The Seattle Children's Museum is located in the Armory in the Seattle Center Campus, close to the Space Needle. In fact, it is located just 150 steps from the base of this landmark. According to the museum's mission statement, it aims to "bring to life the joy of discovery for children and their families through fun, creative, hands-on exploration of the world around them." In addition, the museum supports social and racial justice initiatives through its programming, exhibits, and events. In seeking to foster in children a positive sense of self and self-esteem through its mission, the museum is also working towards an equitable future for all. It supports indigenous artists and communities through a program called Tribal Tales. The museum also partners with people and communities of color to update its exhibits, events, and programs as part of its Global Village initiative.Other special areas of the museum include COG City, a large-scale interactive exhibit that allows children to play while learning about gears, pulleys, levers, and other aspects of engineering design. The Discovery Bay features undersea creatures including live fish. The Imagination Studio is a space where children can build with clay. The Mountain invites learning about the flora and fauna of Washington state, while the Global Village gives children the chance to imagine traveling to Ghana, the Philippines, and Japan. For additional special events, exhibits, and public programs, be sure to check the museum's website for details before visiting.

COG City at the Seattle Children's Museum

Imagination Studio at the Seattle Children's Museum

Discovery Bay at the Seattle Children's Museum

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The Seattle Children's Museum features a number of hands-on, interactive exhibits and play spaces that were designed for children from around age 10 months up to age 8. In addition, the museum also offers many educational programs and activities that can be enjoyed by pre-school and elementary school-age children, as well as by visiting families. The museum's mission is "to ignite curiosity and to encourage active, life-long learning."

Seattle Children's Museum

This short tour starts at two statues dedicated many years apart that demonstrate the diversity of Seattle's history- a monument in honor of Native American leader Chief Seattle and a statue dedicated in remembrance of musician Chris Cornell. The tour continues on to the Museum of Pop Culture, the Space Needle, and some of Seattle's most popular museums and tourist destinations. 

Located at Tilikum Square, the bronze statue of Chief
Seattle (the Suquamish man for whom the city is named) is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Seattle artist James
A. When in 1907 and unveiled on November 13, 1912 by Chief Seattle's
great-great granddaughter, Myrtle Loughery [2; 3].

&nbsp;

Chief Seattle and His
Namesake City



Chief Seattle (Noah Sealth) was born on the Kitsap Peninsula
of Blake Island (the Old-Man-House village) between 1783 and 1786, the son of
Suquamish Chief Schwaebe and Scholitza, his Duwamish wife [3; 4; 6]. During
Seattle's youth, Captain George Vancouver (1758-1798) explored the Puget Sound
in 1792 [4; 6]. Before Europeans returned to settle permanently, Seattle gained
respect among his people through his oration, diplomacy, leadership, and
strategy, initially by preventing a raiding party from upriver from attacking
the Suquamish and Duwamish people of central Puget Sound. In his early
twenties, he became Chief, and was recognized by both tribes due to his
parentage; in the first two decades of the 19th century, the Duwamish of Alki
Point had moved to Suquamish on Agate Passage, and Seattle was recognized as
headman of the Allied Tribes of the Puget Sound Region from Cedar River and
Shilshole Bay to Bainbridge Island and Port Madison [2; 4; 6]. 

In the 1850s, Europeans began settling the region. The
Arthur Denny party was welcomed at the mouth of the Duwamish River by Chief
Seattle, who subsequently befriended Denny, Carson Boren, William Bell, and
David S. "Doc" Maynard [2; 3; 6]. The Hudson's Bay Company established
the first European settlement near present-day Olympia, at the mouth of the
Sequallitchew Creek, where Seattle came to trade with the newcomers [6].
Seattle was baptized as Noah by Catholic missionaries, and convinced Maynard to
move his general store from Olympia to the village of Zechalalitch/Duwumps on
Elliot Bay; Maynard opened the "Seattle Exchange" in 1853 and later
persuaded the settlers to rename the town Seattle in 1855. That same year,
along with several other tribal leaders, Seattle signed the Point Elliott
(present-day Mukilteo) Treaty, ceding ownership of most of the Puget Sound
basin to the United States Government in order to avoid a military conflict [2;
3; 4; 6]. In exchange, the United States offered reservation lands, protected
fishing and hunting rights, education, health care, money, and other benefits,
little of which was ever actually delivered [4; 6]. Chief Seattle retired to
the Port Madison Indian Reservation and, in spite of his own disappointments,
did his best to prevent violence over the ensuing conflict and remained on
friendly terms with Maynard, Denny, Bell, and others in the new city of Seattle
[2; 4; 6]. His only known photograph and his most famous speech were taken and
given in the city before his death of fever on the reservation on June 7, 1866
[4; 6].

&nbsp;

The Statue at Tilikum
Square



James A. Wehn (1883-1973), originally from Indianapolis,
moved to Seattle with his parents at the age of six. He worked with his father
in the family iron and brass foundry, then apprenticed to an Indianapolis
sculptor from 1900-1905. Best known for his well-researched sculpture of Chief Seattle,
he also established the University of Washington's sculpture department in 1919,
designed the official seal of Seattle in 1936, and created several other
monuments for the city [1; 2]. In 1907, Wehn was commissioned by the city to design
a sculpture to be placed at the intersection of the property boundaries of
Seattle founders Carson Boren, William Bell, and Arthur Denny. The intersection,
in the Potlach Meadows used for generations of American Indians for feasts and
games, was renamed Tilikum (meaning "Welcome" or "Friend" in
the Chinook language) and is now part of the Seattle Center [2]. Chief Seattle
was, appropriately, chosen by Wehn as the subject of the statue which was to
commemorate the friendship the city founders received from the Puget Sound
Indian tribes, and a local firm cast the form in 1908. Unfortunately, the
casting was so unacceptable to the sculptor that Wehn loaded the plaster cast
into a wheelbarrow and dumped it into the bay, threatening to abandon the
project altogether if he were not given creative control and a choice of foundries
for the casting [1; 2]. Wehn spent 1911 in Indian villages to work with live
models and used the only photograph ever taken of Chief Seattle to create a
second statue, which was cast in New York in 1912. The bronze sculpture was
dedicated on Founder's Day, November 13, 1912, and was unveiled by Chief
Seattle's great-great-granddaughter, Myrtle Loughery [1; 2; 3]. The statue,
which was the second public artwork in Seattle and the first of Wehn's civic
works, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places [2; 3].

