BME Liverpool to open in 2017
The British Music Experience, described below, has been closed. It will open in Liverpool, where it will be housed in the Cunard Building, in 2017, the Liverpool opening is scheduled for February 11, 2017.
The attraction will be operated by TBL, an international company that also operates the Titanic Belfast.
The information below and the New Music attraction at the O2 in London is for information only. That attraction has been closed for several years. But the new attraction in Liverpool may have many of the same characteristics. Check back later in 2016 for more information.
BME – A new musical attraction at the O2 in London:
The British Music Experience (BME) is a permanent exhibition of high-tech music at the self-proclaimed ‘world’s most popular’ music venue, the O2 in Greenwich, London.
Occupying 22,000 square feet of the O2 bubble (formerly the Millennium Dome), the exhibition is the only British attraction dedicated to the last 60 years of British popular music.
Not only is it a museum, the BME is filled with interactive exhibits, using state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, to provide visitors with real experiences of performance in music, song, and dance.
BME Basics:
- What: An exciting new British musical attraction
- Where: the gigantic O2 music venue in Greenwich, London
- Admission: admission is charged and tickets will be available online
- Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6:30 pm The last entry is at 6:30 pm but the exhibition closes at 8 pm
- Website
Budding musicians will love:
Feel like being the next great guitarist? Wish you could get that D7 chord? Now is your chance. In the Gibson Interactive Studio, try a Gibson electric or acoustic guitar, a Baldwin piano, or a Slingerland drum kit. You can take a lesson and play along with KT Tunstall, Amy Macdonald and others. Your efforts are logged and you can save them online to listen to, or show to your friends, on your personal page of the BME website after you get home.
For the more ambitious, there will be workshops, master classes and concerts from time to time.
Do you think you are a real engine? The next big voice ?:
In the Dance Decades experience, you can take lessons in the final steps, of the decade of your choice. Your performance is recorded and turned into a hologram that you can save and play back at home. Who knows, you might even start an online fad, like baby dancing, a year ago.
In the vocal booth, listen, learn and sing along with the best British artists. And yes, you can save that on the website too.
Other exhibitions at the British Music Experience at the O2 London:
Visitors can trace musical trends through the decades and learn about the influence of music on art, fashion, and politics. Hundreds of British artists perform: The Beatles, Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Motorhead.
Explore music genres in depth: Skiffle to Reggae, Rock ‘n Roll, Blues, Punk, Grime, and download music from BME archive.
And fans of musical memorabilia will not be disappointed. There’s a nice collection of key British music memorabilia: David Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes clown outfit and Ziggy Stardust outfit, Roger Daltrey’s Woodstock outfit, Amy Winehouse vintage dress.
More about tickets:
Save your entrance ticket because it records your trip through the exhibition. By touching the SmartTicket with strategically placed sensors, you keep track of what you have seen and enjoyed. It also allows entry to interactive guitar, dance and voice experiences. Later, entering your SmartTicket number on the BME website gives you access to all of this, as well as 3 free iTunes downloads.
Should I book in advance?
It is a good idea. Entry is by programmed slot. If you head to the O2 during a busy time (before a Michael Jackson concert, for example), you might find that all spaces for the day are already reserved.
How do I get to the O2 ?:
The easiest way is by London Underground. The O2 is about 15 minutes from central London on the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich Station. It’s also easy to get to by boat, bus, Dockland light rail, and car.
Full directions to the O2 can be found on The O2’s website
Who is behind this ?:
BME is a registered non-profit charity supported by five main sponsors:
- Gibson guitar
- Sennheiser, manufacturers of microphones, headphones and audio equipment.
- Getty Images, provider of news, sports and entertainment photos.
- BBC World Wide
- PRS for Music – The Performing Rights Society
British music entrepreneur Harvey Goldsmith, who chairs the charity, was the driving force behind the new exhibition.
