Big Heritage reveals opening date for revamped Birkenhead U-Boat Story Museum
The expected opening date of a new Merseyside museum has been revealed with a promise to tell “a global story” with “a Merseyside accent.”
Big Heritage CIC, which runs the Western Approaches museum in Liverpool, is planning to revamp and completely transform the U-Boat Story Museum in Birkenhead. The project is being funded by part of a £19.6m government grant which looks to introduce a new public space, improve the Woodside ferry terminal, and create a new international Battle of the Atlantic attraction.
Work started on the U-boat project at the beginning of this year after planning permission was granted in April 2024. The new museum will take people through different levels to see its U-boat, including from underneath where viewers can see the damage left after it was sunk during World War Two.
The completion of the new museum project is now expected to finish behind schedule with councillors being asked this week to extend a deadline to August 2026. A report before councillors on July 10 said conditions were still being finalised related to the granting of planning permission last year.
Now Big Heritage have confirmed the museum is set to open next summer which they said is being supported by the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and Cammell Laird. The company said the museum will “showcase never-before-seen artefacts and documents, bringing new light to one of history’s most consequential struggles.”
Big Heritage director Dean Paton said: “The Battle of the Atlantic shaped the course of the Second World War, and yet its full story has never been told in one place until now,” adding: “This new museum will not only honour the courage and sacrifice of those who served, but also connect that legacy to the communities who helped secure victory including those still working on the banks of the Mersey today.
“From Cammell Laird apprentices preserving U-534, to veterans helping bring exhibits to life, this is history built by the people, for the people. We are telling a global story, but it will very much have a Merseyside accent.”
Big Heritage also said a team of veterans will contribute directly to the museum’s creation, working across exhibits, collections, and site development. Rob Lockyer, Independent Living Coordinator at Veterans Launchpad said: “We’re incredibly grateful to be part of this remarkable project.
“The chance to contribute to the creation of a museum honouring military history, especially one with such deep naval significance, means a great deal to our veterans. It’s more than just a job and it’s a meaningful way to reconnect with their identity and continue serving in a new way.
“There’s a lot of work behind the scenes on this and justifies why Big Heritage earned their Gold Level award by the Ministry of Defence for their support of veterans and their families.”
By Ed Barnes – Local Democracy Reporter
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