Love is all you need with the help of National Museums Liverpool!
Love is all you need! Museums and galleries are incredibly romantic places and can inspire some of the greatest love stories! Visit the National Museum Liverpool’s website to find out the tales behind their objects.
National Museum’s Liverpool also have the perfect gift ideas for you to treat your loved one (or yourself) this Valentine’s Day! Everything included is from the diverse collections at National Museums Liverpool. Some of the objects are on display, others are currently in storage, while some form part of the vast collection of research items held at the museums. The only place that you can see them all together is here. If you are not convinced then have a look at some of the amorous objects from our collections below.
Sweetheart brooches
During both world wars ‘sweetheart’ brooches were given by servicemen to loved ones left behind. These could take the form of a miniature version of the regimental badge, sometimes gem set, or perhaps an ensign, aircraft or wings. ‘Sweetheart’ jewellery today is very collectable.
Inscribed: ‘The Lord watch between me & thee when we are absent one from another’
From the King’s Regiment collection at the Museum of Liverpool.
Accession number 60.203.152
French rose
From its association with Venus, to Robert Burns’ poem expressing his love as being ‘like a red, red rose’, roses have long been associated with romance. Different coloured roses are said to represent various meanings; red symbolising love, desire and passion.
The red rose, Rosa gallica variety officinalis, is a cultivated rose. It originally grew wild in central Asia and was first cultivated by the ancient Persians and Egyptians, and later by the Greeks and Romans. The Romans introduced it in Gaul (later to become France) hence its name Rosa gallica.
Rosa gallica is the ‘Red Rose of Lancaster’ which is Liverpool’s county flower (as Liverpool used to be in Lancashire). You can see some red roses painted on the railings outside World Museum.
Botanical print of Rosa gallica. Accession number 1990.11.213
Treat the one you love
Give the gift of a National Museums Liverpool Membership to a loved one this Valentine’s Day – a whole year of incredible experiences and new discoveries, plus exclusive members-only offers.
The membership fee supports NML buildings, collections and aquarium wildlife, which is a truly wonderful thing, plus they’ll get 15% off NML’s online shop!
Go First. Go Free. Discover More.