About The Sir Ken Dodd Happiness Centre: The Sir Ken Dodd Happiness Centre will create a new iconic heritage visitor attraction in Liverpool city centre connected to Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre. It will celebrate Liverpool’s rich comedy heritage, explore the important role of humour in the city’s renowned resilience and embody the ethos and values of Liverpool’s greatest entertainer, Sir Ken Dodd.

The project will create four floors dedicated to happiness, health and wellbeing with bar, café, studio and exhibition spaces all overlooking the magnificent St George’s Hall and gardens.

About the project

The Sir Ken Dodd Happiness Centre will have a permanent exhibition, archives, objects and interactive displays that will provide an opportunity for visitors to have a greater insight to one of the UK’s greatest-ever entertainers alongside exploring how and why Liverpool is globally recognised for its unique history and culture that thrives on comedy, humour and wit.

For generations Liverpudlians have used wit and humour in everyday communication, it is part of our DNA.

From Liverpool to the world

Inspired by Sir Ken’s collection, archive and memorabilia, the centre will explore Liverpool’s world-standing as a centre for comedy and how humour has brought different cultures together in the city. It provides opportunities for local communities, the public and visitors to immerse themselves in Sir Ken’s and Liverpool’s rich comedy heritage.

We want to find out exactly what it is about about Liverpool’s rich entertainment heritage, comedy, happiness and laughter that is important to people, so we are asking you to help. Please complete our survey, it will take around five minutes and it gives you the chance to have your say!

“My dad knew I was going to be a comedian. When I was a baby, he said, ‘Is this a joke?’”