The Penny Lane Beatles Museum, a collection born in a 500-square-foot Dunedin storefront, has opened a new downtown St. Petersburg location roughly four times that size.

The nonprofit museum at 146 2nd St. N. sits across from the Sundial shopping complex and houses artifacts including John Lennon's glasses, George Harrison's sitar, autographed guitars, signed documents and vintage 1960s toys, Tampa Bay 28 reported Sunday, Oct. 18.

Dr. Robert Entel, a Clearwater-based radiologist, founded the museum in January 2017 at 730 Broadway in Dunedin, according to St. Pete Rising. He began collecting Beatles memorabilia decades earlier while studying medicine in London, picking up small items at Portobello Road flea markets and stuffing them in his sock drawer at home.

"I just kept collecting and collecting," Entel told St. Pete Catalyst in July. "Initially, it was pins and buttons, small trinkets. And as I progressed, and was able to afford a little more memorabilia, it went on to more of the rarer stuff …"

The Dunedin location drew more than 10,000 visitors a year, according to St. Pete Rising.

Space was tight. Only about 400 to 500 of the collection's more than 1,500 items could be displayed at a time. The new 2,100-square-foot space inside the Palais Royale building, built in 1926, allows room for larger pieces such as Beatles-themed jukeboxes and pinball machines that never fit in Dunedin.

Co-founder Colin Bissett, a Liverpool native who went to school with the brother of Pete Best, the Beatles' original drummer, helped build the collection alongside Entel. The museum's board also hired executive director Craig Bachner and professional curator Allison Holuban for the new location, and contracted with Creative Arts Unlimited of Pinellas Park to design the display cases, according to St. Pete Catalyst.

Entel told St. Pete Rising he considered Clearwater, Tampa and other spots in Dunedin before choosing St. Petersburg as the right fit.

The museum describes itself as the only facility in the United States dedicated solely to the Beatles. Displays will rotate regularly so returning visitors can see different pieces, Patch reported. Bachner said the museum already has plans for future expansion. Entel told St. Pete Catalyst the museum could eventually move into an adjoining room, doubling its capacity.

The Penny Lane Beatles Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, and children 8 and younger enter free.