&nbsp;

Inscription: 
[Right side of the monument] 
Kitsap sights Vancouver’s vessel 1792 – First vessel on Puget Sound 
 
[Left side of the monument]

Seattle 
Chief of the Suquamish 
A firm friend of the whites 
For him the city of Seattle 
was named by its founders [5]

Located at Tilikum Square, the bronze statue of Chief Seattle (the Suquamish man for whom the city is named) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Seattle artist James A. When in 1907 and unveiled on November 13, 1912 by Chief Seattle's great-great granddaughter, Myrtle Loughery [2; 3]. 

Chief Seattle Monument

Soundgarden formed in Seattle in 1984 with Chris Cornell on drums, Hiro Yamamoto on Bass, and Kim Thayil on guitar. The band was also the first of the four big Seattle bands (Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana) to sign onto a major record label in 1988. The bulk of Cornell's fame would come after time had eroded the grunge bands' influence. But the interesting thing was Cornell and guitarist Thayil would often times offer assistance to these other bands. Alice in Chains originally was two separate bands. Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell both came from heavy metal backgrounds. One night, Cantrell saw Soundgarden playing and was blown away by Kim Thayil's speed and asked how he did it. Kim's answer was simple, let the guitar work for you. He introduced the young Cantrell to alternative tunings on the instrument which, while not necessarily new, was to Cantrell. After coercing Staley into joining his new band, Jerry Cantrell's play style had taken on this sludgy heavier sound now synonymous with Alice in Chains.Kurt Cobain was actually a big fan of early Soundgarden. In a 1992 interview with Flipside, Cobain said how he liked Soundgarden so much more than the other Seattle bands. Nirvana's earliest album BLEACH sounds a lot like Sondgarden's UltraMegaOK and Loud Love (all were late 80s productions). He liked the metal aspect to the band and as his band took off he that same soft/aggressive/soft tone followed with him and became more refined.One of the greater impacts Cornell would have on music would be what eventually led to Pearl Jam. Originally named Mother Love Bone, the band members that would go onto Pearl Jam in 1990 were Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament. The artistic lead of the band was the flamboyant and energetic Andrew Wood. Sadly Wood would overdose and be rendered brain dead in early 1990. Dropped by their label due to his death their debut album Apple failed commercially despite peaking at 34 on Billboard. Penniless and heartbroken the majority of the band quit, leaving Gossard and Ament with little prospects aside from each other. The saving grace was one of Andrew Wood's best friends and former roommate, Chris Cornell. By 1990, Soundgarden had begun to gain attention and was already touring internationally. In honor of his friend, Cornell wanted to write a few songs with Wood's former bandmates, eventually becoming a full album. As progress went along Gossard and Ament began auditioning for a new singer for Temple of the Dog, to carry on as a new band for "Andy". One of these auditions was a surfer from California called Eddie Vedder. He would join them on just one track titled Hunger Strike. In 1990 and 1991 Temple of the Dog received little attention. Cornell returned to Soundgarden while Vedder, Gossard, and Ament went on to begin their own band Pearl Jam. That would change in the summer of 1992 after mainstream success found both groups. What the record company realized was the album was collaboration of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, which had both exploded with Bad Motor Finger and Ten. Wood's legacy would be remembered through future works by his surviving friends. Matt Cameron from Soundgarden enjoyed working with the members of Pearl Jam so much that he would join them in 1998 following Soundgarden's dissolution as their full time drummer.Three years later in 2001, Cornell would join up with Rage Against the Machine to form the supergroup Audioslave. With them Cornell would help put out 3 more albums along with a slew of solo work. In 2010 Soundgarden would meet together for the sole purpose of settling legal disputes. It had come to their attention they still had a massive fanbase and really had no internet sites or online distribution. A year later they were sending out new music along with their old, and by 2012 had begun touring.In 2017 Chris Cornell preformed his final show with Soundgarden in Detroit. Several hours later he was found to have killed himself in his hotel room. Jerry Cantrell of AiC and Chester Bennington from Linkin Park particularly remembered him well and were devastated. Two months later Bennington would take his own life. Both had experienced drug and alcohol problems and dealt with depression for the majority of their lives. Linkin Park would continue without him and have never replaced him. Soundgarden dissolved for the last time in January of 2019.

Standing outside in Seattle eternally preforming is a memorial to Chris Cornell . It was donated to the Museum of Pop Culture by his widow, Vicky Cornell after its unveiling in 2018 by her and his former bandmates from Soundgarden.  Cornell enjoyed an over thirty-year career and Soundgarden was the first band from Seattle to sign to a major record label, A&M Records in 1989. While Cornell was not as prominent as some of his contemporaries, it was Cornell's early influence that helped the other Seattle bands like Alice in Chains and Nirvana gain traction and adopt their own unique sound. Early on AiC was a glam metal band that resembled Motley Crue or Poison, while Nirvana maintained a punk aesthetic. While never shedding its heavy metal influence Jerry Cantrell would adopt several techniques from Cornell, mainly alternative tunings and odd time signitures. Kurt Cobain loved the earliest years of Soundgarden and before the Nevermind album they sounded similar to Cornell's work.  Chris Cornell dealt with depression throughout his career and its impact on his life can be heard in his music. Many of modern rock takes its notes from Cornell's lyrics about depression, substance abuse, and the experience of living itself. He would take his own life in 2017.  


The statue of Cornell was made by Nick Mara, alongside with Vicky Cornell who picked through photographs of Cornell to decide on the specifics of the piece. Standing on the sidewalk beside the Museum of Pop Culture, the statue isn't on a pedestal or placed above the viewer. The plan was to make it so you could walk right up to him and "look him in the eyes". 

Chris Cornell Memorial Statue

The building
that houses the Museum of Pop Culture, designed by Frank O. Gehry, is a work of art in and of
itself. &nbsp;Its central, purple shimmering
section is surrounded by wave-like wings of silver and red that are comprised
of 21,000 aluminum and stainless steel shingles that open to invite guests
inside.&nbsp; Once through the doors, visitors
can enjoy such featured exhibits as: Wild Blue Angel: Hendrix Abroad,
1966-1970; Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty; and Fantasy:
Worlds of Myth and Magic.

The museum is
home to the Sky Church which is a novel theater space that contains one of the
largest indoor LED screens on the globe and regularly hosts movies such as
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, among others.&nbsp;
It also houses a Sound Lab and On Stage, an interactive venue that
permits guests to become true guitar (or drum, or bass) heroes.&nbsp; Two other exhibits of note are those dedicated
to the music and lives of the members of Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix.

