“Get back”, sang the Beatles in 1969 from the roof of 3 Savile Row. More than half a century later, Paul McCartney (83 years old) announced the planned opening in 2027 of the first official course dedicated to the group in this old place. Liverpool has already been home to two museums dedicated to the group since 1990, The Beatles Story at the Royal Albert Dock and the Liverpool Beatles Museum, but neither of them is approved by Apple Corps, the label founded by the group in 1968 to manage their musical activities and their rights.
Apple Corps has purchased 3 Savile Row and plans to open it to the public for the first time in its history. The venue is a Grade II listed building in Mayfair, central London, purchased by the Beatles in 1968 for £500,000 (€12 million in today’s money); “It’s like coming home”said Ringo Starr (85).
Beatles concert at 3 Savile Row in London, January 30, 1969.
© Ethan A. Russell / Apple Corps Ltd
“The Beatles at 3 Savile Row” will span seven levels and feature rotating themed exhibitions. Previously unpublished archives from the Apple Corps collections will be revealed to the public for the first time. The Apple Studios studio, in the basement, where Let It Be was recorded, will be reconstituted. The public will be able to access the roof with the original 1969 balustrades still in place and relive the Rooftop Concertthe group’s final public performance, interrupted by the police after approximately 42 minutes.
The opening of the museum accompanies the renewed commercial and cultural interest around the group. In 2023, the use of artificial intelligence made it possible to complete and publish Now and Thenbilled as the last unreleased Beatles song. Four biographical films dedicated to the members of the group are also in production.
France also has several museums dedicated to figures of song. In Narbonne, the birthplace of Charles Trenet, opened in 2000, retraces his journey using archives and personal objects. In Sète, the Espace Georges Brassens favors an immersive approach to the work and life of the poet. The Dannemois mill remains the property of Claude François, accessible with its park. At the Château des Milandes, the museum dedicated to Joséphine Baker brings together costumes and stage memorabilia, while highlighting her commitments, particularly against racism. In Grasse, a museum dedicated to Édith Piaf could see the light of day in 2027.
On a European scale, museums dedicated to pop and rock artists form a rich landscape. In Liverpool, The Beatles Story, open since 1990 on the Royal Albert Dock, boasts more than 250,000 visitors per year. In Stockholm, ABBA The Museum, opened in 2013 on the island of Djurgården, traces the careers of Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid with interactive holograms, recording booths for visitors and a “Ring Ring” room where a telephone is located whose number is known to only the four members of the group who can theoretically call.
In Switzerland, at the Casino Barrière in Montreux, the Queen – The Studio Experience is located in the former Mountain Studios, where the pop group Queen recorded many of their albums from the 1970s and where Freddie Mercury recorded his last songs. The central room is a faithful replica of the original studio, surrounded by stage costumes, lyric manuscripts and instruments.
