News Release

release date: August 16, 2005

Museum to Showcase Liverpool’s Rich Social History
and Popular Culture

BURBANK, Calif. -- BRC Imagination Arts, one of the world’s leading creators of distinctive experiential exhibits for museums, corporate visitor centers and heritage attractions, announced today it has been appointed by the National Museums Liverpool (NML) to be the exhibition master planners for the Museum of Liverpool that will showcase the rich and varied social history and popular culture of Liverpool, England.

The city of Liverpool has been designated the 2008 European Capital of Culture and the NML will be one of the centerpieces of a year long celebration. The Museum of Liverpool will draw on all of NML’s diverse and internationally renowned collections of over three million artifacts, many which have never been on display.

David Fleming, director of National Museums Liverpool said, "We are very excited about the plans for the new museum which will be the ideal cultural legacy for the 2008 European Capital of Culture. We believe that this museum will help elevate the North West of England into the front rank of European tourist destinations, as well as providing a brilliant place for local families to find out about their own history. We've seen how popular this is with the tremendous success of our Spirit of the Blitz exhibition at our Maritime Museum last year.”

Using BRC’s “Showmanship Meets Scholarship” approach to museum design, the Museum of Liverpool will tell the Liverpool story from prehistoric times to King John’s Charter in 1207 to when Liverpool emerges as a major global port city to the 21st century. Immersive exhibits will convey different aspects of Liverpool’s history and culture, engaging visitors and allowing for understanding and appreciation of Liverpool’s history through the stories of its people.

“Working together, the museum staff, BRC and architect 3XN intend for the Museum of Liverpool to be the best city history museum in the world,” said Bob Rogers, CEO and founder of BRC Imagination Arts. “Our exhibit design will address the stories that are related to Liverpool – which at one time was the biggest port city on Earth. The visitor experience will embrace all aspects of the Liverpool story, the inspired and the tragic, from its early beginnings and seven miles of docks that saw more than 9 million individuals immigrate through its port.”

The Museum of Liverpool is expected to provide a significant boost to existing visitor numbers. The project is comprised of a 10,586 square meter (113,900 square feet) building; a 4,231 square meter (45,500 square feet) gallery and will feature 1,106 square meters (11,900 square feet) of community space including learning zones and resource centers. In addition, the Museum will also feature a restaurant, café and shops.

More than £40m of funding for two of Liverpool's key Capital of Culture projects has been approved by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). NWDA funding is subject to government approval and support from other partners.

About BRC Imagination Arts

Founded in 1981, BRC Imagination Arts is the leader in the design, creation and production of innovative and immersive experience-based attractions for museums, experiential marketing, theme parks and cultural heritage sites worldwide.

BRC projects have consistently exceeded the expectations of clients and visitors, and have a proven track record of economic sustainability and the industry's best record for on time, on budget performance. BRC recently opened the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, the US Pavilion at World Expo 2005, Aichi, Japan and Images of Singapore at Sentosa Island. BRC’s clients include Ford Motor Company, General Motors, NASA, Disney and Universal Studios. With offices in California, Amsterdam and the United Kingdom, BRC has been honored with over 250 international awards for creative excellence including two Academy Award nominations and nine THEA Awards for Outstanding Achievement in themed entertainment.

The company is currently engaged in major projects in the U.S., China, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, and Sweden. For more information, visit www.brcweb.com.

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Media Contact:
Larry Bouchie, KMC Partners for BRC Imagination Arts, larry@kmcpartners.com, 617-758-4192