The Seattle museum is replacing its longest-running exhibition with new stories on hip hop, Alice in Chains, Heart, and more.
SEATTLE — After more than 14 years on display, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses closed this weekend at the Museum of Pop Culture.
The landmark exhibition, packed with rare artifacts from the iconic grunge band, was MoPOP’s longest-running show since opening in 2009. Hundreds of fans lined up Saturday for one last look.
“No one sounds like Nirvana,” said 15-year-old Tacoma fan Makiya Wing. “No one is ever gonna do that again.”
“They have a very special spot in my heart,” added Ashlyn Cormier, who traveled from Boise to attend the closing.
MoPOP marked the finale with a farewell celebration that featured live T-shirt printing, DIY zines, button-making, film screenings, confessional videos, and a panel of Seattle music-scene veterans.
Curator Jacob McMurray launched the show in 2009 with support from bassist Krist Novoselic, drummer Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain’s estate.
“Nirvana is part of our DNA. It’s not ever leaving the museum. We will always have a Nirvana presence,” McMurray said, adding that fans can expect items like Cobain’s smashed guitar to stay.
McMurray also announced MoPOP will broaden its focus on Pacific Northwest music, with 15 to 20 new stories planned for the space by November 2026. First up: Beats and Rhymes, a hip hop showcase opening in October.
“People also ask us, ‘When are you going to have an Alice in Chains exhibit?’ Or, ‘When are you going to get something on Heart, Jackson Street Jazz, Louie Louie?’” McMurray said. “It’s not that Nirvana is necessarily going. It’s that we’re expanding the conversation.”
