One of the world famous Three Graces, the Grade II-listed Cunard Building on Liverpool waterfront was completed in 1916 and this summer the public is invited in for heritage tours. Tony McDonough reports
This summer sees Liverpool waterfront Cunard Building opened up for heritage tours.
Completed in 1916, the Grade II-listed building was the purpose-built headquarters of cruise line Cunard. The company moved to Southampton in the 1960 and the building is now home to Liverpool City Council.
Cunard Building is now being opened up to the public by the city council’s heritage team which will be offering the Cunard Building Heritage Tours on selected days from June to August.
Taking around one hour, the tours of the landmark, one of the world famous Three Graces along with the Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool Building, will take in areas normally never seen by the public.
Along the way, they will have the chance to hear from the shipping line’s founder Samuel Cunard himself in a fascinating projection – new for 2026 – explaining why Liverpool was the ideal location for his transatlantic passenger service when it started in 1840.
Tours start in the historic ground floor Arrivals Lounge which once welcomed passengers from across the globe, and which still boasts the architectural detail, stories and character of Liverpool’s golden age of ocean travel.
It then heads deep into the atmospheric basement levels. Here, visitors can see where valuables were stored and where steerage passengers waited in huge underground rooms before embarking on their voyage.
There is also an opportunity to visit the sub-basement which was transformed into a giant air raid shelter during the Second World War.
Weekend dates also include access to the upper boardrooms, giving people an additional opportunity to experience some of the building’s most impressive interiors.
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Alan Smith, Liverpool’s head of heritage, preservation and development, said: “The building is widely regarded as the ultimate physical monument reflecting the golden age of travel.
“Serving as the global headquarters of the Cunard line from 1916 to 1967, the building was designed to reflect the company’s status as the absolute master of transatlantic cruise line travel.”
To book a place on the tours, click here.