William Brown Library and Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William Brown Library and Museum |
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Main entrance to the building
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| General information | |
| Location | William Brown Street, Liverpool, England |
| Coordinates | 53°24′35″N 2°58′52″W / 53.40979°N 2.98118°W |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Thomas Allom John Weightman (modified) |
| Designations | |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: William Brown Library and Museum | |
| Designated: | 28 June 1952 |
| Reference #: | 1063781 |
The William Brown Library and Museum is an important building in Liverpool, England. It is located on the historic William Brown Street. This building is very old and has a special historical status called Grade II* listed.
Today, the building is home to parts of the World Museum Liverpool and the Liverpool Central Library. It is a place where people can learn, explore, and discover many interesting things.
Contents
Building History
Why the Building Was Needed
The idea for the William Brown Library and Museum building came about because the city needed a bigger space. Before this building, there was a museum called the Derby Museum. It held a large collection of natural history items. This collection belonged to the Earl of Derby.
The Derby Museum shared two small rooms on Duke Street with a library. It was clear that Liverpool needed a much larger and more modern place for its growing collections and books.
How the Building Was Funded
The land for the new building was on a street then called Shaw's Brow. A generous local man named Sir William Brown, 1st Baronet of Astrop provided this land. Sir William Brown was a Member of Parliament (MP) and a successful merchant.
He also gave a lot of money to help build the new library and museum. Because of his kindness and support, the street was later renamed William Brown Street in his honor.
Design and Opening
The building was designed by an architect named Thomas Allom. He created it in a classical style. This means it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. It features grand Corinthian columns.
Another architect, John Weightman, who worked for the Liverpool Corporation (the city's government), made some changes to the design. The new building officially opened its doors in 1860. A huge crowd of 400,000 people attended the opening ceremony.
Impact of World War II
During the Second World War, Liverpool was a very important port city. Because of this, it was heavily bombed by German planes. The William Brown Library and Museum building was hit during the Liverpool Blitz in 1941.
Firebombs caused a massive fire that badly damaged the building. Much of it had to be rebuilt after the war. Luckily, many important items from the museum's collection had been moved to safer places before the bombings. This helped protect them from being destroyed.
Modern Updates
In 2008, plans were made to update the library section of the building. The goal was to replace the parts that were rebuilt after World War II. These new plans aimed to create modern facilities for visitors.
See also
- Architecture of Liverpool
- Grade II* listed buildings in Liverpool – City Centre
