The 10 Best Free Things to do in Merseyside, England

The Black Pearl is an interactive artwork to be enjoyed by all age groups it has been created and maintained by a small group of pasionate pirates. Allow your imagination to soar or just absorb the work and detail in the carefully selected driftwood and ships ropes. There are many sculptures and carvings to be found on and around the ship . If your lucky you may even find treasure in her treasure chest. The golden sands surrounding The Pearl are cleaned every day and perfect for the children to play on. The area of Cosy Cove is loved and treasured by the local community who always keep a close eye on her. Pirates At Art

A scenic renovated area of Liverpool that hosts the famous Tate Gallery, home to a wide range of world-class art, and the Beatles Museum, a tribute to the famous rock group.

On Easter Monday 1847, the gates were opened to the very first publicly funded park in the world. Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton - Birkenhead Park was created to be the People's Garden - a place where the lowliest peasant to the British Monarch could stand together to enjoy a piece of the countryside in the middle of the city. In 1850, Fredrick Law Olmstead visited the park and with its inspiration, then went on to design and create what is arguably the most famous public park in the world - Central Park New York. In 2004 Birkenhead Park underwent an £11.8million restoration return it to its former glory. Today, Birkenhead Park is a Grade I listed landscape and carries the prestigious Green Heritage Award. It caters for all visitors with a number of sports such as Football, Cricket, Bowls, Angling and cycling, as well a visitors centre and access to some of the original structures around the park.

The Lady Lever Art Gallery is a real treasure, housing a stunning collection of paintings including many Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces, the world's finest collection of Wedgwood jasperware, exquisite furniture, Chinese ceramics, tapestries and sculpture, Paintings on display include works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, Stubbs, Turner, Leighton, Millais, Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Holman Hunt and Waterhouse, to name but a few. Admission is free, booking essential at www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever

At Merseyside Maritime Museum you can explore the history of the great port of Liverpool, with four floors of galleries: Seized! The Border and Customs uncovered; the Emigration gallery; Liverpool: World Gateway; the Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland gallery; the Battle of the Atlantic; the Art and the Sea Gallery; and the temporary exhibition space. The museum also includes the 2010 Michelin Guide-listed Maritime Dining Rooms, a café, shop and lecture theatre.

A major public library and archive service in a building with a unique blend of old and new architecture dating back to 1860. It is free and fully accessible to visit and there are excellent facilities throughout. It includes a Tourist Information Centre, cafe, free Wi-Fi and computers, printing, study spaces, bookable meeting rooms, and a roof terrace. There are books for lending, including graphic novels, large print and audio books, language courses, CDs and DVDs. There is a children's library in a transformed historic space with a large collection of books. Free events are put on during school holidays. There are extensive reference collections, some of which are housed in the magnificent circular Picton Reading Room. Special collections and rare books are held in the historic Oak Room and Hornby Library where exhibitions can be seen. Extensive archives from the 13th century onwards are held and family and local history can be researched. There is also a Business and IP Centre.

World Museum Liverpool is a fantastic family day out! Over five free floors explore: the aquarium and the Treasure House Theatre; the natural world in the Clore Natural History Centre and Bug House; the human world in the World Cultures gallery and Weston Discovery Centre; the earth with dinosaurs and animals from around the world; and space and time through scientific instruments and the Planetarium. There are also two cafés and two shops.