Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's new design hits a high note with visitors

CLEVELAND - It's a must-see for anyone who visits the city that rocks.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Erie, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's unique design is inviting to all who love the world of music. Once inside, it delivers a new design that's not only easy on the eye, but easy to navigate.

"Everything is just polished, brightened up for a better experience. We just listened to the complaints we got over the last 15 years and we made it ADA compliant for people who have difficulty getting around the museum. So they can see and read various text in proper fashion," said Rock Hall president and CEO Terry Stewart.

This is the first major redesign since the museum opened in 1995. Chief curator Jim Henke said it's important that visitors experience the story of rock 'n' roll in historical order. Even though the Beatles exhibit was already great, they couldn't just "Let it Be".

"We basically created a new Beatles exhibit that's part of this redesign and it's an incredible exhibit. We always had a good representation of John Lennon and, gradually, this time we managed to get stuff from other Beatles," Henke said.

For visitors who want a more hands on experience, the new state of the art interactive exhibits will definitely satisfy their appetite. According to Stewart, there's also new way-finding systems because people used to get lost in the museum.

Believe it or not, visitors complained they couldn't find the Rock Hall inductees exhibit. But not anymore. All you have to do is follow the signs.

"We put a lot more signage up there and put red carpet that leads up to it and there are red signs on the escalators, so that people don't miss the actual hall of fame section of the museum," Henke said.

But a visit to the Rock Hall is more than just listening to great music, it's an educational journey as well. Special programs have been designed for the young and seasoned music lover.

"We do a lot of educational programs here," Henke said. "We have a toddler rock program for preschool kids, then we have a k-12 program. We work with area universities and we also do a distance learning program to reach out to people who aren't here in Cleveland and do education with them."

And the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will continue to carry out its mission to educate the public on the significance of rock and roll music.