Two Elvis Presley lookalikes abseiled 50 feet from the roof bringing down a black tarpaulin to reveal the multi-million-pound National Centre for Popular Music.

Designed by internationally renowned architect Nigel Coates, the futuristic building is characterised by four huge drums with a large spout emerging from each roof.

Elvis: live and kicking on a roof in Sheffield

It houses a modern musuem - called a Rockopaedia - covering the history of pop as well as interactive video displays and an area for temporary exhibitions.

Visitors will also get a chance to record their own voice with a range of backing instruments, be a radio DJ and design an album cover.

They will also be able to listen to a compilation of popular music from 1900 to the present day in a circular "sensurround" auditorium.

All this hasn't come cheap - the centre cost £15m, most of which came from the National Lottery and at least £1m from private sponsors. The Dutch electronics firm Philips is working with the centre to bring the latest technology to the interactive displays.

The project is creating 70 jobs in a city which is proud of music tradition, producing pop icons like Def Leppard, Joe Cocker and Pulp.

The centre hopes to attract 400,000 visitors a year and will open to the public in July 1999.