British Music Experience museum to appoint interior designer

The British Music Experience museum is set to reopen with new interiors at a venue in Liverpool.

The BME museum, showcasing music memorabilia and artefacts, is a non-profit organisation, which aims to increase appreciation and education of the history and influence of music in Britain.

It opened in 2009 at London Greenwich’s O2 building, and closed down in April last year.

New venue

It will reopen next year at its new home in Liverpool’s Cunard Building, with more than 600 music archive items going back on display, such as the original handwritten lyrics to Blue Monday by New Order and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust costumes.

The project is a joint venture between chairman of the BME Harvey Goldsmith and Liverpool City Council. The Regional Growth Fund is providing £2.6m towards the cost.

The BME says a design consultancy has not yet been appointed to the project, but the organisation has begun the process of choosing one.

The BME website is also currently being recreated, which will be a platform for designers to submit their details for consideration on the project, says the organisation.

“Interactive” exhibits

The new space will be “interactive”, says the council, with installations such as an instrument studio, dance booth and virtual record collections, and exhibits allowing visitors to experience historical and “era-defining” moments in music.

Visitors will also be able to “unlock” exhibits using their tablets and smartphones by scanning a code that will reveal more information and allow them to listen to tracks.

The new space will include a café and shop, which will have a curated selection of vinyl records alongside merchandise.

Learning programmes will also accompany the launch, offering educational workshops, master classes and gigs.

“Boost the local economy”

Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool, says that the Cunard Building is well suited to its new purpose, having played a “vital role” in shaping the music industry itself through transatlantic travel via the Cunard Vessels.

He says: “Music is inherent here and is entwined with the city’s history, present and future. Undoubtedly, BME will be hugely popular as music is a major cultural driving force in the city.”

The museum is expected to create 35 jobs and Anderson says he hopes it will increase tourism in the city and “boost the local economy”.

The new BME museum is set to open in Spring 2016, at the Cunard Building, Pier Head, Liverpool L31DS.