The museums also
hosts notable annual events such as Sound Off!, a battle of the bands contest
for those under the age of 21 and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film
Festival.&nbsp; And while the museum discontinued some of the work done by the Science Fiction Museum in 2011, it did open its Icons of Science Fiction
exhibit in 2012 and still maintains the Science Fiction Hall of Fame which has
inducted such luminaries as H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Mary Wollstonecraft
Shelley, George Lucas and J.R.R. Tolkien.&nbsp;

Once known as the Experience Museum Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, the Museum of Popular Culture is now dedicated to recent popular culture, especially in the areas of music and science fiction. The museum's unique 440,000 square foot building houses numerous exhibits, interactive stations, sound sculptures and educational resources for all those interested in the worlds of science fiction and music. The nonprofit museum, which was the brain child of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, first opened its doors in 2000 and is now open seven days per week, from 10-5 in the winter and 10-7 during its summer hours.

Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle, (formerly the EMP Museum)

In 1959, artist Edward E. Carlson sketched a vision of the Space Needle on a napkin in a coffee house. He was inspired by the Stuttgart Tower in Germany. His goal of his "space-age" image was to be the focus of the futuristic World's Fair in Seattle, which had the theme of exploring the 21st century. Carlson's initial sketch of the Space needle underwent many changes, experimenting with features from a tethered balloon to a balloon-shaped top house. John Graham, the architect of the world's first shopping mall, turned the balloon design into a flying saucer. Graham finished the design just a year and a half before the World's Fair.The next challenge was location and financing. The Space Needle needed to be privately financed on land that was available for public purposes. It wasn't until 1961, only a year before it was finished, that this location was sold to investors at $75,000. Construction was managed by the Howard S. Wright Construction Company who first built a foundation that would weigh as much as the Space Needle itself. As a result, the tower's center of gravity is just five feet above ground. The 605-foot tall Building was completed in December 1961, and was opened four months later on the first day of the World's Fair, April 21, 1962.The five-level top house dome was finished with special attention to the revolving restaurant, which was rotated with just one horsepower electric motor, and the observation deck. The final painting consisted of astronaut white for the legs, orbital olive for the core, re-entry red for the halo, an galaxy gold for the sunburst and roof. From the top of the Space Needle, you can observe downtown Seattle, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker, Elliot Bay, and the surrounding islands.

Rising 605 feet high, the Space Needle was built for the 1962 World's Fair and has been one of the leading landmarks of the Pacific Northwest and a symbol for the city of Seattle. The fair drew over 2.3 million visitors, and nearly 20,000 people used its elevators each day during the 1962 World's Fair to reach what was then the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. The fair was made possible by a 1957 bond that supported a new civic center and fairground development, while the federal government dedicated $9 million to build the U.S. Science Exhibit, which now serves as the Pacific Science Center. Marketing for the fair included space-age images of the needle and exhibits, along with a jingle that implored listeners to "Skidaddle to Seattle" for the fair. The tower was built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour and earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitude and has 25 lightning rods. On May 19, 2007, the Space Needle welcomed its 45 millionth visitor. The guest received a free trip for two to Paris, along with a VIP dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Every year on New Year's Eve, the Space Needle celebrates with a fireworks show at midnight that is synchronized to music. In April of 2012, as part of the 50th anniversary celebration, the Space Needle was painted Galaxy Gold, the same color used when it was constructed for the 1962 World's Fair.

Space Needle

The Century 21 Exposition, better known as the Seattle World’s Fair, was a futuristic-themed event held in the city from April through October 1962, with an estimated 10 million visitors. Planning for the fair began several years in advance. In 1957, Seattle voters approved a $7.5 million bond for the development of a public fairgrounds, which was supported by the state legislature. A Century 21 Exposition planning commission was established, and the commission obtained certification from the International Bureau of Expositions so that the event would qualify as an official "World’s Fair." In August 1958, the U.S. Congress passed legislation (Senate Bill 3680) that established a Federal Commissioner to oversee the U.S. government’s involvement in the fair. This position entailed the appropriation of funds for the construction of new buildings and the issuing of invitations to foreign nations to attend the event. The federal government was especially interested in "demonstrating the nation's scientific prowess to the world," and funding was provided for a NASA-themed United States Science Exhibit at the fair. The exhibit, which was intended to demonstrate the capabilities of U.S. science and technology, later evolved to become the Pacific Science Center. In 1961, conceptual artwork for a rapid transit system known as the "monorail" was presented to the Century 21 Commission. Although it is similar to a light rail system, a monorail is instead built on a single elevated track, rather than on a ground-based double track. Because of its elevation, a monorail never crosses the path of pedestrians or car traffic. As depicted in an early speculative drawing, the proposed Seattle monorail was initially shown suspended from the track, rather than gliding over it. The design was modified, but the futuristic appearance of the monorail in the earlier drawing was much like the final result. Alweg Rapid Transit Systems, a German engineering company, was hired to build the Seattle monorail in advance of the 1962 World’s Fair. The general concept was based on a model that been pioneered as early as 1820 in Russia, in which a horse-drawn railcar was suspended on a beam through the city of Moscow. Electric monorails were later built in Europe and at other World Fair events in various U.S. cities, as well as at Disney World around 1960. During the 1962 World's Fair, the Seattle monorail transported an estimated 8 million visitors between the fairgrounds and the city’s downtown amenities. At the conclusion of the fair in October 1962, a historical marker was placed at the monorail's northern terminus on the shore of Lake Union. Today, Seattle’s monorail continues to provide a quick public transit option for locals and for visitors to the city.

This historic station is the location of one of the first commercial monorail transit systems in the United States. The monorail opened in Seattle in 1962, one month before the start of the Century 21 Exposition, a World's Fair event that was held in the city from April through October of that year. During the fair, the monorail transported an estimated 8 million people between the Seattle fairgrounds and downtown. Afterwards, the monorail was turned over to the Century 21 Corporation for no charge. In 1965, the Century 21 Corporation sold the monorail to the City of Seattle, and it has since been used extensively as a public transit system. In October 1962, a historical marker was placed at the original station and also at the northern terminus on the shore of Lake Union. The monorail was designated a Seattle Landmark in 2003.

The Seattle Monorail and Historical Marker

Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition at the Seattle Center
was established in 2012. Featuring the works of Washington State artist Dale
Chihuly, the LEED-certified installation consists of a garden, central
Glasshouse, and eight galleries next door to the Space Needle. The Chihuly
Garden offers art education and events through partnerships with the Pratt Fine
Arts Center, Pilchuck Glass School, ArtsFund, and Seattle Public Schools.
Events include live music, yoga, tours, lectures, dinners, and theatrical
performances [1].



