NBC's Matt Lauer Goes Inside Neverland Ranch

On Thursday morning's episode of "Today," Matt Lauer got a tour of Neverland Ranch, Michael Jackson's famous former home. Lauer, using anecdotes supplied by friends of the late icon, explained that from the moment people arrived on the property, music would be playing throughout the grounds welcoming them to his home.

Lauer then entered the foyer area, where Jackson would readily welcome his guests with art work of himself as well as cookies. "These walls had huge paintings on them some depicting Michael Jackson in whimsical and magical situations," he explained.

Lauer also toured the living room, adjacent to the eat-in kitchen, which at one point was filled with photographs of his family and friends as well as a pedestal that held the 1931 Best Picture Oscar statuette for "Gone with the Wind" that Jackson bought for $1.5 million.

The dining room, where Elizabeth Taylor wed Larry Fortensky in 1991 and friends like Macaulay Culkin hung out, is connected to the kitchen. Lauer explained the house is now empty because the plan was to sell its contents at an auction that never happened. He explained that a lot of those contents are on the way back to the house.

Lauer also got to take a peek at the superstar's private master bedroom suite, complete with security panel. Jackson's two-story bedroom included a sitting area with a massive tile fireplace.

The full-cedar closet (complete with a secret security-panel protected compartment), is connected to the master bathroom. The second-story of the bedroom is where Jackson's bed was, along with another closet and another bathroom. The sleeping loft had a "huge bed" and "the bedspread was full sequins just like many of the outfits he wore in concert."