Beatles-Museum

Description

In the historic centre of Halle (Saale), the Beatles Museum plays a significant role in the public remembrance of the band The Beatles. It presents the development of the group from its founding in 1960 to its dissolution in 1970, as well as the subsequent solo careers of the musicians.

The museum is located in the Old Town quarter, in the building at Alter Markt 12, and uses historic rooms for its displays following a renovation. The house dates from 1708 and was once the residence of the wealthy Pfänner Karl-Heinrich Reichhelm (1650–1724). The Baroque interior, with its ornate staircase and stucco ceilings, shapes the visit. Between 1895 and the 20th century the building served as the Assessor-Müller-Stift for unmarried daughters of judges and poor girls; after 1945 it housed, among other things, a kindergarten and was used for other purposes. A Stolperstein in front of the entrance commemorates Wolfgang Brühl (1927–1941), who lived here and was deported to the Bernburg euthanasia centre in 1941 and murdered.

The collection originated as early as 1964 and from 1975 was shown as a travelling exhibition in around 25 towns in Germany and abroad. In 1982 the exhibition was on display at Budapest’s Nep Stadium and then attracted more than 20,000 visitors, including numerous visitors from the GDR. After a stay in Cologne the exhibition was closed in 1999 and reopened in Halle six months later. The exhibition space grew from an initial roughly 350 m² to almost 600 m²; since 2007 the exhibits have been distributed over three floors. Ongoing agreements secure the museum’s continued presence in Halle.

Around 3,500 exhibits are on display in about 17 rooms; this represents roughly one fifth of the entire collection, with further objects kept in storage. The displays include photographs, newspaper articles, autographs, posters, fan memorabilia, stamps, curiosities, as well as audiovisual media and some rare records from 1960 to the present. Thematically organised rooms—such as a Sgt. Pepper room or decade-themed displays—are complemented by film presentations and listening stations. A group photo with original signatures is among the most valuable pieces. The museum records about 20,000 visitors annually and is financed mainly from admission revenue.

Comparable institutions are "The Beatles Story" in the Albert Docks in Liverpool and a large collection in Buenos Aires; the former exhibition "Beatlemania Hamburg" has since closed.