About Dale Chihuly



Dale Chihuly, born in Tacoma, Washington in 1941, studied at
the Universities of Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the Rhode Island
School of Design, where he subsequently established and taught the glass
program. He studied glassblowing in Venice on a Fulbright Fellowship and, in
1971, co-founded Washington State's international glass center, Pilchuck Glass
School. Featured in over 200 museums across the globe, Chihuly has exhibits in
the Louvre in Paris, on the canals and piazzas of Venice, in Jerusalem's Tower
of David Museum, in the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Victoria and Albert
Museum in London, and in many American museums and architectural installations.
Since 2001, he has focused on exhibits in botanical settings [1].

The Seattle Center and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition

Built for
the World's Fair in 1962, the Seattle Center's Space Needle was constructed by
Howard S. Wright II. His family owns and manages the Center, and decided to
reinvigorate it as a cultural community gathering space. The Wright family
asked Dale Chihuly to design an exhibition hall, garden installation, and
glasshouse on a 1.5 acre plot, using the existing building as the exhibition
hall. Construction began in 2011, and LEED Silver certification and installation
of the art began the following year [1].

Eight
galleries and three "Drawing Walls" are included in the Exhibition
Hall. The 40-foot tall Glasshouse, designed to resemble a conservatory, is the
centerpiece of the Exhibition and features a 100-foot long suspended sculpture.
The Garden combines natural elements such as trees and flowers with four large glass
sculptures, Reeds on Logs, the Sun, and the Crystal and Icicle Towers. The
Exhibition also features a Theater which shows videos on Chihuly's artistic
process and how his sculptures are created. The Theater also holds lectures and
events [1].

Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition at the Seattle Center was established in 2012. Featuring the works of Washington State artist Dale Chihuly, the LEED-certified installation consists of a garden, central Glasshouse, and eight galleries next door to the Space Needle. The Chihuly Garden offers art education and events through partnerships with the Pratt Fine Arts Center, Pilchuck Glass School, ArtsFund, and Seattle Public Schools. Events include live music, yoga, tours, lectures, dinners, and theatrical performances [1]. 

Chihuly Garden and Glass

Originally part of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, the
Pacific Science Center opened as the United States Science Pavilion, and is now
a City of Seattle Landmark run by a private non-profit organization. Permanent
exhibits range from toddler-age play areas to interactive exhibits on health
and life sciences, Earth and environmental sciences, and physics and engineering.
The museum also features special exhibits such as the Art of the Brick Lego
exhibit and the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, as well as a wide
array of programs and special events [1]. 

Exhibits and Programs 

Permanent exhibits include interactive learning about
health, nutrition, and exercise at Professor Wellbody's Academy of Health and
Wellness and Body Works; a Just for Tots play area with a stream table; an IMAX
solar-powered art installation called Sonic Bloom (price included in general
admission); the Civilized Seeds exhibit on plant use by people through history;
realtime data on CO2 levels in the Sound Atmosphere exhibit; the Puget Sound
Model with real tides and currents; the invention area Tinker Tank and Science
Playground; outdoor exhibits such as Water Works, the High Rail Bicycle, and
the Pollinator Garden of over 50 native plants; animatronic Dinosaurs: A
Journey Through Time; the Tropical Butterfly House; real and animatronic
residents of the Insect Village; a Saltwater Tide Pool touch exhibit; and
animal exhibits featuring &nbsp;reptiles,
amphibians, and mammals, including a colony of East African naked mole rats
with their own live camera feed 24/7. The museum also has a full IMAX theater
with regular showtimes [1].



Educational programs for kids at the Pacific Science Center
include summer camps, break camps, parents' night out, a preschool family play
lab and Proton Preschool, Meet a Scientist, a series of programs held at Mercer
Slough and in community school, preschool, and after-school settings, and homeschool
and S.T.E.A.M. opportunities. Teens can enjoy programs like the Discovery
Corps, Tech Creations Workshop, the summer camp volunteer program, and teen
science cafés. For adults, the museum offers 21+ events, volunteer
opportunities, public lectures and science cafés, and Science and a Movie
nights. Exploration For All programs for the autistic are offered for all ages.
The museum also hosts birthday parties, private events, fundraisers, field
trips, scout programs, and participates in community events such as fairs and
festivals with Science on Wheels. Special events range from laser shows to
monthly event weekends such as BubbleFest, Polar Science Weekend, Life Sciences
Research Weekend, and the Annual Model Railroad Show [1].

Originally part of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, the Pacific Science Center opened as the United States Science Pavilion, and is now a City of Seattle Landmark run by a private non-profit organization. Permanent exhibits range from toddler-age play areas to interactive exhibits on health and life sciences, Earth and environmental sciences, and physics and engineering. The museum also features special exhibits such as the Art of the Brick Lego exhibit and the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, as well as a wide array of programs and special events [1]. 

Pacific Science Center

In 1946, the artist, Paul Horiuchi, moved to Seattle from Japan, where he studied the traditional Japanese artistic styles of sumi-e brush art and calligraphy. During the 1950s, Horiuchi developed his signature style as a collage artist. He first created the Seattle Mural using torn bits of paper for his collage design. However, the finished version instead incorporates fifty-four different pieces of vibrantly colored Venetian glass, which were hand-made in Italy. The juxtaposition of the different colors of glass was intended to create a visual effect that evokes the vibrancy of the Pacific Northwest.Horiuchi created the sixty-foot long glass mosaic mural for the 1962 World's Fair, held in Seattle. Located on the Old Fair Grounds, the mural is now part of the Mural Amphitheater at the Seattle Center. The mural sits behind the amphitheater stage, where it serves as both a colorful visual and auditory backdrop, as it reflects sound back to the audience. The amphitheater features a regular concert series that ranges from rock music to classical, as well as hosting Shakespearean theater, and outdoor movies on the lawn. Several well-known Seattle bands got their start at this venue, including Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains. During these performances, the Seattle Mural was in place as the backdrop behind the stage.The Seattle Mural is part of the permanent public art collection owned by the city of Seattle. In 2011, it was restored through a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in conjunction with the organization 4Culture, as well as the Office of Arts &amp; Cultural Affairs, and the Seattle Center. The Mural Amphitheater has remained a popular venue for concerts and festivals. In addition to the mural, the Space Needle landmark is also a visible to audiences while watching performances at this venue; it is located behind the Seattle Mural and the stage.

Located on the Old Fair Grounds at the Seattle Center, this mural was designed by Paul Horiuchi for the 1962 World's Fair. The mural is intended to portray the natural beauty and colors of the Pacific Northwest. Horiuchi designed the mural in the style of a collage, which is his signature style, using bright panels of Venetian glass in 54 different colors. Originally from Japan, Horiuchi trained in sumi-e brush art and calligraphy, before moving to Seattle in 1946.

