27 June 2007, the Merseytravel transit authority announced that it had acquired the submarine to display at the Woodside Ferry Terminal. For technical reasons and to facilitate economical transportation to its new site, the vessel was cut into five sections, two of which were subsequently re-joined. It is now displayed in sectioned form to allow visitors better visibility without entering the U-boat. Merseytravel said that preserving the hull intact would have created prohibitive transport costs. Engineers began a month-long operation to divide U-534, using a diamond wire cutter, on 6 February 2008. On 10 March 2008, the sections, each weighing as much as 240 tonnes, were transported over several days by floating crane. The U-boat Story exhibition opened on 10 February 2009. On 24 October 2021 it was announced that the custodianship of U-534 was to be given to heritage charity Big Heritage, operators of the Western Approaches Museum in Liverpool. Gallery See also Surviving U-boats SM U-1 (originally U-2540) Other References Bibliography External links Mersey Ferries: U-Boat Story Future of the U-534 article U-534 Website Moved 2010-Est 1996 Much information and photos Raising U-534 Pictures from the raising of U-534 Items found inside U-534 The U-534 Enigma messages U-Boat 534 raised, short video of the recovery of U-534 German Type IX submarines U-boats commissioned in 1942 U-boats sunk in 1945 World War II submarines of Germany Museum ships in the United Kingdom 1942 ships Museums in Merseyside World War II museums in the United Kingdom Birkenhead Ships built in Hamburg U-boats sunk by British aircraft Maritime incidents in May 1945