One of the Largest Beatles Museums outside of England opens in Downtown St. Pete

The Penny Lane Beatles Museum

146 2nd Street N.

St. Pete, 33701

Wednesday-Sunday

10AM-4PM

The Penny Lane Beatles Museum, which has operated in Dunedin since 2017, is officially debuting its new and larger home in Downtown St. Pete, on August 5th.

The new 2,100-square-foot museum will be located on the ground floor of the Palais Royale office building. The new St. Pete space is four times the size of the museum's former Dunedin location, allowing the organization to significantly expand both its exhibits and programming.

Visitors entering the new museum will be greeted by a reception area, gift shop, and a small stage featuring Ringo Starr's drum kit.

The museum's interior will be filled with bright colors and psychedelic artwork inspired by the band's late-'60s era, including albums such as Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine.

Outside, the building's awning will project colorful moving patterns onto the sidewalk.

The museum artifacts come from the private collection of co-founders Dr. Robert Entel and Colin Bissett.

The team says the new space will allow them to expand the already sizable private collection of rare memorabilia, one-of-a-kind pieces, and original artifacts. Items on display include everything from signed guitars and old buttons to actual strands of hair from the Beatles themselves.

Large display cases throughout the museum will showcase Beatles memorabilia, while a dedicated children's room will offer coloring and other hands-on activities.

The museum plans to regularly rotate exhibits, allowing visitors to see new artifacts from Dr. Robert Entel's extensive collection, much of which is currently stored in a warehouse.

The foyer of the Palais Royale building will host stripped-down candlelit performances by Beatles tribute bands, and the museum also hopes to bring in guest speakers and Beatles historians from around the world.

A grand opening celebration is planned for this fall. The museum also expects to launch an online merchandise store in the coming months.

Admission will be $15 for visitors ages 8 and older. Bachner says the fee will help support the nonprofit's ongoing operations.

Penny Lane makes for a fun addition to St. Pete’s growing museum scene, as it marks the first in town to be focused on musical artists rather than visual. Though it should be said, much of The Beatles’ work transcended mere audio. It also adds to the number of spaces focused on single artists, joining icons like Salvador Dalí and Dale Chihuly.