Radiologist opens first U.S. museum dedicated entirely to the Beatles
A 40-year collection of memorabilia has moved to a new downtown location in St. Petersburg, featuring rare items like X-ray records and original band merchandise.
By Meera Fletcher ·
For four decades, Dr. Robert Entel has assembled one of the most comprehensive private archives of the Fab Four. The radiologist in north Pinellas County now operates the Penny Lane Beatles Museum in downtown St. Petersburg, the only institution in the United States dedicated solely to the 1960s band.
The move to the new facility at 146 Second St. N. marks the latest chapter in the collection's expansion. Entel began gathering items when he was a child, a habit that grew until his personal bedroom could no longer hold the objects. The collection subsequently occupied a small apartment-sized space in Dunedin before expanding into the larger current venue.
The museum inventory spans both high-value artifacts and mass-market goods. On display are sunglasses worn by John Lennon, slippers belonging to the musician, and chewed-up sunflower seeds from George Harrison. The collection also includes branded consumables such as Beatles beer, Beatles Coca-Cola, and John Lennon beer. A Nestle's Quik container featuring the band's image sits among the items, illustrating the group's pervasive presence on commercial products during their peak popularity.
Entel describes the collection process as a long-term pursuit of any object bearing the band's name or likeness. He identifies Ringo Starr's cookies as a particularly rare find. He stated that he has never seen another set in his 40-plus years of collecting. The cookies remain in their original container, and Entel noted that he does not think it would be wise to eat one.
A unique segment of the archive addresses the Soviet Union's historical restrictions on Western music. Entel displays a set of vinyl records pressed onto used X-ray film, a method used in Russia before the Beatles were officially permitted to air on radio. The physical hole in the center of each record is visible, and each disc contains a different song. The set includes the original sleeves that accompanied the records.
The collection remains central to Entel's daily professional life. He listens to the band's music while reading MRIs, CAT scans, and ultrasounds during his work as a general radiologist. He said the music never leaves him and is part of his personal fabric. When asked for his favorite track, he cited "Penny Lane," the song that gives the museum its name.
The museum is open to the public from Wednesday through Sunday. Hours run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission costs $15.
