People Power: New Exhibition Tells Story of Saving Liverpool’s Palm House
A new exhibition at Liverpool Central Library is set to spotlight one of the city’s most powerful stories of community action, as the Save It! display explores how local people helped rescue the iconic Sefton Park Palm House from dereliction.
Opening 7 May and running until 27 August 2026, the free exhibition—located on the third floor of the library—marks 25 years since the Palm House reopened in 2001, following a decade-long grassroots campaign to save the historic structure.
From Decline to Revival
The Save It! display charts the dramatic journey of the Palm House, from its gradual decline in the mid-20th century to its eventual restoration. Originally opened in 1896, the Victorian glasshouse—built by local resident Henry Yates Thompson—was designed to give Liverpool residents access to plants from around the world.
However, decades of damage and underinvestment saw the landmark fall into disrepair. After suffering bomb damage during the Second World War and a flawed restoration in the 1950s, the building’s condition worsened, leading to the removal of most plants in 1984 and its full closure by 1990.
The turning point came when a simple but striking message—“SAVE IT” painted in red on security hoardings—sparked public attention and galvanised a community-led campaign to restore the Palm House for future generations.
A Community-Led Campaign
Featuring archive material from Liverpool Record Office, including photographs, fundraising efforts and personal testimonies, the exhibition celebrates the determination of volunteers, campaigners and partners who worked tirelessly throughout the 1990s to secure £3.5 million in funding.
Kate Johnson said: “Without the goodwill of the local community driving a campaign to save and restore it, it’s very clear that the Palm House we know and love today would not be here.”
Following its reopening in 2001, the Palm House established itself not only as a heritage attraction but also as a vital community space, hosting educational programmes, cultural events, and a growing weddings and events business that helps sustain its future.
Celebrating 130 Years of History
The exhibition also forms part of wider celebrations marking 130 years since the Palm House first opened. Alongside the display, a programme of talks, seasonal events, community-led garden displays and a Grow Your Own Harvest Festival will take place throughout the year.
One of the original campaigners, Kate da Cruz, reflected on the transformation: “It’s such a joy to see locals and visitors alike marvelling at the plants and the space. It just shows what a determined group of people can achieve.”
A Story That Continues
Today, the Palm House stands as both a symbol of Liverpool’s architectural heritage and a testament to the impact of collective action. Now an RHS Partner Garden—the only one in the city—it continues to evolve, with a newly launched supporters’ campaign inviting people to play a role in its future.
The Save It! exhibition is free to visit Monday to Saturday at Liverpool Central Library from 7 May to 27 August, before elements of the display move to the Palm House itself—bringing the story back to the place it helped save.
For more information and to donate to the Palm House visit palmhouse.org.uk/support.
