Paisley Park, the home estate and production complex of the late music icon Prince in Chanhanssen, Minneapolis, is now officially a museum. According to The New York Times, a go-signal was finally released on Oct. 24 by the city council after having its tours on temporary status due to the concerns of safety, tourist traffic and the town's readiness on being a tourist attraction.
After several complaints from traveling fans who could have lost money if the museum didn't open, the Council granted temporary permits that allowed Paisley Park to open for tours on select days. With city council's 5-0 unanimous votes, the number of public visits to the superstar's home and recording studio is no longer limited as 600,000 annual visitors are expected to come.
"I think the city was very thoughtful in what they did," said Joel Weinshanker, the managing partner of Graceland Holdings, estate manager for Prince's Paisley Park and Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. "Prince's museum is going to outlive us all."
Prince's sister Tyka Nelson released a statement via the Bremer Trust (the administrator of the estate) about Prince's goal to transform his home into a public museum. "Opening Paisley Park is something that Prince always wanted to do and was actively working on. He did plan it to be a museum. Everything is strategically placed." Paisley Park is a 65,000-square-foot facility, which served as a production studio and creative getaway and sometimes performance and party venue of Prince.
Prince's remains are on display at Paisley Park. The urn, which is shaped like a miniature Paisley Park, was recently revealed based on Al Roker's segment on the "Today" show. The estate was preserved well by Prince himself.
The main floor houses the recording and mixing studios of Prince where the star developed most of his biggest hits. It also showcases Prince's rehearsal rooms, video editing suite, and NPG Music Club. The estate also features Prince's personal sound stage and concert hall where he hosted private shows and events. The handwritten notes Prince left behind while he worked on his yet-to-be-released jazz album are on display in his studio, as well as his artworks, movie script, outfits, awards and motorbikes. All 12 rooms are chronologically organized showcasing Prince's career all throughout.
The museum has already welcomed about 12,000 people. Chanhassen mayor Denny Laufenburger expressed his city's support through a press release saying, "Chanhassen will be pleased to demonstrate to the thousands of visitors to Paisley Park the same hospitality and respect that Prince enjoyed during his time in Chanhassen."
Prince died of an accidental overdose of painkillers in April, at age 57. An ongoing litigation continues over who is entitled to Prince's Paisley Park estate even though the museum continues to draw visitors. According to the New York Times report, no will has been found, so Minnesota law governs its distribution, which has been valued at $100 million to $300 million before taxes.
Meanwhile, it is apparent that the legendary music of Prince will continue to live on. Last week, Warner Bros. Records and NPG Records, Prince's label, announced a hits collection, "Prince 4Ever," due Nov. 22, and a deluxe reissue of Prince's classic "Purple Rain" containing an entire second album of unreleased material, to be released next year.
The museum permanently opens on Friday, Oct. 28, and will typically be open Thursday through Sunday. Tickets are priced at $38.50 for a standard tour and $100 for a VIP tour through December 2016. Tours for 2017 are expected to go on sale by mid-November, according to a statement on the Paisley Park website.