Seattle Mural at the Mural Amphitheater

The Neototems Children's Garden is located on the grounds of the Seattle Center, across from the Seattle Mural at the Mural Ampitheater. Gloria Bornstein designed this whimsical sculpture garden in 2002. The centerpiece of the sculpture garden is a large whale's tail, which appears as if it is emerging from the earth. The artist's inspiration for this particular sculpture was an ancient Native American legend that foretold of whales swimming underneath the earth from the fresh water of Lake Union to the salt water of Eliot Bay. In addition, the sculpture garden also includes the artist's rendering of an octopus sitting upon a rock, a seahorse, a family of blowfish, and a winged piglet that appears ready for flight, among other other imaginative creatures of land and sea. The Neototems Children's Garden includes some shady trees and places for children to sit or climb. It is located within walking distance of the Children's Museum, the Pacific Science Center, and the Space Needle landmark.Gloria Bornstein, the artist behind the Neototems Children's Garden, also redesigned the International Fountain at the Seattle Center. The International Fountain was originally featured in the 1962 World's Fair, held at the Old Fair Grounds located at this site. In 1995, Bornstein designed another sculpture, titled Neototems (1995), which sits at the west side of the International Fountain. This 1995 sculpture includes a pod of whales. As Bornstein explained, the whale's tail that appears in the Neototems Children's Garden (2002) was intended to represent a whale from the same pod as depicted in her earlier sculpture, Neototems (1995).

The Neototems Children's Garden is a maze of paths featuring whimsical sculptures of animals, which were created by the sculpture artist Gloria Bornstein. The animal sculptures include a whale's tail, an octopus, a seahorse, a family of blowfish, and a piglet with wings. Each sculpture appears nestled among decorative rocks and native plants in this designed landscape. There is also a plaque located at the site attributing the sculptures to Bornstein in 2002.

Neototems Children's Garden

The International Fountain was originally built for the 1962 World's Fair. This historic event was held at the Seattle fairgrounds, now the site of the Seattle Center Campus. The design of the International Fountain was intended to convey a futuristic optimism that was synonymous with the World's Fair. In advance of the 1962 World's Fair, the city of Seattle ran an international competition with a prize of $250,000 awarded to the winning designers of a new decorative fountain to be located at the fairgrounds. Initially, the city had considered the construction of a more traditional water basin, where gondolas could calmly float by on the breeze. Instead, the city decided to award first prize in the contest to two young Japanese architects who created an unexpected abstract, futuristic design that melded "light, water, and sound."Kazuyuki Matsushita and Hideki Shimizu, the Japanese architects selected by the city of Seattle to design the International Fountain, grew up during the World War II era and lived through wartime bombings. Although their design of the fountain was futuristic, it has also been noted that the post-war International Fountain bears some resemblance to an underwater mine or to the engineering of a Navy blast site. Although the history of the International Fountain can be traced to 1962 World's Fair, the fountain underwent a complete renovation and upgrade in 1995. This project cost $6.5 million. At the center of the fountain is a smooth silver dome that spouts water in timed displays corresponding to sequences of recorded music. Visitors can sit and listen to the music while watching the extravagant water displays from around the perimeter of the fountain, or they can venture to splash in the fountain's shallow basin. Along with a light show, there are several different playlists of music, ranging from pop to rock to classical, which were created to correspond to the water displays that delight of visitors of all ages to the International Fountain.

The International Fountain is a large installation that merges water elements with lighting displays and recorded music for the public to enjoy. Located on the campus of the Seattle Center, the fountain was originally built for the 1962 World's Fair, which was held at the same location. When viewed from the northern rim of the fountain (looking toward the southeast), the Space Needle landmark serves as a dramatic backdrop to the fountain's musically-enhanced water displays. The International Fountain has been described as resembling a sea-urchin with a central dome and jets that spout water in all directions.

International Fountain at the Seattle Center

With great fanfare, the Seattle Civic Auditorium was dedicated in 1928 by the city’s only female mayor, Bertha K. Landes. During the next three decades, this auditorium provided a venue for performances by the San Francisco Opera and by stars such as Marian Anderson, Danny Kaye, and Arthur Rubenstein. In the late 1950s, a civic bond issue was passed to redevelop the auditorium as an event venue for the 1962 World’s Fair, which was also known as the Century 21 Exposition and featured a futuristic Space Age theme. The cavernous auditorium was demolished in preparation for the event, with only the Romanesque Revival façade preserved. Reopening in 1962 with enhanced acoustics, the new Seattle Opera House became the premiere performance venue for the city’s own opera company.In the early 2000s, another renovation once again updated the site. This time, the Seattle Opera House was fully reimagined as a venue fit for the 21st century, with the latest technology. The state-of-the-art, $127 million renovation reflected a transformation of the old Civic Auditorium and the 1962 Opera House into a world-class arts and entertainment venue. Renamed the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, the site reopened in 2003. Thereafter, McCaw Hall became the main stage not only for the Seattle Opera, but also for the Pacific Northwest Ballet. In addition, the site began to host theatrical productions, festivals, lectures, and community events sponsored by other regional arts organizations, corporations, and non-profits.Today, McCaw Hall includes the 2900-seat Susan Brotman Auditorium, the 380-seat Nesholm Family Lecture Hall, the Prelude Café, and a 17,800 square-foot plaza known as the Kreielsheimer Promenade. A five-story glass wall allows passers-by to view the interior of the elegant lobby, where theatergoers can gather during intermission, as well as before and after performances. Located on the grounds of the Seattle Center Campus, McCaw Hall is currently owned by the City of Seattle and operated by the Seattle Center. Along with musical concerts and community-wide events, the venue is used for 150 annual performances by the Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Completed in 1928, Seattle’s Civic Auditorium was designed in a Romanesque Revival style and dedicated by the city’s only female mayor, Bertha K. Landes. The auditorium hosted symphony concerts and performances by the San Francisco Opera, featuring musical stars such as the opera singer, Marian Anderson. In the late 1950s, a civic bond issue was passed to upgrade the venue in preparation for the 1962 World’s Fair. Demolition of the Civic Auditorium commenced in 1958, with only the Romanesque Revival facade preserved. In 1962, the venue reopened with enhanced acoustics, becoming the main stage for the Seattle Opera, the city's own premiere opera company. In 2003, a $127 million renovation of the 1962 Seattle Opera House once again transformed the site, this time into a state-of-the-art venue fit for the 21st century. Renamed McCaw Hall, the venue currently features 150 annual performances by the Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company.

