Kurt Cobain's childhood home will become a museum.

The one-and-a-half-story house in Aberdeen where Kurt Cobain lived from 1968 to 1984, long before Nirvana was founded, has become a well-known landmark in Washington. Last week, the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation announced that the house has been officially approved for inclusion on its list of heritage sites – buildings of significant cultural importance. Even more remarkably, the current co-owner, Lee Bacon, says he is completing the restoration of the house to turn it into a museum, preserving its original values ​​as it was during Cobain's childhood.

Due to zoning regulations in the surrounding area, the house cannot be a full-time museum, but Bacon is looking for ways to open it to private tours next spring.

"Our goal is to transform the house into a project that celebrates Kurt's life and career, with design details that resemble a museum," he said. "The next step is figuring out how to make that a reality."

At a Zoom hearing on June 29th to approve the house's inclusion on the list of cultural heritage sites, the nine-member Governor's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation listened to a recording.Smells Like Teen Spiritbefore proceeding with the discussion. They then concluded that "the house is directly related to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the community or to a group of people."

Allyson Brooks, Executive Director of the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historical Preservation, was surprised to receive Bacon's application for permission. "It's rare to see someone's childhood home restored like this. We firmly believe that where a person grows up is incredibly important in their life. And in this case, Kurt Cobain built and developed his passion for music in that old Aberdeen home," Brooks shared. The council voted to approve and grant Lee Bacon permission to turn the house into a museum.

Brooks said the results of the vote (announced last week) didn't surprise her. "We didn't face any opposition," she shared, "Everyone on the Council recognized the importance of this place." But she also added that being listed as a heritage site doesn't necessarily mean the house will be protected forever, if other owners want to demolish it decades later. "It's just an honor," she said, "This house doesn't receive any protection from the authorities."

Bacon and his wife, Danielle, bought the house from the Cobain family for $225,000 in 2018. In 2019, Bacon, who works in lighting design, publicly announced his renovation plans. Since then, he has been working on the project. The existing yellow exterior will be repainted in a light fern and dark mint green, reminiscent of the 1970s. The interior remains largely intact, including the Cobain family's old dining set and porcelain china cabinet, Kurt's bedroom cushions, his own wall paintings, and the nursery where Kurt and his sister Kim lived.

According to Bacon's permit application, "the kitchen interior still features the original 1970s plywood cabinets with canary yellow Formica countertops." Kim Cobain also shared, "I've always supported Lee and Dani's idea for the past three years and am happy to contribute."

Some photos inside Kurt Cobain's childhood home.

In addition to the house, Lee Bacon also bought a building spanning 2,323 square meters.²located in the city center of Aberdeen and planned to allocate 8,000 m².²Bacon plans to establish a "Tribute Lounge & Gallery Cafe" dedicated to Kurt Cobain. Through artifacts, paintings, memorabilia, and photographs of Cobain taken by photographer Charles Peterson, Bacon says the property will "tell the story of the house" and Cobain's teenage years in Aberdeen. Guitarist Larry Brooks will provide the story behind the Jag-Stang guitar he made specifically for Cobain. Bacon is also considering displaying items donated by fans.

Additionally, there is a sign in front of the house that reads "Kurt Cobain Landing," which Bacon believes will play an important role later on, as they reconstruct the story from Nirvana's heyday to Kurt's death in 1994.

"We have to leave something for future generations, 20 years from now, for those who want to learn about Kurt," Bacon said. "That plaque is for those who don't know who he was or what he contributed."

Just like the late artistAmy WinehouseKurt Cobain was a member of the "Club of 27". He is believed to have taken his own life with a gun in 1994, just 44 days after turning 27.

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