The music legend John Lennon will feature prominently in the renovated Strawberry Field Children’s Home that had closed in 2005. It was here he sang the memorable song in 1967. The song was - “Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields.” The home is reopening as a visitor center, which will be Beatles-themed. It will also double up as a learning hub for young adults with special needs. There will be an interactive exhibition where visitors can get a glimpse into the history of the Salvation Army.In addition, sections will be devoted to the life of Lennon, with special emphasis on his childhood.

The exhibition is named ‘Strawberry Fields Nothing is Real.’

People says the Salvation Army headed the renovation project and revived the children’s home. Strawberry Field had drawn Lennon when he was a boy. His half-sister, Julia Baird (72) has confided to a section of the media that “John found it was a sanctuary when he was going through troubled times.” She feels the renovated setup will help both Beatles fans and school leavers to experience hard times in the same atmosphere.

Exhibition will focus on John Lennon

“Strawberry Fields Forever” is the song that made John Lennon famous.

The exhibition will delve into the past to throw light on the steps that went into the making of the song. There will be relevant footage from the archives plus interviews with Paul McCartney and late Beatles producer George Martin. Lennon’s half-sister is Honorary President of the project. She explains that John looked at Strawberry Field “as a place of safety.” Incidentally, Julia Baird was raised in the streets near Strawberry Field like Lennon.

He fell to bullets of a gunman in New York on Dec. 8, 1980.

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People mentions a virtual Mellotron in the exhibition. It will provide opportunities to budding musicians to try their hands at recreating the opening chords from John Lennon’s iconic song.

The venue also has a calm garden space where visitors can go in for spiritual reflection. The exhibition will be open every day. Entrance through the original gates is free but visitors will have to pay $16 to visit the café and explore the grounds. The funds generated will go to finance Salvation Army projects.

Strawberry Field attracts fans of the Beatles

According to Sky News, fans of the Beatles arrive in thousands every year to pose outside the red gates of Strawberry Field and now they can enter the grounds. This place had inspired John Lennon to write the song “Strawberry Fields Forever.” In his childhood, the Beatles legend used to climb the wall to play in the garden of the children's home in Woolton, Liverpool. The Salvation Army is converting the site into a tourist attraction. It will also be a training center for 18-25-year-old youths who have learning disabilities.
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