Maritime Archives and Library

The Maritime Archives and Library at Merseyside Maritime Museum houses an extensive collection of maritime books and documents spanning three centuries. These include one of the finest collections of merchant shipping records in the UK.

We are happy to answer enquiries about our collections but are unable to answer enquiries on maritime history or undertake detailed research into the collections on your behalf.

You are welcome to visit the Maritime Archives and Library yourself to use our reference library for your research or to consult our collections. Please contact us| if you wish to find out more about the collections you are interested in before your visit.

Research guides

If you are researching maritime history or tracing your ancestors then we suggest you start by looking through our extensive online information sheets.| These cover a wide range of maritime subjects as well as lots of information about the records we hold - and recommended alternative sources of information for records that are not in our collections.

Our collections

The only known surviving first class ticket for the White Star liner Titanic, one of the treasures of the Maritime Archives and Library, is currently on display in the Titanic and Liverpool exhibition|.

Every aspect of Liverpool's maritime history from the early 18th-century is covered in the Maritime Archives and Library. Whilst the emphasis is on Liverpool, the coverage is national and international. 

For further information on the library and archives collections see the Major collections| section. We also have a series of topical Displays and online exhibitions|, featuring highlights from the collection.

We'd suggest that you check out the Start your search| section where we'll explain what we can do to help. The Frequently Asked Questions| section features examples of the service we provide.