British Music Experience celebrates great first year

Using state-of-the-art technology, visitors interact with displays on Britain's rich musical heritage - which includes £6million-worth of memorabilia - and can download information to peruse at home.

It's proved a winning combination, much to curator Paul Lilley's delight.

"The range in the museum is phenomenal," said Paul (pictured above with Mayor of London Boris Johnson, BME founder Harvey Goldsmith and AEG chief executive David Campbell at last year's launch).

"Condensing 65 years of popular music was a pretty big brief, with hundreds of important artists, plus art and fashion.

"With the clever use of technology we've achieved it and it's been be very successful. Because we are a new museum we've been able to include that and it makes the BME great fun. We're thrilled at how it's been received.

"The feedback has been overwhelming, not just from the public, but also from artists, record labels and other music organisations. It's really helped us be successful."

A major component of the BME's remit is education, particularly workshops with established professional musicians.

Paul said: "We fill a void in the education sector. We've had songwriting classes with Jeff Beck and Chris Difford which have been hugely popular. We started a series of producer ones, and have others planned, such as rock photography.

"The education programme complements the museum. The BME is the home of musical heritage but we also want it to be at the cutting edge, because music is an important industry in the UK and needs to be encouraged."

Many artists playing at The O2, have popped in to peruse the collection.

Paul said: "We've had people from every era here. Trad jazz musicians Acker Bilk and Chris Barber came in, then there was Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, even urban grime artist Kano was here, and they've all enjoyed it."

A temporary picture exhibition will open soon, while plans are being considered to expand the museum to house yet more artefacts. It's a constantly evolving project according to Paul.

He said: "British music history is being rewritten every day and we have the advantage over a traditional museum as we can update things very quickly."

Visit britishmusicexperience.com.