Britain’s only museum of popular music will be setting up a permanent home in Liverpool’s Cunard Building and is expected to bring thousands of new visitors to the city, it has been announced.

The British Music Experience (BME) will open at the former Departure Lounge location in Easter 2016 displaying more than 600 rare music heritage archive items, following a five-year run at London’s O2.

The move, which will see memorabilia including some of David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust costumes and New Order’s original handwritten lyrics to Blue Monday being showcased in the city, comes after Mayor Joe Anderson joined forces with Harvey Goldsmith CBE – chairman of the not-for-profit charity BME – to establish a new Liverpool base for the attraction.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, says: “This is a fantastic addition to the city’s existing attractions and it makes perfect sense that a museum which celebrates the importance of British music and its influence on society, has its home in Liverpool.

“It’s wonderful to be able to work in partnership with such an influential figure as Harvey and add another dimension to our tourism offer which will benefit existing businesses and boost the local economy.  Undoubtedly, BME will be hugely popular as music is a major cultural driving force in the city and I look forward to seeing the project taking shape over the forthcoming months.”

Harvey Goldsmith adds: “The trustees of the BME are thrilled to have partnered with the city of Liverpool and to have found a permanent home for the UK’s collection of rock and pop memorabilia and artefacts.

“The historic Cunard Building on the shores of the Mersey represents the perfect home. The transatlantic voyage and the back and forth shared between the UK and USA plays a significant role in the story the museum tells.”

The interactive museum will allow visitors to experience what it would have felt like to be part of era-defining musical moments, whilst also displaying iconic images and footage and hosting learning and public programmes.

Creating around 35 jobs, it will also feature a café, a shop selling music and pop-culture related products, and a venue for corporate events and after parties.

The museum’s move is being partially funded by a £2.6 million Regional Growth Fund investment and a procurement process is underway to secure an operator to run the attraction alongside BME’s independent board of trustees.

An admission price for visitors will be decided in the coming months.

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