Page 152 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

150  SEA T TLE

6 EMP Museum

Opened in 2000, Seattle’s EMP Museum celebrates American popular
music and culture, with rare memorabilia, interactive exhibits, and a live
performance space – all housed in an exuberant structure that swoops
and swirls at the base of the Space Needle. Designed by Frank Gehry,
an architect with a penchant for atypical shapes and angles, innovative
building materials, and bold colors, the building is said to resemble
a smashed electric guitar. The museum was conceived by
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (see p163). EMP incorporates
a science fiction gallery with exhibits on horror films,
fantasy, and independent video games.

Sound Lab
encourages
experimentation
with music.

The Building
From the air, the seemingly
random jumble of shapes and
tortured metal designed
by architect Frank
Gehry takes form
as the carcass of
a smashed guitar.

Main Entrance

Level One
The Nirvana: Taking
Punk to the Masses
exhibit features an
extensive collection of
rare memorabilia from
Seattle’s iconic grunge
band, including photo­
graphs, a guitar smashed
by lead singer Kurt Cobain,
and the band’s first demo
recording tape.
. Sky Church
The “heart and soul” of EMP, this
great hall is used as a performance
space, which includes a large
video screen.
For hotels and restaurants see p288 and pp298–300

US_PNW_150-151_SS_EMP.indd 150 04/07/16 12:34 pm