Museum of Pop Culture, Contemporary culture museum in Seattle Center, United States
This cultural facility covers 13000 square meters across multiple exhibition spaces dedicated to music history, science fiction cinema and video game development. The Frank Gehry building features curved metallic surfaces in gold, silver and purple that house permanent and rotating galleries examining popular culture from the 1950s to the present.
Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen opened the facility in June 2000 as the Experience Music Project, initially focused on American popular music history. The institution expanded its scope in 2011 to include science fiction, horror and video game exhibitions, then rebranded as the Museum of Pop Culture in 2016 to reflect its broadened mission.
The institution preserves extensive archives documenting Seattle's role in rock history, particularly the grunge movement of the 1990s. Collections include handwritten lyrics, original instruments and photographs that trace the development of Pacific Northwest music from its underground origins through global recognition.
The facility operates daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 325 5th Avenue North with full wheelchair access throughout all exhibition areas. Advance ticket purchase online reduces wait times during peak summer months and weekends. Seattle Center location provides proximity to other attractions, restaurants and public transit including the Monorail.
The Sky Church interior space rises 85 feet with what was the world's largest indoor LED screen when installed, used for concerts and multimedia presentations. Construction required accommodating the existing Seattle Center Monorail track, which now passes through an opening in the building's sculptural exterior.
Location: Seattle
Inception: 2004
Founders: Paul Allen
Architects: Frank Gehry
Official opening: 2004
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Fee: Yes
Address: 5th Avenue North
Opening Hours: 10:00-17:00
Phone: +18773677361
Email: info@mopop.org
Website: https://mopop.org
GPS coordinates: 47.62150,-122.34860
Latest update: December 1, 2025 11:45
Seattle stretches between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, offering a mix of urban architecture, public spaces and natural areas. This route connects more than thirty stops, from the Space Needle and Pike Place Market to less visited sites like the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks or the Wing Luke Museum. The selection includes museums of contemporary and classical art, historic neighborhoods and waterfront parks. Pike Place Market sits downtown and has operated as a public market since 1907. Chihuly Garden and Glass displays the glasswork of local artist Dale Chihuly. The Museum of Pop Culture, designed by Frank Gehry, covers music, film and video games. Olympic Sculpture Park spans nine acres along the waterfront, combining outdoor sculpture with views across the bay. The Seattle Art Museum holds collections from different continents and periods. The Ballard Locks connect salt water to fresh water and include a fish ladder for migrating salmon. Discovery Park covers 534 acres with trails through forest and meadow, plus beach access. Gas Works Park preserves parts of a former coal gasification plant on Lake Union. The Museum of Flight documents aviation history with more than 175 aircraft and spacecraft. Mount Rainier National Park lies about two hours southeast and features the 14,411-foot (4,392-meter) glaciated volcano.
Architecture does not have to follow straight lines and right angles. This collection presents buildings that stand out through their form: domes, spirals, tilted facades or organic structures that recall animals or plants. From Gaudí's mosaic covered works in Barcelona to the stacked concrete cubes of Habitat 67 in Montreal or the conical trulli of Alberobello, these structures demonstrate alternative approaches to construction. Some emerged from technical necessity, such as the temporary cardboard cathedral in Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake. Others are artistic statements: the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao with its titanium plates, the Dancing House in Prague or the cubist houses in Rotterdam. In Đà Lạt, the Crazy House transforms tree trunks and caves into habitable spaces, while the Atomium in Brussels represents a magnified iron crystal. These structures attract visitors but also raise questions about function and livability. The Longaberger Basket Building in Ohio takes the form of a seven story basket. The Lotus Temple in New Delhi uses concrete shells to form 27 petals. The Aldar headquarters in Abu Dhabi resembles a circular coin. These buildings expand the definition of what architecture can be.
Postmodern architecture emerged in the 1970s as a response to the rigid principles of modernism, reintroducing color, ornament, and historical references into contemporary building design. The movement evolved over decades, producing structures that challenge conventional forms and experiment with different materials and surfaces. These buildings demonstrate varied approaches to design, from playful facades to complex geometric constructions, showing how architects employ new technologies while engaging with historical stylistic elements. The collection includes cultural institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Casa da Música in Porto, public buildings like Seattle Central Library and Almere City Hall, and religious structures such as the Jubilee Church in Rome. Other examples include the SIS Building in London, Dancing House in Prague, and Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro. The Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus show different interpretations of postmodern principles. The Piazza d'Italia in New Orleans with its colored colonnades and the Portland Building with its decorated facade represent early postmodern works in the United States.
Frank Gehry designs buildings with curved metal facades, irregular forms and experimental construction methods. His work defines urban spaces from Bilbao to Los Angeles. The exterior surfaces use titanium, steel or glass formed into wave-like or folded volumes. The interior spaces accommodate art collections, concert halls and commercial offices. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao displays titanium panels that reflect the light of the Basque coast. The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles combines stainless steel surfaces with wooden acoustics for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein demonstrates his early approaches with white stucco surfaces and angled walls. The buildings emerge through computer-aided design that translates complex geometries into buildable structures.
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Moon Gates
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Black Lightning
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Garthgoyles: Designs for the Charlotte Martin Theatre
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Twine and Branch
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Mural Amphitheatre
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Human Forms in Balance
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Acrobat Constellation
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Dreaming in Color
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Feminine One
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Work of art, mural
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Impatient Optimist
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Center House Stage
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