BEVERLY HILLS – His vast red and gilded throne seats no one, his Rolls-Royce stretch limo is empty and the crystal white glove he wore to perform "Billie Jean" is enclosed in a glass case.

But pop star Michael Jackson's eccentric taste, his glittering career and his Peter Pan alter ego come alive in a museum-style exhibit of some 1,400 lots that opened to the public on Tuesday before a record-setting auction next week.

"Obviously, it is a sad time to be a Michael Jackson fan," said visitor Abby Marie, who has followed Jackson since his child star days with The Jackson 5. "But to be here is like being in heaven."

"I hope one person buys it all and puts it in a museum," she added.

"Mind-boggling" was the word uttered by many visitors touring the 30,000 square-foot (2,787 sq meter) exhibit of sequined costumes, portraits of the self-styled "King of Pop," statues and pictures of Peter Pan, and toys from Jackson's sold and shuttered Neverland Ranch in California,

Taking center stage is Jackson himself on a vast video screen showing footage of the singer in concert extravaganzas at the height of his fame in the 1980s.

"I regret that I never saw him live. It is mesmerizing," said Cindy Hammond from Los Angeles. "It is worth the $20 entrance fee just to hear and see those concerts."

Neverland 'part of pop history'

Jackson, now 50, also figures prominently in artifacts featuring Disney characters, many of them created by Disney artists for the singer when he was one of the world's biggest pop acts.

In one large Pinocchio diorama, a figurine of Jackson doing his signature moon walk dance comes to life at the push of a button.

The vast collection from Neverland, authorized for auction by Jackson himself, goes under the hammer April 22-25 in Beverly Hills.

The 2,800-acre (1,133-hectare) theme-park style ranch, where Jackson held sleepovers with two young boys who later accused him of molestation, was sold last year after the "Thriller" singer deserted it following his acquittal in a 2005 child sex abuse trial.

Auctioneer Darren Julien said he expected items such as the gilded Neverland gates and Jackson's "Billie Jean" single glove to fetch 10 times their estimated price of $30,000 and $15,000 respectively.

"Neverland is part of pop history now. We have people flying in from around the world to bid. There are many prominent celebrities interested in collecting Michael Jackson," Julien said.

Julien said he was trying to reach an amicable agreement over unspecified items that Jackson has said he wants back despite the singer's spokesman signing a contract for the auction last year.

A Los Angeles judge gave Julien's Auction House the go-ahead for the sale earlier this month. Julien has said he expects the auction to fetch more than $10 million.

Jackson, a virtual recluse who has faced financial difficulties since the 2005 trial, announced a run of 50 comeback concerts in London from July 2009 to February 2010 that sold out last month.