A new book from Liverpool University Press (LUP) brings to life the rich and varied collections of the University of Liverpool and explores their contemporary relevance.
‘Collecting Stories: The cultural collections of the University of Liverpool’, published today (Monday 29 September 2025), includes more than fifty of the most striking items acquired by the University of Liverpool over 150 years of collecting activity, from the foundation of University College Liverpool in the 19th century up to the 2020s. This is the first book from LUP to share the entire range of the University of Liverpool’s cultural collections.
Through a mix of lively and accessible text and beautiful images, ‘Collecting Stories’ charts the growth of the University’s cultural heritage collections by donation, purchase, bequest and commission, and relates their role in the ongoing research activity of the University.
Joanne Fitton, Deputy Director of Libraries, Museums and Galleries at the University of Liverpool, said: “The publication of Collecting Stories is a wonderful opportunity to share the breadth and significance of the University’s cultural collections, and to celebrate their role in inspiring research and creativity across generations.
“Its arrival is especially timely as we recently opened Lightbulb moments at the Victoria Gallery & Museum, an exhibition that explores where great ideas come from using objects drawn from these very collections. Together, the book and the exhibition highlight how our heritage continues to spark curiosity and innovation today.”
Collecting stories, connecting collections
The kaleidoscopic range of the entries, edited by Katy Hooper, Special Collections Librarian at the University, crosses and connects all academic disciplines at all levels of research engagement, from undergraduate to emeritus, and pays tribute to the University and Liverpool’s wide-ranging cultural partnerships. Katy Hooper said: “As editor, creating Collecting Stories has been a hugely enjoyable task. It was made possible by the unflagging enthusiasm, insight and expertise of all those involved in caring for and being curious about these collections.”
By placing the objects within their academic and cultural contexts, ‘Collecting Stories’ highlights the continued relevance of these items to the institution’s communities, regardless of when they were acquired by the University, uniting the history, present and future of research.
The objects have been selected by curators and researchers familiar with the riches of the University’s cultural heritage cared for and accessible through the Library’s Special Collections and Archives, the Garstang Museum of Archaeology, and the Victoria Gallery & Museum. These include science fiction, children’s literature, and popular music, as well as paintings, decorative art, sculpture, archaeological artefacts, natural history specimens, and scientific and medical objects. Together with rare books and manuscripts, public sculpture on campus, and the living collections of Ness Botanic Gardens, they reflect the breadth and diversity of the University’s collections.
‘Collecting Stories: The cultural collections of the University of Liverpool’ is available to buy from Liverpool University Press (RRP £14.99 or £11.99 when purchased directly from LUP) here.
Find out more about Lightbulb moments here.