BEATLES MEMORABILIA AT LAKESHORE MUSEUM CENTER

William Stidham Sr., of Muskegon County was one of those fans before his death, and recently, his collection of Beatles memorabilia made its way to the Lakeshore Museum Center, 430 W. Clay Ave., in downtown Muskegon.

Album covers and Beatles-themed calendars, towels, cards, key chains, pictures and action figures complete with a Yellow Submarine are all part of the display, which is part of the museum center's Collector's Corner.

"I think people still love the Beatles," said Joni Dorsett, the museum's communications director. "They still love their music so it's an opportunity for fans to come in see some things. They may have had those albums.  It's a way to bring back some memories."

Stidham's Beatles collection made its debut at the museum on March 16. It will remain on display until August. Collectors Corner, which Dorsett said has been a feature of the museum for more than 15 years, features the collections of Muskegon County residents and is changed twice a year.

In the past, everything from Pez dispensers and GI Joes to Sherlock Holmes, canning jars and hat pins have been featured.

"It just depends what we hear about," Dorsett said. "We have some people that contact us and say they've got a collection. It's a fun opportunity for the public to see what people collect and the collectors enjoy sharing because they have all this stuff in their home and this is a way for them to bring it into the museum for a period of time. A lot of times collectors will bring their family and friends in."

Admission to the Lakeshore Museum Center is free. The center is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. If you have a collection that may work well for Collector's Corner, contact the museum at 231-722-0278.