LIVERPOOL has more museums and galleries than any other UK city region outside of London – and this offering is about to get even better.

National Museums Liverpool (NML) already operates six venues across the City Region – World Museum Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, International Slavery Museum, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Lady Lever Art Gallery and Sudley House.

These free venues attract over 2.5m visitors a year and on July 19 – 100 years to the day since the neighbouring Royal Liver Building opened its doors – NML will open its seventh venue, the £72m Museum of Liverpool.

It is already anticipated that the new venue will attract more than 750,000 visitors per year.

Situated on Liverpool's waterfront, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, it will become the largest newly-built national museum in Britain for over a century.

It will also become and the world's first national museum devoted to the history of a regional city.

Professor Phil Redmond, chairman of National Museums Liverpool, said: "Liverpool's waterfront is known the world over, and we are pleased that we will soon be welcoming visitors to what is undoubtedly a stunning addition to that World Heritage Site.

"Liverpool's role in history is also known the world over, as is its iconic symbol, the Liver Bird. It is fitting then that the first purpose-built museum to examine a city's role in world history, is opening its doors 100 years to the day that the Liver Building itself opened for business."

The museum will focus on four main themes of port, creative and sporting history, people and global significance with galleries called The Great Port, Wondrous Place, People's Republic and Global City.

It will open in two phases, the second being towards the end of the year.

David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool said: "The Museum of Liverpool is all about telling the stories of the city and its people. "

"This includes the times of struggle such as the Toxteth riots, the triumphs of our musical exports including The Beatles, and the dramatic histories of our football teams.

"Every single event has helped shape this city's personality. The Museum of Liverpool is here to tell the tale, and like the Liver Building, will be around for many years to come."

The Museum of Liverpool will give NML the opportunity to showcase more than 6,000 objects, many of which have never been displayed before.