- Starting May 15, 2026, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will host the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to Paul McCartney and Wings.
- The exhibition brings together the largest collection of items from McCartney’s personal archives ever shown to the public.
- It coincides with the release of Morgan Neville’s documentary Man on the Run, available on Prime Video starting February 27, 2026.
- Instruments, handwritten lyrics, stage outfits, and previously unseen photos trace the post-Beatles saga from 1970 to 1981.
Even though we’ve listened to Band on the Run hundreds of times at Woodbrass, the story of Wings remains one of rock’s most underrated chapters. And apparently, Paul McCartney had enough of his seventies band remaining in the Beatles’ shadow. The musician has just announced that he is opening his personal archives for a major exhibition at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Handwritten lyrics, studio instruments, never-before-published photos: it’s all there. Here’s a look at an event that promises to be an essential pilgrimage for any self-respecting rock fan.
A historic first: Wings finally in the spotlight
Simply titled Paul McCartney and Wings, this exhibition will open on May 15, 2026, at the famed Cleveland museum in Ohio. It is quite simply the first major museum exhibition dedicated to McCartney’s post-Beatles journey and his band Wings, active from 1971 to 1981.
The exhibition spans a full decade of creativity, from McCartney’s self-titled debut solo album in 1970 through the band’s breakup. This is the largest collection of items from Sir Paul’s personal archives ever made accessible to the public. The museum has also received loans from former band members and close collaborators.
Paul McCartney was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: in 1988 with the Beatles and in 1999 as a solo artist. Wings, however, has never been inducted separately as a band. This exhibition therefore fills a glaring institutional recognition gap for a group that dominated the charts in the 70s.
What will be on display at the exhibition?
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame promises an immersive experience combining archival videos, audio, and photographs. Featured items will include:
- Instruments used during the recording sessions for Wings’ seven studio albums and in concert
- Handwritten lyrics in McCartney’s own hand, some of which have never been shown before
- Stage outfits worn by the band members
- Original artwork, tour merchandise, and previously unseen photos
The idea is not simply to line up objects in display cases. The exhibition aims to immerse visitors in the atmosphere of the seventies, between recording studios and world tours. It’s easy to imagine the thrill of seeing the bass or guitar used to commit Band on the Run to tape at the studios in Lagos, Nigeria.
The exhibition replaces the one dedicated to Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi: Forever), which closed after a two-year run at the Cleveland museum. If you’re planning a music-themed road trip across the United States, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame clearly deserves a full day to visit.
Wings: the story of a bold reinvention
To understand the significance of this exhibition, a brief reminder is in order. In 1970, Paul McCartney faced a colossal challenge: finding his place after the Beatles. At just 27, he retreated to a secluded farm in Scotland with his wife Linda McCartney and began recording on his own, in an almost DIY fashion.
In 1971, he formed Wings with Linda on keyboards and vocals, guitarist Denny Laine (a former member of the Moody Blues), and drummer Denny Seiwell. The band had a difficult start—the critics were ruthless—but McCartney persevered. The adventure would include improvised bus tours of British universities, a turbulent recording session in Lagos, and world tours in packed stadiums.
All told, Wings released seven studio albums, racked up seven Top 10 hits in the United States—including Band on the Run, Silly Love Songs, Listen to What the Man Said, and Live and Let Die—and sold millions of records. Not bad for a band long regarded as the Fab Four’s “awkward little brother.”
Man on the Run: the companion documentary event
The exhibition does not stand alone. It is part of a genuine effort to rehabilitate the Wings era orchestrated by McCartney himself. The documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run, directed by Oscar winner Morgan Neville, has been available on Prime Video since February 27, 2026.
The film retraces the post-Beatles decade through previously unseen archival footage, interviews, and family sequences filmed by Linda McCartney herself. It features testimony from Ringo Starr, Mick Jagger, Sean Ono Lennon, and Chrissie Hynde. Critics are unanimous: the documentary has been praised for its intimate and vulnerable approach, far removed from self-indulgent hagiography.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame also hosted a preview screening of the film in its Foster Theater on February 21, just days before it went online on Amazon’s platform.
To immerse yourself in the world of Wings before watching the documentary, the book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run (published in November 2025) is a gold mine. This book of more than 500 pages, drawn from hundreds of hours of interviews, became an instant New York Times bestseller. The perfect oral history for understanding the genesis of each album.
Why Wings finally deserves its place in the museum
For decades, Wings suffered from a cruel paradox: massive commercial success coupled with lukewarm critical recognition. The band was always judged against the Beatles, which is about as fair as comparing any sprinter to Usain Bolt.
Yet Wings’ musical impact is undeniable. McCartney experimented there with complete freedom, blending rock, pop, funk, and even African sounds on Band on the Run. The role of Linda McCartney—long mocked by the press—is also being reassessed. Her contributions on keyboards and vocal arrangements were far more substantial than critics at the time were willing to admit.
This exhibition, combined with the documentary and the book, marks a turning point in the perception of this period. At 83, McCartney seems determined to set the record straight about this chapter of his career.
A legacy finally celebrated as it deserves
With this exhibition at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the documentary Man on the Run, and the bestselling book, Paul McCartney offers fans an unprecedented deep dive into one of the most creative and underrated periods of his career. Wings was not a Plan B after the Beatles: it was a radical, family-oriented, and deeply personal project. It was time for the rock world to officially acknowledge it. See you in Cleveland on May 15, 2026, for those who want to experience it from the inside.
Sources
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – Paul McCartney and Wings Exhibition
- PaulMcCartney.com – Official exhibition announcement
- Billboard – Paul McCartney ‘Man on the Run’ Wings Documentary Trailer
- Wikipedia – Man on the Run (2025 film)
- Relix – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Offer Intimate Look at McCartney and Wings