Seattle Civic Auditorium (1928 - 1958) and McCaw Hall

Pacific Northwest Ballet, also known as PNB, was founded in 1972 and was initially named Pacific Northwest Dance Association, which was under the aegis of the Seattle Opera Association. In 1973, Leon Kalimos, Janet Reed, and Melissa Hayden took over leadership of the program. Then in 1977, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell took over as directors and developed the program into the successful school that it is today.  When Stowell and Russell arrived, PNDA was filled with chaos due to departing dancers, administrators being ill, and a scarcity of teachers. The new directors were determined to make a great company that would have order but also be inviting. Russell created a syllabus and constructed requirements for advancement while Stowell dealt with the company’s business side. Near the end of the year, the school became an independent organization, so Russell and Stowell produced The Nutcracker, which was a hit, selling out for its holiday run. Then in 1978, the school was renamed Pacific Northwest Ballet.  In the 80s and 90s, the company often toured, giving itself a name on an international scale. They performed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Alaska, Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Aspen, Hawaii, Arizona, California, and Melbourne, Australia. The attention that the company got increased sales in Seattle.  Then in 2005, Peter Boal took over as director and remains in that position in 2020. Due to Stowell and Russell, and Peter Boal, PNB now has an annual budget of $20.7 million, a staff of over 350, sold-out shows, and roughly one thousand dancers attending annually. And, the program has continued to tour for forty years. In 2020, they plan to travel to New York, British Columbia, and Italy to perform.  The school is located next to Mccaw Hall, where PNB’s performances take place. These performances occur throughout the year, with roughly a 10-day long run every month or so. Mccaw Hall and the PNB studios are located at the heart of Seattle: Seattle Center, where the Space Needle and Science Center are also located. Seattle Center is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Seattle, so PNB tickets are often sold to visitors.The school offers over one thousand students professional training. To support and challenge each individual, PNB divides students into divisions: children, student, and professional. PNB also has a program for 600 teens and adults called the “Open Program” that provides an encouraging space for amateurs. PNB also offers partial scholarships to students who need it and continually demonstrate their want to learn and their technique to be a professional. On top of that, PNB also offers Seattle Public School students the opportunity to study ballet with them free of charge. More specifically, these students have a scholarship for two classes a week, dance clothes, transportation, and tickets to PNB performances. If the students have a desire to continue their training, they must begin paying tuition or file for a scholarship.  Dance has been scientifically proven to improve brain health. One study conducted at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2003, discovered that dance lowered the participants’ risk for dementia. In later years, Harvard Medical School discovered that dance can be used to help and treat people with Parkinson’s disease. With that, PNB dancers will retire with healthier brains compared to the average U.S. worker.  Even with upsides of dance, there, unfortunately, is an underlying problem in it, especially ballet. Many young ballerinas suffer from anorexia due to the traditional figures that have continued to model what these dancers should look like: pale skin, a small waist, long limbs, and a flat chest. These high standards set up children, particularly young girls, to feel as though their weight is the one thing that they can change. In their minds, this makes up for the lack of flexibility, lean muscles, natural turnout, etc. American Ballet Theater principle dancer, Misty Copeland has begun to change the expectation of “ballerina bodies” because she is a Black, large chested, curvy dancer at a prestigious ballet company. Though she currently ranks as one of the world’s most famous dancers, expectations of dancers’ bodies must continue to evolve so as not to harm these hard-working individuals.

Located a block away from Seattle Center, the Pacific Northwest Ballet is one of the city’s most prized attractions. PNB has been ranked as a top professional ballet school in the United States. It has the highest per-capita attendance in the U.S. with 11,000 subscribers in 2004, and it has over one hundred performances annually that non-locals travel to see. The program offers ages eight and up the opportunity to dance at its renowned institution. While it is now a leading company, it did not start that way. It took over two decades before PNB became a household name. 


Pacific Northwest Ballet

This cylindrical, cast bronze bell was sent from Kobe, Japan, to its sister city of Seattle, as a hallmark of friendship in advance of the 1962 World's Fair held in Seattle. The partnership between the two cities was established during the post-World War II, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower encouraged municipal governments in the U.S. to develop ties with other cities around the world as a sign of peace and cooperation. The successful program became known as Sister Cities International. Today, cities located in different parts of the globe continue to establish lasting partnerships. The program currently brings together tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers in forging these international bonds in more than 140 countries.In 1957, Gordon Clinton, the mayor of Seattle, reached out to the city of Kobe, Japan, where Mayor Hagaruchi accepted the invitation for a sister-city relationship. A few years later, the city of Kobe sent a Friendship Bell to Seattle as a gift that could be dedicated and displayed during the 1962 World's Fair held in Seattle. The bell is housed within a small Japanese-style wooden pagoda, surrounded by a meditation garden that fosters reflection. True to the Japanese style of design, the Kobe Bell, also known as the Friendship Bell, does not contain an interior clapper. Rather, it is sounded from the exterior with a large log suspended above the bell at a right angle.The bell is richly decorated with images of a dragon on the upper portion, and bas-relief scenes of Japanese gods playing flutes and drums on the lower portion. An inscription on the interior contains these words: "May this Bell Ring Forever Signifying Friendship and Goodwill between the Nations of the United States of America and Japan." This friendship was further symbolized on Friday, January 17, 2015, when the Kobe Bell was sounded in Seattle during a special ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, which shook Kobe, Japan, on January 17, 1995. Also referred to as the Kobe Earthquake, it was one of Japan's worst natural disasters to date. After the bell was rung, a moment of silence followed to remember all those who had lost their lives during the quake.

The Kobe Bell Meditation Garden at the Seattle Center represents friendship between the international sister cities of Seattle, Washington, and Kobe, Japan. The cast bronze bell was created for the 1962 World’s Fair and was presented to Seattle as a gift from the people of Kobe. A partnership between the two cities formed in 1957 as part of a broader post-World War II effort to develop ties that would foster global peace, cooperation, and understanding. The Kobe Bell is housed within a small wooden Japanese pagoda set within a peaceful meditation garden. Along with the bell, the city of Kobe has also gifted other symbolic tokens of friendship to Seattle over the years, including four red-crowned cranes in residence at the Seattle Zoo, cherry trees planted in Centennial Park, and an abstract wave sculpture at Pier 66 at the Port of Seattle.

