How to Do a Fun Day Trip to The Beatles Story in Liverpool
Keen to visit The Beatles museum? Whether you’re a general music fan, a Beatles maniac or just a lover of British culture, you’ll love The Beatles Story in Liverpool. Here’s how to do a day trip to this iconic museum and exhibition…
The Beatles museum Liverpool is considered to be one of the best museums in England, and we’d have to agree. It’s definitely worth a trip whether you’re visiting from abroad and soaking up all the British culture, or you’re a huge music fan right here in the UK. The Beatles Story reviews are all-round favourable if you love this iconic 60s band, and on any UK Beatles tour Liverpool is an absolute must-see.
You can hop on a train to Liverpool from many other large cities around the country, including Manchester (around 50 minutes away by train), Sheffield and Birmingham (both just under 2 hours by train), and London (around 2 hours 40 minutes away by train). Wherever you’re visiting from, you can certainly spend a jam-packed day out in this city, and if you’re wondering how to have a great day out in Liverpool, you can read more here.
So without further ado, to have a great day out at this brilliant museum, “all you need is love”… plus our handy guide to The Beatles Story in Liverpool, and beyond!
1. Grab breakfast at Rough Handmade
Before a busy day seeing all the Beatles-related sights in Liverpool (there are a lot!) you’ll need to fuel with a good breakfast, so Rough Handmade by the Royal Albert Dock is the perfect way to kick off your day.
This boutique bakery offers fresh-from-the-oven pastries, breads and other breakfast treats, all influenced by places their team have been. You’ll be able to smell the delightful waft of baking before you see the cafe, and you won’t be able to resist what they have on offer. Their open-plan kitchen means you can see the team in action, which makes their just-baked selection even more mouthwatering.
They don’t put names on things, instead they describe each pastry in a no-frills way, and let them come out in unique shapes rather than keeping them uniform – hence the name Rough Handmade. Anything not eaten at the end of the day goes to help charities, so you can always count on your breakfast being baked that day and super fresh.
If you’re heading to The Beatles Story in Liverpool, Rough Handmade is a great place to stop beforehand for brekkie.
2. Head to the main event… The Beatles Story Exhibition
Just around the corner from the Royal Albert Dock, the award-winning ‘The Beatles Story’ awaits. It’s officially the world’s largest permanent exhibition focused on the lives and successes of the most iconic band in British history; The Beatles.
If you’re a fan of their music, you’ll love it. And if you’ve literally never listened to a single song, you’ll still have a great time and come out with a solid understanding of their discography.
Liverpool is treated as the 5th member of the band in this exhibition, being such an important part of the beginning of their story. It’s an immersive journey telling you all about each band member’s life, the early days of their music, their immense rise to fame, and their eventual end, including the tragic story of John Lennon.
You can do their self-guided tour through lots of ‘scenes’ from their life, see memorabilia and hear recordings that became some of the biggest songs of their generation.
It’s a heartwarming story of four humble young lads from Liverpool being thrust into worldwide fame and fortune – even if you’re not a Beatles fan when you step inside, it’s difficult not to become a Beatles fan by the time you leave.
Around the museum you’ll see recreations of key locations and moments in their story, such as Abbey Road Studios, their ‘conquering’ of America, and more.
You can see a preview of some of what’s inside the exhibition in their trailer:
Some of the memorabilia on show includes original instruments, items of clothing, John Lennon’s glasses, Ringo Starr’s drum kit and more. The original handwritten lyrics ar pretty special to witness, as it feels like seeing a rare piece of history.
The multimedia guides are narrated by John Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird, and offer more insight into everything you see in the exhibition.
When you’re done looking around, you can grab a coffee at Fab4 Cafe, and then check out the Fab4 Store to buy anything from a t-shirt to a poster to a unique gift for the Beatles lover in your life.
If you’re bringing the kids along, they’ll enjoy The Beatles Story Discovery Zone where they can learn all about The Beatles through interactive screens and a giant floor piano. There’s also a chance for them to sing their favourite Beatles tunes on karaoke, and the mini Cavern Club stage is a must-see as it’s just too cute.
You can grab your The Beatles Story in Liverpool tickets here, which are £19 for an adult, £10.50 for a child, and £15 for concession tickets, which all include The Beatles Story Exhibition, The Discovery Zone (Sat and Sun) and Fab4 Cafe and Store. Families can save by purchasing a family ticket for £50 (2 adults and 2 children).
It’s highly recommended to pre-book tickets online ahead of your visit to avoid missing out if the museum is busy (which it often is).
If you’re on the fence about booking Liverpool Beatles museum tickets – this is your sign to go for it, you’re bound to have a fantastic day out!
3. Walk around the Royal Albert Dock to the Beatles statue
You could spend several hours browsing The Beatles Story museum, but when you’re done you can head along the Royal Albert Dock (which happens to be one of the best places in the area to go paddleboarding in summer), as just 10 minutes’ walk from The Beatles Story in Liverpool is the famous Beatles statue.
Liverpool is VERY proud of their Beatles heritage, and the city has commemorated the band with an iconic statue near the waterfront which was installed in December 2015, thanks to a donation by the famous Cavern Club.
This is apparently Liverpool’s most popular selfie spot, so join the queue there to get your picture with the bronze Beatles!
4. Have lunch and drinks at The Cavern Club
Another 10 minutes’ walk away from the statue is The Cavern Club on Mathew Street – another must-visit for Beatles fans that helped birth some of the most famous musicians the country has ever seen.
The legendary underground cellar has a small stage inside that began hosting musicians from the 1950s jazz era, and continues to see bands play there today.
John Lennon played his first gig there in 1957 as part of The Quarry Men Skiffle Group, later joined by Paul McCartney in 1958. They first performed there as the Beatles in 1961, featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, but in 1961 Ringo Starr appeared on the Cavern Club stage as the Beatles drummer for the first time, and the rest is history!
Over the next 2 years The Beatles (with this lineup) would go on to play 292 performances at the Cavern Club, which meant this iconic club rose to fame along with the band.
You can still visit the Cavern Club today and watch bands play in this important site that remains a special place for those passionate about music history.
If you want even more Beatles history and you’re deciding between the Beatles Story vs Beatles museum, you’ll find the other (smaller) Beatles museum on this street too.
Enjoy lunch at The Cavern Restaurant, which has lots of tasty dishes to suit all, from traditional English fish and chips to the famous Liverpudlian delicacy – Scouse.
The Beatles tour is one of the best date night ideas for Liverpool, so if you’re planning a night out instead of a day trip, you can hit the museum after lunch and head to the Cavern Restaurant for dinner instead.
A visit to The Beatles Story in Liverpool is definitely a great idea whether you’re a music lover or not, as there’s lots to discover about the band, and even the most knowledgable Beatles fans will come away with some fun facts they never knew before.
Are you keen to visit after reading our The Beatles Story in Liverpool review and itinerary? Let us know if you go there!
Quick List: How to Do a Fun Day Trip to The Beatles Story in Liverpool
- Grab breakfast at Rough Handmade
- Head to the main event… The Beatles Story Exhibition
- Walk around the Royal Albert Dock to the Beatles statue
- Have lunch and drinks at The Cavern Club
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