Apple Corps Ltd, the multimedia corporation founded by The Beatles, will create the first official Beatles experience in the band's home city of Liverpool, taking over the former St Johns Market Hall and the iconic St Johns Beacon. The new Beatles Story is set to open in 2028.
The long-running Beatles Story attraction, currently housed at the city's Albert Dock, will be relocated and completely reimagined into a central, immersive experience, according to the Liverpool Echo. The new venue will be established in the former St Johns Market Hall, which has stood empty since the market's closure in 2024. Spanning 100,000 square feet, the site will boast more than four times the footprint of the existing Beatles Story.
Reimagining Landmarks
The plans also include the St Johns Beacon — formerly home to Radio City — which will be reinvented as a Yellow Submarine-themed viewing experience overlooking the city. The proposal will see The Beatles Story transferred into the ownership of Apple Corps, the enterprise established in 1968 to manage The Beatles' artistic and commercial affairs.
Organisers are drawing comparisons to Graceland and Dollywood, the celebrated venues honouring American icons Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton respectively, both of which draw millions of visitors annually. The revamped Beatles Story will employ cutting-edge immersive technology, memorabilia and meticulously recreated sets to transport visitors through The Beatles' journey.
Support from McCartney and Starr
Sir Paul McCartney described the landmark proposals as "extraordinary," while Ringo Starr declared the vision for the attraction to be "far out." Prime Minister Andy Burnham added that the Fab Four's ambitious plans for his home city demonstrate "the kind of ambition I want to see more of across Britain."
McCartney said: "The extraordinary plans the Apple Corps team have shown me for The Beatles Story take me right back to that journey, from Liverpool to the world and back home again. It couldn't have happened without Liverpool and I can't wait for people to be able to step into our story and share the experience."
Ringo Starr added: "Liverpool was, and still is, music city. And now we are expanding the The Beatles Story Experience in Liverpool - how far out. The beat goes on. I also love that proceeds from every ticket will go back to support new Liverpool artists. It is great to be part of this – deep down I am still a scouser - I love what Apple (Corps) and Liverpool are doing. Peace and love."
Immersive Experience and Legacy
During a multi-hour experience at the new attraction, guests will travel through the universe that shaped The Beatles, from the streets of post-war Liverpool, via their developmental period in Hamburg and the phenomenon of Beatlemania, right through to the pinnacle of their global stardom. Enthusiasts will have the chance to enter some of the most legendary settings and episodes in Beatles lore, including The Cavern, Abbey Road, Shea Stadium, Savile Row and numerous others.
Several of these immersive settings will be constructed using sets and props from Sam Mendes' forthcoming The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event, which Sony will release in cinemas worldwide in April 2028. The St Johns Beacon Yellow Submarine-themed attraction will also offer fans a sweeping 360-degree panorama of Liverpool, encompassing the landmarks and pivotal sites where pop history was forged. Liverpool's second tallest structure, The Beacon will function as an independent attraction, though visitors will have the option to purchase tickets for both experiences combined.
Every ticket purchased for The Beatles Story will support The Apple Corps Liverpool Trust, a charitable programme established to deliver financial backing and opportunities for up-and-coming Liverpool artists and local cultural projects. Further details of the trust will be revealed in due course, the company said.
Apple Corps Ltd will assume control of The Beatles Story at its present site in 2027, before relocating the attraction to St Johns in 2028. The new venue will represent only the second permanent Beatles experience ever managed by Apple Corps, following the upcoming attraction at 3 Savile Row in London, scheduled to open at the end of 2027. The Beatles Story will launch shortly after the April 2028 release of the highly anticipated The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event.
Apple Corps' chief executive Tom Greene said: "Liverpool birthed the greatest band in history and today we are announcing a new experience in the city that does justice to that legacy. 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. It marks a new chapter in Apple Corp's history and we can't wait for people to see what we've been working on."
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: "The Beatles belong to the world – but Liverpool will always be home. Their music changed popular culture forever and carried the name of our city to every corner of the globe, so it feels absolutely right that the definitive Beatles experience should be here, in the place where it all began."
The announcement has been made possible through a Liverpool-led partnership. Significant groundwork has been carried out by Apple Corps Ltd alongside Liverpool City Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, supported by central government.
Liverpool City Council Leader Liam Robinson said: "This announcement is another hugely exciting chapter. It gives us the opportunity not only to create an incredible new home for The Beatles Story, but to kick-start the regeneration of an important gateway into our city centre, attracting visitors from across the world and creating opportunities for our city and the wider UK economy."
The proposals have also received a warm reception from Liverpool-born Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who commented: "The Beatles are one of the greatest examples of what Britain can give to the world. Four young men from Liverpool changed music and popular culture forever – and, more than sixty years later, their story is still a source of enormous pride for this city and for our whole country."
Further information and updates are available by registering at thebeatles.com/liverpool.
