Stunning pictures reveal Prince’s party palace Paisley Park, where fans can now visit to pay tribute to the rock legend
Now opened as a museum — just as Prince had planned — for £29.10 you are whisked on a 70-minute tour
THE doors of Prince’s private party palace Paisley Park were yesterday thrown open to the public – and we were one of the first over the threshold.
The rock star’s purple reign came to an untimely and abrupt end on April 21. But just six months on fans can visit the music legend’s home of 30 years to pay tribute — while getting a glimpse of the eccentric world he lived in.
Now opened as a museum — just as Prince had planned — for £29.10 you are whisked on a 70-minute tour taking in his recording studios, offices, a memorabilia room and even the soundstage where he threw his famous parties.
He held the final bash here just five days before his death, aged 57, from an accidental overdose of painkillers.
Paisley Park’s director of archives, Angie Marchese, told The Sun: “He had amazing foresight as to what he wanted this place to be and our aim is just to remain true to his vision.
“Prince effectively wrote the entire script for the tour guides. He specified how he wanted everything to be kept and how he wanted it remembered.
“He wanted to share what he created here and we want to keep Paisley Park just as Prince envisioned it.” Paisley Park is a sprawling 65,000 sq ft complex in Chanhassen, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The tours are run by the same people who operate Elvis Presley’s Memphis mansion Graceland, which pulls in over 600,000 visitors every year.
In the central atrium illuminated by a huge skylight you can pay your respects to the great man himself. Prince’s ashes take centre stage in a purple box inside a model of Paisley Park, next to a letter from
President Obama, signed in purple ink.
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Some of the Princely objects on display throughout the complex include 6,000 pieces of clothing, 1,000 pairs of shoes and 121 guitars.
You can step into his NPG Music Club, the purple-clad hall where he would throw impromptu gigs and club nights — and where he serenaded Madonna last year. Here you can also enjoy his epic 2007 Super Bowl performance on a video loop.
Fans also get to see unreleased concert footage and listen to a snippet of an unreleased jazz track in Studio A, where Prince would toil alone all night working on his hits.
Another studio is set up as a tribute to the 1984 rock movie Purple Rain, with Prince’s motorbike, guitar, jacket, piano — and even the Oscar he won for Best Original Score — all in the centre while the film plays in the background.
Butare few areas are off limits. Unsurprisingly, tour guides deliberately avoided pointing out the most morbid part of the Park — the elevator shaft where Prince was found dead. and is now hidden behind a tour poster.
Even that set off heartbroken fans yesterday - fortunately the guides had come armed with tissues and some even offered hugs.
Angie added: “This is not about that elevator. This is about his life, his legacy and his music.”