GRUNGE fans will be in heaven if they take a trip to the city that spawned Nirvana and Pearl Jam with two brand new musical experiences being launched.

The sultry city of Seattle the North West pacific coast of America has a unique style and approach to life which often delights tourists who have only seen the more well known cities of New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

Seattle, Washington State, is celebrating the city's talented and tortured son Kirk Cobain's band Nirvana and the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking album Nevermind.

Nirvana:  Taking Punk to the Masses’ is the most complete exhibition to be dedicated to the band and will run for two years until 22 April, 2013.  The exhibition charts the personal and public story of the band Nirvana, which was formed in 1987 by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, and gained global fame with their second album Nevermind, released in September 1991.  It features more than 200 artefacts, including rare and unseen pieces, relating to the band and the independent punk rock music community. Never-seen-before pictures of the band, signed lyrics by Kurt Cobain, the famous yellow cardigan Cobain wore in the early 1990s and numerous instruments used, and sometimes destroyed, on stage by the band, are on show in this celebration of Northwest music.

The exhibit also includes oral histories of key figures, such as one-time Nirvana drummer Chad Channing, Kurt Cobain’s guitar-tech Earnie Bailey and co-founder of the band, Krist Novoselic.  Krist said:  “I’m really excited for Nirvana to be a touchstone for this exhibition; Kurt Cobain was a visionary artist who touched people all over the world.  It's great that there will soon be a collection that celebrates that contribution to music and culture.  “There's a story with Nirvana at its centre, but it’s a story that also includes the many people, bands and institutions that make up a music community. The show is a celebration of Northwest music.”

Jacob McMurray, senior curator at the Experience Music Project and assembler of the exhibition said:  “Most people know Nirvana as mythologized rock stars; this exhibit balances that understanding with a tangible, human look at their journey from Aberdeen to the world stage.”

Fans will be able to record their own stories, memories and other thoughts about Nirvana as a “confessional” to the band, as fans played and continue to play an integral role for Nirvana with the footage shown during the exhibition.

The Frank Gerry designed EMP is an interactive museum featuring music memorabilia, artefacts and multimedia displays.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for youth (ages 5-17), students, military and seniors, free for members and children under 5.  For more information on Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses visit: www.empsfm.org  Fans of Seattle's other musical legends Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Ray Charles also have a chance to understand the city which helped super-charge their musical talent.

Hard Rock Café Seattle at 116 Pike Street, close to Pike Place Market, is taking a leading role as Seattle City of Music’s Rock Ambassador in the 40th celebration year of the iconic cafe brand, by promoting a brochure that highlights top live music venues within walking distance or a short cab ride of the café.

It’s also the starting point for The Seattle Tour of Music.  The two-hour tour, new for 2011, by White Moustache Urban Adventure Company, takes visitors through the streets to see where Seattle’s music legends, like Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Heart, Pearl Jam and Ray Charles, grew up, went to school, lived, loved, revelled and recorded - and, even, sadly expired.

The tour ends at Hard Rock Café, which is adorned with evocative Seattle music memorabilia.  Tours depart on Friday and Saturday.  The tour costs $40 adults; $30 children (age ten to 16); under-tens are free.  The café also offers a self-guided cell phone tour that is complimentary.

For details visit www.hardrock.com/seattle.   To book tickets for The Seattle Tour of Music visit www.whitemoustache.com/rock-n-roll-music-tour.  And if your taking a trip to Seattle with a couple of moody teenagers who cant stand Rockn'Roll then fear not because the city has several tours which take in the sights and scenary of the hugely popular bubble-gum cultural phenomenon Twilight!