The Beatles Story Museum, Liverpool

Name: The Beatles Story Museum, Liverpool
Address: Britannia Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, Liverpool, L3 4AD, GB
Price range: From £16

Liverpool

Courtesy of The Beatles Story Museum, Liverpool

ENTRY

from £16

WHERE

Liverpool

What it’s like

A walk-through exhibition tracing the band's story, with a recreated Cavern Club and a Discovery Zone at the end.

You're not looking at a hands-on kids' museum here, this is a proper walk through the Beatles' story, told with memorabilia and a free audio guide that comes in 12 languages. The recreated Cavern Club is the bit that lands best, dark and atmospheric, with enough Beatles clutter around it to keep you both talking. Younger kids will need a grown up narrating alongside the audio guide, but older ones who know a few of the songs will get more out of it.

The Discovery Zone comes at the end and is worth saving your patience for, it's the closer that gives kids something to actually do after twenty minutes of reading panels. Tickets are timed, so you book a slot online in advance, though there are kiosks at the entrance for card payment if you turn up without one. Walking in on spec is a gamble though, they can't guarantee you'll get in.

It's £20 for an adult and £16 concession, which isn't pocket change for what's essentially an afternoon of exhibition, and it stings a bit more when you realise the entrance lift is out of order. That means the exhibition is only reachable via 19 shallow steps at the moment, which is a genuine faff if you've got a buggy or anyone who struggles with stairs. Two Fab4 Cafés, one at Albert Dock and one at Pier Head, cover you for food, and there's a gift shop to brace your wallet for on the way out.

The whole thing sits on the Albert Dock waterfront, and it's open pretty much all year, just shut for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Toilets are dotted through the visit, in the Cavern Club area about ten minutes in, and again near the café and Discovery Zone, with baby changing available too.

Facilities

Baby change

Booking required

Café

Card only

Gift shop

Toilets

Need to know

Booking: Timed slots required. Tickets pre-purchased online with assigned timeslot or card payment at kiosks on arrival
Food: Two Beatles-themed Fab4 Cafés (Albert Dock and Pier Head)
Wheelchairs: Exhibition inaccessible due to entrance lift out of order (19 shallow steps required)

The entrance lift is out of order right now, so it's 19 shallow steps to get in.
Cash isn't taken anywhere at admissions, only card.
Turning up without a booked slot means relying on whatever timeslot the entrance kiosk has left.
Closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but open the rest of the year including reduced hours on Christmas Eve and New Year.

Plan your visit

How much are tickets?

£20 for an adult, £16 concession for seniors and students with valid ID. Discounted or companion tickets are available for visitors who need extra support, if you bring proof.

Do we need to book in advance?

Tickets are timed slots and it's best to buy online beforehand. There are kiosks at the entrance if you haven't booked, but they only sell whatever slot is next available, so you can't count on getting straight in.

Can I pay on the day with cash?

Card only at the admissions desk, cash isn't accepted at all. The entrance kiosks work the same way.

Is it wheelchair or buggy accessible?

The entrance lift is currently out of order, so the exhibition is only reachable via 19 shallow steps. It's worth calling ahead on 0151 705 6621 to talk through what's possible, and the Fab4 Store and Café at the Dock and Pier Head are still wheelchair accessible.