Bubbleator, Hydraulic elevator at Seattle Center, United States
The Bubbleator was a transparent acrylic elevator with a rounded bubble-shaped cabin that could fit up to 100 passengers at a time. It rose approximately 28 feet (8.5 meters) to move visitors through the World of Tomorrow exhibit inside the structure.
This elevator was designed and built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair and originally stood in the Washington State Coliseum. It was later relocated to the Center House before being retired in 1984.
Operators used distinctive voice patterns to guide passengers through the ride, paired with the musical composition 'Man in Space with Sounds' by Attilio Mineo. This combination made the elevator trip feel like a carefully choreographed experience.
The elevator ran on a regular schedule, departing every few minutes to keep visitor groups moving through the exhibit smoothly. Expect crowded conditions during peak times, as the cabin reached full capacity frequently.
After it closed, the transparent cabin was repurposed as a greenhouse in Des Moines, Washington, giving it a second life far from the exhibition halls. The original operator's chair from inside the cabin is now preserved at a museum in Seattle.
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