A selection of personal, cherished items belonging to pioneering trans icon April Ashley will go on display at the Museum of Liverpool on 13 November 2026, revealing another side to one of Liverpool’s most legendary trailblazers.
From intricate jewellery and decorative brooches to bottles of perfume and travel souvenirs, the objects will give visitors an insight into the fabulous and multi-faceted life of April Ashley. Born in Norris Green in 1935, April went on to become well known as a Vogue model, actress and transgender pioneer who was awarded an MBE for her services to transgender equality in 2012. She passed away in 2021 and was laid to rest in Liverpool.
The small selection of objects will be displayed alongside Tim Walker’s iconic 2010 portrait of April and will reveal some lesser-known aspects of her life. From keepsakes she acquired while living in Wales and souvenirs from her time in San Diego, California, such as a novelty licence plate and a decorative USA flag brooch. April’s lifetime of activism will be remembered through a collection of keepsakes reflecting causes close to her heart – from Greenpeace, who she worked for, to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and a badge proudly displaying the AIDS ribbon in red and gold. The objects have been acquired for the Museum of Liverpool through an auction, from which the proceeds were donated to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where April was treated as a child.
The display coincides with the museum’s activities to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual gathering that honours the lives of transgender and non-binary people which will take place at the museum on Sunday 15 November.
Kay Jones, Lead Curator of Urban and Community History at National Museums Liverpool, said: “It’s been amazing to acquire these fabulous items for our collections and to display them for the first time to coincide with Transgender Day of Remembrance. The statement jewellery and sparkly jacket perfectly reflect April’s larger than life personality whilst the cherished keepsakes give us an insight into the perhaps lesser-known chapters of April’s life, crossing continents and decades.”
National Museums Liverpool recently reaffirmed an ongoing commitment to creating museums and galleries that are welcoming spaces for people of all gender identities by signing up to the Safe Space Merseyside directory. NML aims to challenge prejudice, celebrate diversity and promote understanding through all exhibitions, collections, displays, events and public programmes.
The display will be on view to visitors from 13 November 2026 to 12 April 2027 in the atrium of Museum of Liverpool. You can find out more about April’s life through this episode of the National Museums Liverpool podcast featuring Bev Ayre, a beloved friend in the last years of April’s life, and also the museum’s previous exhibition about her, April Ashley: Portrait of a Lady, here.