The Kobe Bell Meditation Garden

The Seattle Repertory Theater Company was founded in 1963 through the efforts of the theater artist, Hal Holbrook, in conjunction with local philanthropists, including Bagley Wright. Holbrook recommended the theater director and actor Stuart Vaughan to lead the company as its first Artistic Director. Embracing a progressive vision for the future of the company, Vaughan’s motto was: “The only reason to be in the American Theater is to change it.” His leadership of the Rep came on the heels of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition), with its futuristic theme. The Rep was initially housed at the Seattle Playhouse, also known as the World’s Fair Playhouse, as it was built at the Seattle Center for the World’s Fair.The Rep’s first production, King Lear, was performed on September 13, 1963. Since then, the company has presented a mixture of musicals as well as dramatic productions, classical plays and traditional works, along with a variety of contemporary, experimental, and avant-garde theatrical performances. Playwrights such as August Wilson and Neil Simon have debuted new plays at the Seattle Rep, and actors such as Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Gere, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Liev Schreiber have all performed with the company during their early careers. Richard Gere got his start at the Rep at age nineteen in a production of Anton Chekov’s play, The Three Sisters, during the Rep’s 1969-1970 season. Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Liev Schreiber appeared together in a 1996 workshop performance of An American Daughter, written by Wendy Wasserstein.Samuel L. Jackson, who went on to a renowned theater and film career, performed in the Rep’s production of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences, during the 1986-1987 season. August Wilson was an African American playwright whose plays were critically acclaimed for their portrayal of Black America. Hailed as “The American Shakespeare,” he was known his cycle of plays titled American Century, all ten parts of which were performed by the Rep. The Rep has long served as a showcase for both established and emerging playwrights. Established as a non-profit theater, it was also founded as the city's only Equity Theater, employing members of the Actors' Equity Union, a labor union for professional actors and theater artists.In 1983, the Bagley Wright Theater at the Seattle Center replaced the earlier Seattle Playhouse as the Rep's home stage. The theater was named after Wright, the local patron of the arts who also served as The Rep's first president from its establishment in 1963 until 1970. With a total of 842 seats, it is said that the distance from the stage to the last row in the Bagley Wright Theater measures approximately five feet longer than the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate on a standard baseball diamond. The Rep also performs at a smaller adjacent venue, the 282-seat Leo Kreielsheimer Theater (the "Leo K”). In 1990, the Rep won a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater, which is the highest honor that a regional theater company can receive.

The Seattle Repertory Theater Company ("the Rep") was established in 1963 at the Seattle Playhouse, a theater venue built one year earlier for the 1962 World's Fair. Hal Holbrook, a renowned theater artist, and Bagley Wright, a local patron of the arts, led the effort to establish the non-profit theater company, which became the first Equity Theater in Seattle. In 1983, a new venue, the Bagley Wright Theater, was constructed at the Seattle Center to serve as the main stage for the Rep. The 842-seat performance venue was named in Wright's honor, as he not only provided guidance and financial support during the Rep's formative years, but he also served as the company's first president from 1963 to 1970. Notably, in 1990, the Seattle Repertory Theater won a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater. This is the highest award that a theater company can receive.

Seattle Repertory's Bagley Wright Theater

The Seattle Repertory Theater Company was established in 1963 as an outgrowth of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Following the performance during the World's Fair, leaders in the local theater community decided that the city of Seattle needed a professional theater company to rival those in New York City. The esteemed theater artist Hal Holbrook, along with Seattle philanthropists such as Bagley Wright, collaborated to bring this goal to fruition. As a result of their efforts, the non-profit Seattle Repertory Theater Company was founded the following year. As an Equity Theater, the Rep employs actors and other theater artists who are members of the Actors' Equity Union. The Rep’s was originally housed at the Seattle Playhouse (now called the Cornish Playhouse), which was constructed at the Seattle Center in preparation for the 1962 World’s Fair.In 1963, the Seattle Rep staged its first production with William Shakespeare's King Lear. Over the next two decades, the Rep became known for its classical and dramatic productions, as much as for its staging of contemporary and avant-garde plays. The Rep also established a strong reputation for supporting emerging playwrights as well as acclaimed playwrights, developing a long-term relationship with August Wilson, an African American playwright hailed as “The American Shakespeare” for his poetic theatrical works that portray the Black experience. The Rep continued to lease the Seattle Playhouse, also known as the World’s Fair Playhouse, from the city until 1983. At that time, a new venue, the 856-seat Bagley Wright Theater, was constructed at the Seattle Center as the Rep’s main stage. This was followed by the 1996 construction of the Leo Kreielsheimer Theater, becoming the Rep’s second, smaller stage.Today, the Rep performs at three separate venue. The Bagley Wright Theater remains its largest venue and still serves as the Rep’s main stage for classical and contemporary works. Adjacent to this, the Leo Kreielsheimer Theater also features contemporary and occasionally avant-garde theatrical works. With 282 seats, the distance between the stage and the back row is no more than twenty-five feet. Construction of the “Leo K.” was made possible through a $2 million donation from the Kreielsheimer Foundation, and the Rep’s first performance at this venue was a 1997 production of The Cider House Rules. In addition, the Rep also currently performs at a third venue, an intimate black box style theater known as the Poncho Forum. In 1990, the Rep won a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater, the highest honor that a regional theater company can achieve. It is one of the few theater companies within the city to hold this distinction.

The Leo Kreielsheimer Theater (The "Leo K.") opened in December 1996 as the second stage for the Seattle Repertory Theater Company. The 282-seat venue is adjacent to the larger Bagley Wright Theater, which serves as the Rep's main stage for classical and traditional works, as well as contemporary plays. The Rep was established in 1963 following the success of a theatrical performance at the Seattle Playhouse during the 1962 World's Fair. For the next two decades, the Rep was based at the Seattle Playhouse (also known as the World's Fair Playhouse), until the construction of the Bagley Wright Theater in 1983, followed by the Leo Kreielsheimer Theater in 1996. The Seattle Rep holds the distinction of winning a Tony Award in 1990 for Outstanding Regional Theater, and the theater company has also been commended by The New York Times for its long-lasting success as "the city's flagship theater."

