MOPOP, or the Museum of Pop Culture, is situated in Seattle, Washington. With over half a million visitors annually, the museum is one of Seattle’s most popular cultural attractions. This popular tourist spot doesn’t just exhibit artifacts, it engages visitors in stories and experiences.
Fast Fact: The design of the MOPOP museum by Frank Gehry is a tribute to Jimi Hendrix, the iconic American musician born in Seattle.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
What could be a more fascinating morning than visiting with my favorite characters from the world of science fiction? Indeed, the permanent display, Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction (SF), had them all!
When it comes to pop culture, there’s no doubt that SF has been a major force. Displays from the early sci-fi movies, like the 1953, War of the Worlds, to the original Star Trek series from the 1960s, show how SF has influenced everything from technology to fashion.
The museum even has an interactive display that lets you create your own episode of Star Trek. Just choose your story elements, characters, and setting from the list. If you like, you can even record yourself as part of the episode!
Of course, some of the best remembered SF characters come to us from movies. While we’re all getting used to today’s artificial intelligence (AI) tools, many of us probably never thought of the concept at all until the 1984 movie, The Terminator.
Fast Fact: The T-800 is considered an AI. It's equipped with a neural net CPU that lets it do many things including recognizing faces, tracking motion, and solving problems using its knowledge base.
The museum also includes these old favorites of mine:
- Mork from Ork
- Imperial Dalek (Doctor Who)
- B9 Robot (Lost in Space)
- Planet of the Apes
- X-Files
- The Matrix
Some of the museum’s rare artifacts include:
- Captain Kirk’s chair from Star Trek
- The Borg costume from Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Original Death Star Model from Star Wars
- Cornelius figure from Planet of the Apes
What’s in the Museum of Pop Culture?
The Museum of Pop Culture, popularly known as MOPOP, has a permanent collection of 85,000+ artifacts. That makes it one of the largest in the world!
MOPOP covers 140,000 sq. ft of space in its galleries, theaters, and administrative areas. In addition to the Infinite World of Science Fiction, its permanent exhibits include:
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience / Hendrix: Wild Blue Angel – covers the legendary career of the musician
- Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic – focus on fantasy books and movies
- Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film – exhibits horror film history
- Indie Game Revolution – examines indie video games
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame – dedicated to the legacy of influential creators
- Guitar Gallery – guitars in music history
- Sound Lab – hands-on music
- Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music – exhibition exploring Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul
Fast Fact: Imperial Dalek was one of the signature villains in the globally longest-running sci-fi TV show, Doctor Who. The original run of Doctor Who aired from 1963 to 1989, and was relaunched in 2005. A model of the villain is in the museum.
Music & Pop Culture
The multi-story sculpture of a guitar is one of the museum’s most unique — and photographed — displays!
While the museum has a huge collection of guitars, the Guitar Gallery sculpture is its most amazing centerpiece.
What is it? The Guitar Gallery installation is around 35 ft (10.6 m) tall and is made completely of guitars. It’s designed to evoke the idea of a “guitarnado” that celebrates Seattle’s deep musical roots and guitar legends.
The approximately 840 guitars come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and were owned by various artists.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
I visited Seattle as a stop on a cruise I took with a friend, so I only had part of a day in the city.
My first stop, about a half-hour walk from Pier 66, was the Seattle Center campus. It’s home to both the Space Needle and MOPOP.
The Space Needle was built as an iconic observation tower for the 1962 World’s Fair. (See this article for The Biosphere, built in Montreal, Canada, for the 1967 World’s Fair.)
If you like, you can get a ticket to go up in the Space Needle.
From its 520 ft observation deck you can see the city and nearby mountain ranges.
Or, you can dine at the Loupe Lounge, TipTop Cafe, or Sunset Bar. The Loupe Lounge has the world’s first revolving glass floor and offers “food towers” paired with craft cocktails.
When I left the Seattle Center campus, I took the Seattle Monorail to Westlake Market. Then, I walked 10 minutes to Pike Place Market. If you’ve never visited this National Historic District, do try to make the time!
What’s Pike Place Market?
Pike Place Market is one of the oldest and largest continuously running public markets in the U.S. It was founded in 1907, giving farmers, crafters, and small businesses a way to get their products to buyers.
Today, the market covers nine acres of historic property in the center of downtown Seattle.
One of the Market’s main attractions is the Pike Place Fish Market — see fish fly on this 15 second YouTube video from Scratching to Travel.
Who Should Visit MOPOP?
The Museum of Pop Culture is a great attraction for visitors of every age and interest. While pop culture changes all the time, the museum does an amazing job of showing how it impacts our day-to-day lives.
Families will find it’s fascinating for kids, particularly teens considering today’s POP culture. It will be a creative story starter for multi-generational conversations.
Although I only spent a couple of hours at the museum, I definitely wished I’d had more time. There’s just so much to explore!
The museum is very accessible. There’s wheelchair access, along with loans for travelers.
Service animals, such as seeing eye dogs, are allowed, however pets and emotional support animals aren’t included. They also offer sensory-friendly programs.
How Do You Visit the Museum of POP Culture?
MOPOP is conveniently located in the Seattle Center Campus.
Parking: There are several Seattle Center paid parking garages. Site 7/Mercer Garage and Cornish Playfield Garage are walking distance to MOPOP.
Street Address: 325 5th Ave N. Seattle
Get days/hours open and ticket costs on the MOPOP website.
Keep up to date with what’s happening at the Museum of Pop Culture Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour of the Museum of Pop Culture with Adventure Collector on YouTube.
Plan your visit to MOPOP with Google maps.
Read More Washington Museum Reviews
Check out these museum reviews for the state of Washington!
Explore More Specialty Museums
- MOPOP in Seattle: Unparalled Look at Pop Culture
Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture has one of the world’s largest pop culture collections. Check out everything from Guitar Gallery to the Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction. - Astonishing Evolution of Shoes: Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto
Shoes have been making fashion statements for centuries! The Bata Shoe Museum covers 4,500 years of shoes from every culture in the world. - Toronto Police Museum & Discovery Centre: Two Centuries of Law Enforcement History
The Toronto Police Museum is a popular Ontario attraction. Learn about the evolution of policing from the 1888 call boxes to modern forensics. - Missouri State Penitentiary Museum: Jefferson City, Missouri
Whether you’re looking for quirky or historic, a visit to Jefferson City’s Missouri State Penitentiary Museum fills the bill. After operating for 168 years, the prison was opened as a museum in 2013. - Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum: Montpelier, Idaho
Montpelier, Idaho, is home to the Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum. See this last verified location robbed by the Wild Bunch. - Frontier Prison Museum: Rawlins, Wyoming
Prison life in the early 1900s was a matter of survival as you’ll learn when you visit the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum in Rawlins. - Toronto’s First Post Office Museum & National Historic Site: Ontario
Toronto’s First Post Office Museum is in downtown Toronto, Canada. Discover many crazy facts about early postal history in Canada. - Gone With the Wind Museum: Memorabilia in Jefferson, Texas
Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone With the Wind Museum appeals to the romance in all of us. Whether you just want to know more about the book and movie or their Hollywood production, the museum takes you back into Southern U.S. history.
guide2museums.com 