As Liverpool’s leading Beatles attraction, The Beatles Story is no stranger to keeping memories of the past alive for visitors of all ages. For many of the museum’s older visitors, the attraction offers a powerful connection back to their own experiences of the exciting Merseybeat era and beyond.
Located at the Royal Albert Dock, The Beatles Story Museum uses immersive sets and original artefacts, alongside visual media and Beatles music, to transport visitors into the past.
It is perhaps no surprise that an attraction built on preserving legacy, heritage and memories is using its passion and 36-year experience to support people in its local community who are living with dementia.
For those individuals, music can be an incredibly powerful tool. Research by Alzheimer’s Society found that “music engages multiple brain regions at once, including those linked to memory, emotion and movement” and can also “enhance emotional wellbeing.”
It was with this in mind that The Beatles Story team came together to start their journey towards a programme of support for local people with dementia. The plans worked hand in hand within the attraction’s wider sustainability and community strategies, which saw the attraction win the silver Green Tourism award for its efforts last year.
How is The Beatles Story Supporting People Living with Dementia?
Building the ‘In My Life Memory Café’
Having been launched only recently on 9th March 2026, The Beatles Story’s In My Life Memory Café is already proving popular and is having a positive impact on its attendees.
In My Life Memory Café is hosted by The Beatles Story’s Fab4 Café at the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal, Pier Head, Liverpool on a monthly basis. The dementia-friendly initiative creates a friendly, community-centred space where people living with dementia, their carers, and loved ones can come together to chat, support one another, and re-ignite cherished memories through music and shared activities in Liverpool.
The memory café’s karaoke segment has proven incredibly popular so far, acting as testament to the true power of music in reconnecting people to their memories and emotions.
An Alzheimer’s Society spokesperson, Amy, recently attended a session and praised the team for their “engaging, caring, and supportive” attitude towards guests, going on to commend the “fantastic turnouts” that the sessions have seen so far.
The next session will take place from 10:30am on Monday 8th June 2026 at the Fab4 Café, Pier Head. No pre-booking is required, and attendees can give their £1 donation on arrival.
Becoming ‘Dementia Friends’
As part of preparations to make the In My Life Memory Café a success, The Beatles Story set about rolling out the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends program to its teams.
Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative focuses on increasing people’s understanding of dementia and inspiring everyone to make a difference for people affected by the condition in their communities.
The training began as a way to equip a core group of In My Life Memory Café volunteers with essential knowledge and a better understanding of how to support people living with dementia. Now, the attraction plans to continue its roll out, developing a wider workforce confident at assisting visitors affected by dementia. This support will extend beyond the specialist memory café to other areas across the attraction.
Becoming a ‘Playlist for Life’ Help Point
By signing up as a Help Point for the Playlist for Life initiative, the In My Life Memory Café team can help guests build playlists of songs that spark, preserve, and reconnect them with meaningful memories.
Playlist for Life is a UK-wide charity that encourages people to build a soundtrack of their lives, made up of songs that are strongly linked to personal experiences, relationships and key moments in time. For people living with dementia, these playlists can become a powerful and accessible way to revisit memories, strengthen identity and maintain a sense of connection to loved ones.
Supporting Age UK Wirral
Back in 2023, The Beatles Story paid a visit to the new memory village at nearby Age UK’s Wirral branch, to deliver a package of ‘memories’ to support their work.
Offering a safe and immersive trip down memory lane for individuals living with dementia, The Memory Village was created by Anneka Rice and a team of dedicated volunteers during an episode of the rebooted Channel 5 show ‘Challenge Anneka,’ which follows presenter Anneka through different tasks and challenges.
Themed around the 1960s and 1970s, and complete with a record shop, bakery, post office and mini cinema, the village is a safe space for Age UK’s clients who live with dementia. It offers them the opportunity to relive memories and enjoy some of the normalities of life.
The Beatles Story, being a local attraction with a passion for keeping memories alive, proudly donated Beatles records, retro decorative items and 60s replica packs to help bring the village to life.
Anneka Rice herself, thanking the attraction in a Tweet, agreed that the donations would “bring back memories.”
Through music, community and compassion, The Beatles Story is proving that even as memories change, the feelings they hold can still bring people together through the power of Beatles music.
If you or somebody you know may benefit from joining our In My Life Memory Café community, we would love to see you at the next session.
You can also sign up to our In My Life newsletter to stay up to date, and if you’re looking for further advice or support, our partners at Alzheimer’s Society are always there to help.
In My Life Memory Café, Pier Head
In My Life Memory Café is hosted by The Beatles Story’s Fab4 Café at the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal, Pier Head, Liverpool. In My Life Memory Café creates a friendly, community-centred space where people living with dementia, their carers, and loved ones can come together to chat, support one another, and re-ignite cherished memories through music and shared activities in Liverpool.
With a focus on nostalgia around The Beatles and the 1960s, visitors will be transported back in time through the use of simple games, craft activities and music.
The £1 per person entry fee includes refreshments such as tea, coffee and biscuits.
In My Life Memory Cafe