Seattle Repertory's Leo Kreielsheimer Theater

The August Wilson Way Portal was created to honor the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright, August Wilson (1945 - 2005). Raised in Pittsburgh, Wilson developed a long-term collaboration with the Seattle Repertory Theater Company, which produced many of his plays, and he spent his final years living in Seattle. Although he initially worked as a poet during the early years of his career, he began writing theatrical works in the late 1970s, with his first play, Jitney, performed in 1979. Wilson sought to express the African American experience in the 20th century by engaging with themes of family, community, identity, and history, while also directly addressing the problem of racism in the U.S. His plays have been performed on Broadway and at regional theaters throughout the country.The Portal was installed at the entrance to the August Wilson Way, a special stretch of Republican Street that runs through the Seattle Center Campus. Because Wilson premiered many of his plays on the main stage of the Seattle Repertory Theater Company, the Portal was installed adjacent to the Rep's Bagley Wright Theater and Leo Kreielsheimer Theater. A highly conceptual work of art in its own right, the August Wilson Portal features a red door with a doorframe constructed from steel, which was chosen for its durability and longevity. It was also intended to symbolize Wilson's childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city known for its steel industry. The Portal's doorframe weighs a total of 3,000 pounds, and the heft of the sculpture is symbolic of the weight of Wilson's ideas.On the Portal's red door, a brass letterbox labeled "Stories" gives people an opportunity to share their own personal and collective experiences through writing. This collaborative, artistic detail reflects how Wilson encouraged audiences to examine and learn from history, while finding wisdom through the communication of individual and shared experiences. Some of his plays have already been adapted for film, with plans currently underway for a film adaptation of all ten plays in his American Century Cycle, which includes Jitney, Fences, The Piano Lesson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Gem of the Ocean, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, King Hedley II, and Radio Golf. In 1987, Wilson won both a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for Fences, and he received a second Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for The Piano Lesson.

The August Wilson Way Portal is a twelve-foot high sculptured doorway constructed of steel in honor of the late playwright, August Wilson (1945 - 2005). A work of public art, it was dedicated by the City of Seattle and the Seattle Repertory Theater Company in 2008. Wilson was a renowned playwright whose work portrayed the history of African Americans throughout the twentieth century. Hailed as the American Shakespeare, he began his career as a poet before becoming a playwright. Wilson’s plays have been produced on Broadway and at regional theaters around the country, while also being adapted for film. He maintained a lifelong collaboration with the Seattle Rep, one of the first theaters to have produced his epic ten-part American Century Cycle in its entirety. In addition to receiving a Tony Award, Wilson was twice awarded a Pulitzer Prize for two of the plays in his American Century Cycle.

The August Wilson Way Portal

KeyArena is rooted&nbsp;in the 74-acre&nbsp;entertainment complex known as&nbsp;Seattle Center,&nbsp;the site of the 1962&nbsp;World's Fair.&nbsp;(1)&nbsp;It is used for a wide array of activities&nbsp;like sporting events and concerts.The arena's current primary tenants are the&nbsp;Seattle University&nbsp;men's basketball team and the&nbsp;Seattle Storm&nbsp;of the&nbsp;WNBA.&nbsp;The Seattle University Redhawks men's basketball team are currently the arena's longest-serving tenant, having played in the arena from 1963–1980 and 2009 to present.KeyArena was also home to the&nbsp;Seattle SuperSonics. &nbsp;In 1986, (2)&nbsp;rain that leaked through the roof of KeyArena caused an NBA game to be cancelled. &nbsp;In 1994, the venue underwent improvements that caused the SuperSonics to leave the arena&nbsp;for a brief time in 1995. &nbsp;They returned later that year. &nbsp;In 2006, businessman Clay Bennett purchased the team and promised to fund enough for the team to get a new venue.&nbsp;On July 2, 2008, the Oklahoma City&nbsp;based ownership group of the SuperSonics&nbsp;reached a settlement deal with the city of&nbsp;Seattle, releasing the team from the last two years of their lease with the city and allowing the team to&nbsp;relocate&nbsp;to Oklahoma City for the&nbsp;upcoming season. Despite Bennett's earlier promise, the team was history. (3)&nbsp;&nbsp;After 41 seasons in Seattle (and Tacoma), the team became the&nbsp;Oklahoma City Thunder&nbsp;and the owners agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo, and colors in Seattle for a possible future NBA franchise.In 2013, the Sacramento Kings were faced with the threat of relocating to a location like Seattle or Anaheim. &nbsp;However, the Kings stayed in Sacramento. (4)&nbsp;To this day, the city of Seattle still holds out hope for an NBA franchise.

KeyArena is a sports venue that broke ground in 1960 in Seattle, Washington and was later opened two years later in 1962.  It houses the WNBA's Seattle Storm, the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds and the NCAA's Seattle University Redhawks.  However is it most notable for formerly being the home to the defunct Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA.  There were three different periods of time when the team played at KeyArena (1967-1978, 1985-1994, 1995-2008).  They moved out the first two times to play in two different arenas that were better renovated at the time.  The team was moved to Oklahoma City after the 2008 season, and the move was seen as controversial by many of the SuperSonics faithful.

KeyArena at Seattle Center

The post-war population growth of the late 1950s and 1960s resulted in an immense growth in mail volume. As well, technological advances spurred what would become the&nbsp;United States Postal Office (USPS) to go through major operational and organizational changes. As a result, the USPS streamlined and modernized postal delivery as a means of increase efficiency. The most memorable result of that modernization involved the 1963&nbsp;creation of the modern zip code system. However, another aspect of those changes involved transferring the&nbsp;regional headquarters from Portland to Seattle in 1961, which prompted the design and construction of the Queen Anne Post Office and Regional Headquarters.&nbsp;Built in 1965 for $1.7 million by architect Thomas Albert Smith of seattle, the Queen Anne Post Office and Regional Headquarters exceeded all other western post offices in terms of square footage and height (stories). The Queen Anne Post Office and Regional Headquarters planned to be home to postal administration offices and also act as a mail processing station. In 1970, the Postal Reorganization Act changed the Post Office Department to the United States Postal Service, and also removed the position of Postmaster General from the Presidential Cabinet&nbsp; Smith designed the Queen Anne Post Office and Regional Headquarters in the New Formalism Style, which emerged during 1960s as a rejection of the&nbsp;rigid forms common in Modernism that was in full-force at the time. In essence, New Formalism attempted to draw upon building forms of the past with needs created by modern society. New Formalist embraced Classical &nbsp;styles such as building proportion and scale, large columnns, stylish entablatures, and colonnades, as well as modern touches comprised of concrete used to create forms such as umbrella shells, waffle, folded plates and precast structural members. At a time when stores still sent catalogues, people wrote letters and sent cards, and almost all forms of bill-paying communication was done through the mail, the Queen Anne arose to meet those needs. The building demonstrates a time when society started to adapt technology as part of efficiency, but still believed in centralizing its business headquarters in large buildings located in downtown regions.&nbsp;

Completed in 1965, the Queen Anne Post Office and Regional Headquarters was resoundingly larger than all other postal buildings, in both amount of stories and total square footage, to be built in the western states at the time. 

Space Needle and Seattle Museums Walking Tour

Seattle Children's Museum

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information