July 21, 2011- The Museum of Liverpool has opened this week down on its waterfront in Liverpool, England, to much pomp and fanfare. Dedicated to its own illustrious history dating back over a century, it honors its long-standing love of football, the dramatic toll of World Wars, and its historic and once thriving port.
But they didn’t forget the impact The Beatles have had on the city.
Included with the 12,000 people who attended the opening on the 19th were Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s widow, and Mike McCartney, Paul McCartney’s brother.(see youtube videos)
Mike’s photography is featured at the museum, including The Beatles on tour, Bono backstage at Echo Arena, Ken Dodd's farewell concert, and famous landmarks in Liverpool. He wrote for his introduction, "It's a high honour … when your hometown asks for an exhibition to open their brand new Museum of Liverpool." (See this You Tube video of Mike here, talking to the Liverpool Daily Post.)
Among the display of Beatles memorabilia in the museum’s Wondrous Place Gallery is the stage where John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met in 1957 at St. Peter’s Church, and immersive films about the band. You are invited to get “a ticket to ride” to see a Beatles show called 'In The Town Where I Was Born' Beatles show, saying “Immerse yourself in the rollercoaster story of the Fab Four in Liverpool - the birthplace of a musical and cultural revolution that swept the globe.”
Another item high on the “cool” rating is a scale-model of John Lennon’s childhood home, Mendips. The model was created to assist in the efforts to return Mendips to its original 1950s appearance after Yoko donated it to the National Trust in 2003.
Yoko Ono was shown the handcrafted All You Need Is Love bedspread presented to her and John Lennon in 1969 by Christine Kemp during their Bed-In at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, which you can see in the Youtube video here.
Three of the four main galleries have opened- Wondrous Place, The People’s Republic, and Global City, as well as Little Liverpool, a dedicated gallery for children under six years of age Located on Liverpool’s waterfront (close to the Beatles Story Museum), it is 8,000 square metres large and is the largest museum built in Britain in over 100 years.
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