International Slavery Museum facts for kids
Main entrance to the museum
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| Established | 23 August 2007 |
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| Location | Albert Dock, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom |
| Type | Slavery |
| Visitors | 396,877 (2019) |
The International Slavery Museum is a special museum in Liverpool, UK. It teaches visitors about the history of the slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean. It also shows how slavery still affects people today. The museum is part of the Merseyside Maritime Museum. It has three main areas that explore life in West Africa, how people were enslaved, and their fight for freedom. The museum also talks about slavery happening now and important topics like racism and unfair treatment.
Contents
Museum History
Early Beginnings
The story of the International Slavery Museum began within the Merseyside Maritime Museum. This museum first opened its doors in 1980. At first, it showed the history of the slave trade as part of Liverpool's sea history.
In 1994, a special area called the Transatlantic Slavery gallery was created. This gallery helped people understand Liverpool's important role in the slave trade. A person named Dorothy Kuya was a key supporter for creating a museum about international slavery in 1992.
A New Museum Opens
By the early 2000s, many people from around the world visited the gallery. This led to the idea of creating a whole museum just for the history of slavery. The goal was to explain slavery and its lasting effects even better.
The new museum officially opened on August 23, 2007. This date is important because it marks the yearly International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This day remembers when enslaved people started a big uprising in Saint-Domingue.
Why 2007 Was Important
The year 2007 was also special for another reason. It was 200 years since the United Kingdom passed the Slave Trade Act 1807. This law stopped the slave trade within the British Empire. However, it did not end slavery itself at that time.
The first part of the International Slavery Museum project moved existing exhibits. These exhibits went to the third floor of the museum. New displays were also added. This made the space for the topic of slavery twice as big.
What the Museum Teaches
The new exhibits share the latest historical facts. They also cover bigger ideas about how transatlantic slavery still affects us. Topics include freedom, identity, and human rights. They also look at unfair treatment based on race. The museum shows how slavery changed cultures in Europe, Africa, and America.
The East Gallery has about 400 songs with notes. These songs are about the experience of slavery. They also feature music from Africa and from people whose ancestors were enslaved.
The museum focuses on the stories of individuals. It uses the words of enslaved people and those involved in the trade. There is also a quiet area for thinking. This area is like a shrine to the ancestors of those who were enslaved.
Future Plans
The museum has plans for a second phase. This will include a new center for visitors. It will have performances, public talks, and debates. The center will also have a place for scholars to do research. They can use the museum's old records. A digital collection of materials about the transatlantic slave trade will also be available.
To make this second phase happen, the museum bought the old Dock Traffic Office building. This building is next to the Maritime Museum. The two buildings will be connected.
Important Artwork
In March 2018, the museum received money to buy and fix a painting. The painting is called 'Am Not I A Man and a Brother'. It was made around the year 1800. The design for this painting came from a group working to end the slave trade. This image is thought to be one of the first logos ever made for a political cause. It was also used on pottery made by Josiah Wedgwood.
Museum Exhibitions
The museum has different sections to explore. One part shows what life and culture were like in West Africa before the transatlantic slave trade. Another section covers the history of slavery itself. There are also displays and special exhibits about the lasting effects of slavery. These exhibits also discuss human rights issues that are important today.
See also
- Slavery museum (France)
- Whitney Plantation Historic District (US)
- Barbary slave trade
