Liverpool's most famous museum is about to outgrow itself. The Beatles Story, currently based at the Royal Albert Dock, will relocate in 2028 to a far larger home at the former St Johns Market site in St Johns Shopping Centre, right opposite Lime Street station. The new venue will span 10,000 square metres — roughly four times its current footprint — and come with an unexpected bonus: a 138-metre tower.

The project has serious backing. Apple Corps, the band's own company, is behind the move, and the plan arrives smartly timed with a new four-part Beatles film directed by Sam Mendes, due out in spring 2028. Sets from that production will become part of the museum's displays, sitting alongside original artefacts and interactive exhibits tracing the band's path from Liverpool childhoods to global fame.

Visitors can expect plenty of hands-on nostalgia: a recreation of the Cavern, the club where the Merseybeat sound was born, and a mock-up of Abbey Road Studios, where the band recorded nearly all of their music. Then there's the tower itself — St Johns Beacon, better known as the Radio City Tower and Liverpool's second-tallest structure. In a fittingly quirky twist, it will house a Yellow Submarine-inspired, underwater-themed attraction with 360-degree views over the city. Combination tickets will cover both venues, with proceeds supporting the Apple Corps Liverpool Trust, which funds emerging local talent. Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have both voiced support, with McCartney saying fans will be able to "step into our story."

The building itself has a story worth knowing. Designed by James A. Roberts and opened in 1969, the Brutalist market replaced a neoclassical 1822 structure and has divided opinion ever since. Renovations are now stripping out its most dated 1970s features to make way for the new attraction.

Why does this matter for travellers? Liverpool is already riding high: it drew more than 36.3 million visitors in 2025, up over 12% on the previous year, with 3.3 million overnight stays. The new museum, timed with the Mendes films and the broader boom in music tourism, looks set to make the city an even stronger pick for a music-focused city break. If you've been putting off a Beatles pilgrimage, 2028 might be the moment to go — or, if you want the quieter original experience at the Royal Albert Dock, go before the move.

For now, the existing museum continues operating at the docks, and Liverpool remains easy to explore on foot: the Cavern Quarter, the docks, and the Beatle sites around town are all within a compact centre. Fans wanting a head start can already walk the Pork Pie alleyways of Penny Lane and Strawberry Field before the supersized museum opens its doors.