British Music Experience facts for kids
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| Established | 2009 |
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| Location | Cunard Building, Water Street/Canada Boulevard, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom |
The British Music Experience (BME) is an exciting museum that celebrates the history of British music. It's located in the famous Cunard Building on Liverpool's waterfront.
The BME first opened in March 2009 in The O2 in London. It was a huge exhibition, covering more than 20,000 square feet! The museum looked back at British music from 1944 onwards. In April 2014, the London location closed. The BME then found a new home in Liverpool, opening its doors there in September 2015.
A music expert named Harvey Goldsmith helped create the BME. It was funded by AEG, who own The O2. They wanted to create a special place to celebrate British rock and pop music. The BME is set up as a charity. It has also received support from companies like The Performing Rights Society and Gibson Guitars.
Contents
Exploring British Music History
The British Music Experience tells the story of popular music in the UK. It's like a journey through time, showing how music has changed from 1945 until today. The museum is divided into different sections, called galleries. These galleries show how music styles and genres have changed over the years.
Interactive Galleries and Exhibits
Each gallery has an interactive timeline. You can explore different events, see headlines, images, and videos from music history. It's a fun way to learn about the past!
Some of the cool interactive exhibits you can find include:
- Showcases and Timelines
- Hey DJ!
- Where It's At
- Anatomy of a Pop Star
- Gibson Interactive Studio
- The Great Divide
- Dance The Decades
- Table Talk
- Atlantic Crossing
- Transmission
- Playback
These interactive displays were created by special software companies. They worked with music experts to make sure everything is accurate and fun.
Amazing Music Memorabilia
The BME has a huge collection of items from famous musicians. These items help tell the story of British music, along with how society and technology have changed.
The collection includes:
- Over 600 stage outfits, instruments, and handwritten song lyrics.
- Thousands of images and video clips in a digital archive.
- Displays showing how music movements connect to social history and technology.
This collection is the only one that fully shows the rise of British popular music. It covers everything from its early jazz roots to the music we hear today.
Famous Items You Can See
Here are some of the exciting things you might find at the British Music Experience:
- Handwritten lyrics from Coldplay.
- Some of Elton John's famous glasses.
- Five outfits worn by the Spice Girls.
- Humphrey Lyttelton's trumpet from VE-Day.
- David Bowie's amazing Ziggy Stardust costume.
- Noel Gallagher's guitar with the Union Jack flag.
- Iron Maiden's Eddie the Head icon.
- Roger Daltrey's outfit from his Woodstock performance.
- Amy Winehouse's dress from her 'Tears Dry on Their Own' music video.
- Guitars from legendary musicians like Keith Richards and Brian May.
Interactive Instrument Studio
In the instrument studio, you can try playing different musical instruments. You can play electric guitars and drums, or even mix your own music track! You can also get an on-screen lesson from artists like KT Tunstall. She might teach you how to play chords for her hit songs. You don't need any musical experience to have fun here!
Learning and Special Events
The BME often hosts special learning programs and temporary exhibitions. These events explore different bands, artists, or music trends in more detail.
Past events and exhibitions have included:
- Master classes and gigs with bands like Bon Jovi and The Faces.
- Master classes with artists such as Emile Sande and Imogen Heap.
- Photo exhibitions featuring Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones.
- An exhibition dedicated to Bob Marley.
The BME also offers workshops for schools. These workshops are designed to fit with the UK National Curriculum. They cover subjects like geography, technology, and pop culture.
See also
- List of music museums
