Doors open for Open House 2019

The University’s Open House festival begins today, with ten days of free events showcasing great ideas, knowledge and culture.

The programme has already proved extremely popular, so If you are interested in attending a ticketed event please register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

The festival begins at the Victoria Gallery & Museum this evening with a talk by historian and curator Dr Eve Rosenhaft about the genocide of the Roma by the Nazis, which will reflect on the events all over Europe that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Roma and others labelled ‘gypsies’ between 1935 and 1945.

On 16 May, Egyptologist Dr Roland Enmarch will reveal how his research on ancient Egyptian poetry led to a surprise headline-making discovery that could solve the mystery of how the Great Pyramid of Giza was built.

Should the legal voting age be lowered to 16? Half a century on from when the UK became the first country to lower the voting age to 18 there are calls to lower it again – a move that could have a marked impact on the outcome of future elections. Join politics expert Professor Jon Tonge on 20 May for a lively discussion that will consider the argument from both sides.

Wrapping up the festival on 22 May, renowned Shakespearian actor Michael Pennington returns to Liverpool to read from his latest book, King Lear in Brooklyn and take you on an entertaining journey through the epic tragedy from the perspective of the characters.

Other evening events include a LivWise panel discussion about the future of energy and lectures on the changing landscape of war memorials in Greater China and the reputation of philanthropy.

LightNight Liverpool, the city’s popular one-night arts festival returns on Friday for its tenth year, with the University’s Victoria Gallery & Museum and Garstang Museum of Archaeology offering a host of exciting activities suitable for all ages.

Other highlights include a behind the scenes visit to a cancer research laboratory at one of the North West Cancer Research Centre’s afternoon tea events and the chance to experience the Interface Soundscapes ceramic art and sound installation, which features characteristic soundscapes of the city.

Open House runs from 13-22 May 2019. For the full programme, including timings and booking details, please visit: www.liverpool.ac.uk/openhouse