What to do in Liverpool on a rainy day

Liverpool's museums cluster around the waterfront and William Brown Street, so you can string two or three together without getting soaked between them. The World Museum and Walker Art Gallery sit a minute apart on William Brown Street and both are free. The Merseyside Maritime Museum and the Beatles Story are inside the Albert Dock, so one short walk covers both.

If you want one paid attraction, the Beatles Story is the obvious choice for most visitors; the stadium tours at Anfield and Goodison Park are the alternative for football fans. The two cathedrals are free to enter and give you an hour each, with the Metropolitan Cathedral's concrete interior and the Anglican cathedral's tower views as the contrast.

National museums in Liverpool are free to enter, which makes a wet day cheap: you can fill a full day with the World Museum, Walker Art Gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum and Museum of Liverpool for nothing. Paid attractions such as the Beatles Story and the stadium tours are the main cost, so book online in advance if you are travelling in a school holiday.

Most museums open around 10:00 and close around 17:00, with last entry 30–45 minutes before closing. Cathedrals keep longer hours and are free, though the Anglican cathedral charges for the tower. Everything on this list is indoors or mostly indoors, so rain does not cancel the plan.

Liverpool Lime Street is the main rail station, with direct trains from London Euston, Manchester and Birmingham. From Lime Street it is a 10–15 minute walk to William Brown Street and about 20 minutes to the Albert Dock. Merseyrail's loop line links Lime Street, Central and James Street, which is the closest station to the waterfront.

Buses run frequently along the main city-centre corridors, and a day ticket is usually cheaper than several singles if you plan to move between the docks and the cathedrals. Taxis and ride-hailing are easy to find outside Lime Street and the docks. Walking between the main indoor sights is realistic in light rain; in heavy rain, use the Merseyrail loop or a bus for the longer legs.

Liverpool rain is often showery rather than all-day, so check the hourly forecast in the morning and build the day around the dry windows. Carry a compact umbrella and a light waterproof; the wind off the Mersey makes umbrellas less useful on the waterfront.

Museums are busiest at weekends and in school holidays, so arrive at opening time for the quietest hour. If you are travelling with children, the World Museum's aquarium and natural history galleries and the Museum of Liverpool's family displays are the easiest wins. For a wet evening, the Philharmonic Hall and the city's theatres give you a dry, seated option.

May to September gives the driest weather and the longest days, which is also when the city is busiest. October to January is the wettest stretch, so a rainy-day plan matters most then. Winter days are short, so start early if you want to fit in two or three indoor sights.

Rain falls year-round in Liverpool, so a wet day can arrive in any month. The upside is that indoor attractions are quieter outside school holidays, and a rainy weekday in spring or autumn is often the best time to have the museums almost to yourself.