Old Dock Experience attracts 1,000 visitors

National Museums Liverpool has said over 1,000 visitors have toured the Old Dock Experience, a month after opening as the city's latest historic attraction.

As tipped in Place in March, NML, together with Grosvenor and Oxford Archaeology North, announced that the world's first commercial enclosed wet dock will be opening to the public in May.

Yazz Vanducci, a visitor host, said: "The tours have been a big hit with visitors fascinated by the dock and its history. There's a great wow factor when they see this unique survival of old Liverpool."

Chris Bliss, Liverpool One's estate director, added: "Grosvenor incorporated the Old Dock into the design of Liverpool One and developed the visitor facility being run by National Museums Liverpool. We are delighted with the public response to the tours."

The dock was discovered during excavations in 2001 after being buried since 1826 and preserved under Grosvenor's £1bn Liverpool One scheme.

The Old Dock was built on the River Mersey in Liverpool from 1709 and completed in 1715, by enlarging a previous natural tidal creek, known as the 'Pool' that Liverpool was named after.

Guided tours organised by NML start at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in the Albert Dock and visitors walk to the nearby old dock.

Three public tours are held every Tuesday at 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm, with school tours on Wednesdays. NML said that the Tuesday tours are now fully booked until September.

NML added that the attraction is under constant review and if it gains a "sustained interest" there will be plans to have the Old Dock Experience open on more days in the week for the public to view. NML said it opened the attraction one day a week to see if it could sustain interest.

During the summer holidays, NML said that there are also public tours at 11am and 1pm, every Wednesday, in August, which are filling up.

• The Old Dock Experience is also part of the Royal Institute of British Architects' month-long North West Architecture Festival 2010. For more details visit the Place North West Events Listings