1969 John Moores Painting Prize Exhibition Gallery
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