Human world
This gallery comprises:
This display presents artefacts made by people from various societies in western and west central Africa. Most of the objects came to Liverpool on steamships involved in the West African trade. The displays follow these trading routes along the African coast. They emphasise the links and influences between African peoples and between Africa and other parts of the world.
Take a look at some of the themes and objects from the Africa display
This part of the gallery focuses on diverse cultures from Amazonia, Mesoamerica, the Northwest Coast of North America and the Arctic. Interactions between local cultures and Europeans are explored, as is the impact of European expansion through the Americas. The selected artefacts illuminate the rich cultural traditions of Native Americans.
Take a look at some of the themes and objects from the Americas gallery
The Asia display features objects from Japan, China, India, Java, Burma and Tibet. They tell the story of the relationship between the East and the West and the trade in goods, ideas and beliefs between Asian countries and Europe.
You are able to see how objects were made and used and why some were brought to this museum. The Asia collection is one of the finest ever assembled outside of the region. This gallery allows much of it to be seen in public for the first time.
Take a look at some of the themes and objects from the Asia gallery
Oceania is a large group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. It includes Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. Some places were explored and settled over 40,000 years ago. Europeans arrived about 500 years ago.
The items in this gallery were collected during the 19th and 20th centuries, although by whom is often a mystery. They include objects with ritual or ceremonial uses, as well as those for more everyday purposes, such as clothing or eating.
Take a look at some of the themes and objects from the Oceania gallery.
The World Cultures gallery takes you on a journey around the globe. Drawing on our huge ethnographic collections, the gallery introduces you to the peoples of the world. Their traditions, beliefs and religions are explained through the objects and artefacts they created.
The displays explore the exchange of ideas and objects between the various cultures and Europe. How this exchange influenced all the societies involved is a major theme of the gallery. Historical and contemporary voices help explain the cultural background and stories behind the objects.
The gallery reflects the museum's world-class collections. Liverpool's central role in international trade, exploration and colonialism brought a wealth of objects to the city. Many of the objects in the collections are on display for the first time.
Each part of the gallery focuses on a different part of the world and the peoples who live there.
If you enjoy the gallery and this web page you might want to check out the special world cultures interactive.