Prince’s Paisley Park to be turned into a permanent museum
By Euan McKirdy, CNN
Published
5:05 AM EDT, Tue October 25, 2016
Police stand guard at Paisley Park, the home and studio of Prince, on April 22, 2016 in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
PHOTO:
Scott Olson/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Story highlights
Home of rock legend due to be opened as a permanent museum
Property had previously hosted a handful of tours
(CNN) —
Prince’s former home is set to become a shrine for his legions of fans.
In a unanimous vote Monday evening, the Chanhassen City Council voted to re-zone Paisley Park as a permanent museum.
The 64,000-foot property, in Chanhassen City on the outskirts of Minneapolis, Minnesota, housed the multiple-Grammy award winner’s home and recording studio.
Tours are due to start on Friday, and tickets through December 2016 are now on sale.
“Fans will have the unprecedented opportunity to experience first-hand what it was like for Prince to create, produce and perform inside this private sanctuary and remarkable production complex,” the property’s official website says.
Photos: The world remembers Prince
After kissing his fingers, a fan touches Prince's star on the wall of First Avenue and 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on April 21. The legendary musician died at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57.
PHOTO:
Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP
Photos: The world remembers Prince
A rainbow appears over Paisley Park near a memorial for Prince in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on Thursday, April 21.
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Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP
Photos: The world remembers Prince
People dance in the street to the music of Prince at Leimert Park in Los Angeles on April 21.
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ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
Photos: The world remembers Prince
People gather outside the Apollo Theater in New York to mourn and celebrate the life of Prince on April 21.
PHOTO:
Matthew Eisman/Getty Images
Photos: The world remembers Prince
A tribute is displayed on the scoreboard at Target Field in Minneapolis on April 21.
PHOTO:
Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP
Photos: The world remembers Prince
In Minnesota, the Lowry Avenue Bridge is lit up in purple to honor Prince.
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Hennepin County/Hennepin County
Photos: The world remembers Prince
Los Angeles City Hall is bathed in purple light in memory of Prince on April 21.
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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Photos: The world remembers Prince
KMOJ DJs Walter "Q Bear" Banks, left, and Shed G embrace as they talk about the death of Prince on April 21.
PHOTO:
Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via AP
Photos: The world remembers Prince
Purple lights illuminate the ceiling and crowd at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas as fans wait for a concert by Chvrches and Wolf Alice on April 21.
PHOTO:
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Photos: The world remembers Prince
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans is lit up in the color purple to honor the pop legend.
PHOTO:
Gerald Herbert/AP
Photos: The world remembers Prince
The Melbourne Arts center spire lights up in purple on April 22.
PHOTO:
Rex Features via AP Images
Photos: The world remembers Prince
Prince's symbol is broadcast on the Texas Rangers video screen over the right field roof during a game between the Rangers and Houston Astros in Arlington, Texas.
PHOTO:
Tony Gutierrez/AP
Photos: The world remembers Prince
San Francisco's City Hall is seen bathed in purple light.
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City of San Francisco
Photos: The world remembers Prince
Sign O' the Times: The O2 concert venue in London put tributes to Prince on its screens.
PHOTO:
Jonathan Hawkins/CNN
Photos: The world remembers Prince
Delta Air Lines Flight 1668 from Los Angeles to Minneapolis shaded its cabin Thursday in the color purple in honor of Prince.
Since his death it had been open to the public for limited tours for just three days as part of a temporary agreement with the city.
During those rare events, Paisley Park guests were escorted through a lobby and into an atrium filled with Prince memorabilia and painted murals. At the center of the room was an urn – purple and shaped like a crypt – containing the artist’s ashes.
Guests also toured through his private office – which still contains family photos and open briefcases left untouched since his death – as well as recording and editing studios, and a massive sound stage on the property where Prince shot music videos and held private concerts and parties.
“It was reverent,” visitor Diane Fluin told CNN earlier in October following one of the tours. “Everyone was very quiet and there was a lot of tears and hugging.”
Another Paisley Park visitor, Erin Goedtel, described the tour as a celebration of Prince.
“As soon as I got in, I felt really honored to be in a space that he had created to bring people into his world and his thoughts and his vision,” she said.
Local concerns
The vote on the rezoning request was delayed as local residents voiced concerns about how the property would bring in traffic, according to city planning commission minutes.
In April, Prince, whose real name is Prince Rogers Nelson, died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl, according to a report released by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office. He died at the property, aged 57.
Prince, who pioneered the “Minneapolis sound,” remained a lifelong Minnesotan.
