Our Visit to Port Sunlight and Port Sunlight Museum

Our visit to Port Sunlight was quite the journey back in time! Here’s what we learnt and what to expect from a visit to Port Sunlight.

We love nothing more than a weekend wander, and if we can make it educational for my son, even better! Having lived in Wirral for over 20 years, I was surprised to realise I had never set foot in the Port Sunlight Museum! With the launch of my blog, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to learn about this village’s history with my son. Here’s our visit to Port Sunlight.

We arrived at Port Sunlight Village

We hopped on a train from Hoylake to Port Sunlight, and the Museum was a short walk (under 10 minutes) from Bebington Train Station. You can also get off at Port Sunlight Train Station, and the Museum is a 10-minute walk from there.

As we arrived, the first thing that struck us was the stunning architecture. Port Sunlight is a remarkable surviving example of early urban planning in the UK. It has remained largely unchanged since its establishment by William Hesketh Lever in 1888.

It’s a beautiful village with over 900 Grade II listed buildings set in 130 acres of landscaped parks and gardens. More than 30 architects contributed to creating the various buildings, monuments, and memorials that can still be admired today, showcasing nearly every era of British architectural revival design.

This village is an example of the aesthetic movement, which focuses on the visual and sensory aspects of art and design, and the Arts and Crafts Movement, celebrated for its dedication to traditional craftsmanship.

Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, Wirral CH62 4XN

William Hesketh Lever

Lever was born in Bolton and was the son of a wholesale grocer. He left school at 16 to join the family business, which he successfully expanded and transformed. In 1884, he concentrated on a single product—household soap—due to its strong marketing potential as pre-wrapped bars sold under a brand name. Previously, soap was sold by cutting from a large block made to order.

Two years later, he began manufacturing soap himself and launched the company Lever Brothers with his brother. Initially, he produced his soap in an existing factory, but by 1888, he had outgrown that space and relocated to a custom-built, much larger facility on the Wirral shore of the Mersey. He also established a village for his employees and named it Port Sunlight after his most successful soap brand.

Why was Port Sunlight built?

Lever created Port Sunlight to accommodate the employees of his soap factory, Lever Brothers, which later evolved into Unilever. The village embodies his vision of offering industrial workers decent living conditions within a thoughtfully designed and visually appealing setting.

Lever claimed it was part of a business model he called ‘prosperity-sharing’. Instead of distributing the company’s profits directly to his employees, Lever offered them quality, affordable housing and various amenities for a portion of their salary.

This approach was very appealing. Workers were made to feel like they were part of a community but also thrive as individuals. Additionally, it aimed to foster loyalty and dedication among the workforce.

Our visit to Port Sunlight Museum

From the outside, the Port Sunlight Museum looks impressive. We visited on an icy January Saturday and were greeted by lovely staff eager to share the village’s history. The Museum is housed in a beautifully restored building that once served as a library for the workers.

The Port Sunlight Museum tells the story of William Lever and his vision to create a village for workers at his Sunlight Soap factory. Exhibits detail the life and legacy of the Lever family and the significant role the village played in the Industrial Revolution.

The Museum has many interactive sections. One of the family-friendly activities is ‘Design your own Port Sunlight house,’ which my son loved. Once we left, he was able to point out key features of the local architecture.

Each house was built with plenty of light and fresh air in mind—there were no dark, cramped homes here. Gardens were also a significant focus, with each home having its own garden to grow vegetables and flowers. Clearly, it was intended for the villagers to thrive both inside their homes and in their community.

I was surprised at how engaging the museum is for children

The interactive timeline was excellent, and my son loved seeing the old soap packaging. I was really impressed at how Port Sunlight Museum made the exhibits engaging for children. It was incredible to see how much went into not only creating the village but also shaping the lives of the people who lived there.

My son loved the recreated 1900s grocers’ shop filled with Lever Brothers’ soap packaging. He spent a while there dressing up, too.

We loved the ‘Beatles Over The Water’ display at the end, exploring Port Sunlight’s unique place in the story of The Beatles.

Port Sunlight Museum ticket prices

Our tickets were £8.00 for adults and £5.50 for children. Your ticket also gives you entry to the Edwardian Worker’s Cottage, which was interesting to see. Your ticket is valid 12 months from the purchase date, allowing you to explore Port Sunlight’s story again if you fancy it.

Accessibility

The Museum offers restroom facilities, including an accessible toilet and baby changing areas. The entrance and all areas within the Museum provide level access. Please be aware that the door leading into the exhibition space is not automatic, so you might need help opening it. They welcome assistance dogs inside the Port Sunlight Museum, but non-assistance dogs are not allowed.

Port Sunlight Museum, 23 King George’s Dr, Bebington, Wirral CH62 5DX

Racism, the Belgian Congo, and William Lever

Lever’s workers in Port Sunlight benefited from better living conditions; at the museum, we learnt that others elsewhere did not. William Lever set up plantations in places that included the Solomon Islands and the former Belgian Congo to cheaply source ingredients such as palm oil for his soapmaking operations. You can read more about racism, the Belgian Congo, and William Lever here.

Evidence of enforced labour and racial violence at plantations like these is increasingly being revealed. Port Sunlight Village Trust is undertaking a research programme to explore the village’s colonial links openly. You can read more about their Equity, Diversity, and inclusion commitments here.

Bridge Cottage

On the advice of the staff at the Museum, we wandered to Bridge Cottage before heading to get our train. Bridge Cottage is one of the oldest and most remarkable cottages in Port Sunlight.

Built in 1892 by the architects Douglas and Fordham, its unique design and stone exterior distinguishes it from other homes in the village. William Lever used the cottage as an occasional home until 1900. Afterwards, it became a residence for esteemed villagers, including school headmasters and chief civil engineers.

The house has been a filming location numerous times, including notable films like Chariots of Fire (1981) and Tolkien (2019). Its exterior has also appeared in the Peaky Blinders (2013-2022) series. Additionally, it will be seen in the forthcoming biopic about Beatles manager Brian Epstein, titled Midas Man.

Bridge Cottage, 23 Park Rd, Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, Wirral CH62 4US

Lady Lever Art Gallery

We also quickly visited the Lady Lever Art Gallery. Dedicated to the memory of William Lever’s wife, the Lady Lever Art Gallery has the best collection of Wedgwood jasperware anywhere in the world and internationally renowned Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Lady Lever Art Gallery is owned and managed by National Museums Liverpool. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

Lady Lever Art Gallery, Lower Rd, Port Sunlight, Bebington, Wirral CH62 5EQ

To round off our day before heading home, we popped into the Tudor Rose Tea Rooms for tea and cake. We had a really interesting day in Port Sunlight and learned a lot at the museum. I’m so glad we finally visited with my son. If you’re planning a trip, check their website for any special events or exhibitions that may be happening.