Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Back Beatles Attraction Relocation

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Back Beatles Attraction Relocation

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Apple Corps has announced plans to relocate and expand Liverpool’s The Beatles Story museum into a 100,000-square-foot site in 2028. The project will incorporate sets from Sam Mendes’ upcoming four-film cinematic event while drawing praise from surviving band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

The long-running visitor attraction, which has operated at the Albert Dock since 1990, will move across the city centre into the former St Johns Market space inside St Johns Shopping Centre. Directly opposite Liverpool Lime Street station, the new location will more than quadruple the museum’s current footprint, creating a sprawling, multi-hour immersive experience.

Apple Corps Takes Direct Control of Liverpool Exhibition

The expansion marks a significant shift for Apple Corps, the company founded in 1968 to oversee the band’s creative and business interests. While the organization manages major ventures globally, this project represents the first permanent Beatles experience it has operated directly, following a London attraction at 3 Savile Row scheduled to open at the end of 2027.

Apple Corps will take over running the existing Albert Dock location in 2027 before completing the transition to the new St Johns site the following year. Apple Corps CEO Tom Greene compared the ambition of the undertaking to major American cultural landmarks.

Just like Graceland or Dollywood, it’s fitting that The Beatles will have a world class destination for fans to visit in the centre of the city where the story started.

Sets and Props From Sam Mendes Biopics Feed the New Design

Timing for the museum’s 2028 debut is tied directly to the rollout of director Sam Mendes’ monumental four-part biopic series, distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures. Each film approaches the band from the perspective of a different member, starring Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

When filming wraps, production assets will find a permanent home in Liverpool. Organizers plan to reuse authentic sets and props from the films to construct hyper-detailed environments representing key eras in the band’s history, ranging from post-war childhood streets and Hamburg clubs to the Cavern Club, Abbey Road, and Shea Stadium.

The Beatles pose for a portrait photo wearing suits and smiling, taken in 1963
Photo: BBC

Transforming St Johns Beacon Into a Yellow Submarine Experience

Beyond the main museum halls, the redevelopment extends to one of the city’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. Apple Corps has announced it will renovate St Johns Beacon, a 400-foot tower that has remained vacant since its viewing gallery closed and radio tenants vacated in 2024.

The tower will be transformed into a separate attraction inspired by the animated film Yellow Submarine, offering panoramic views across the city. Meanwhile, surviving band members shared their disbelief at the sheer scale of the tribute.

If you’d told us this was going to happen when we were hanging out and getting started, we’d never have believed it.

Funding the Next Generation of Local Artists

A newly established charity, the Apple Corps Liverpool Trust, will receive a portion of revenue from every ticket sold.

The initiative is designed to provide financial backing and professional opportunities for emerging musicians across the Liverpool City Region. Andy Burnham praised the effort as the kind of ambition I want to see more of across Britain, while Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram noted that visitors already travel globally to visit the birthplace of the group.

More on Ringo Starr

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