The collection of maritime paintings is one of the key holdings of Merseyside Maritime Museum. It provides a comprehensive record of merchant vessels and shipping activity, particularly related to Liverpool, from the late eighteenth century to the present day. Most paintings in the collection are portraits of merchant vessels, owned in Liverpool, or associated with the port. They were produced for people who knew the vessels – their owners, builders, masters, and crew. There are also views of the port of Liverpool, the Mersey, and general shipping scenes set against local and other British coastal backgrounds. Since the first maritime oil painting was acquired in 1912, the collection has grown to fully represent Liverpool’s development as a centre for shipping and one of the world's great ports.