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Seattle Center

Coordinates: 47°37′21″N 122°21′09″W / 47.62250°N 122.35250°W / 47.62250; -122.35250
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For the area control center referred to in radiotelephony as "Seattle Center", see Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center.
Space Needle and International Fountain, Seattle Center

The Seattle Center is an entertainment, education, tourism and performing arts center located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Constructed for the 1962 World's Fair, the Seattle Center's landmark feature is the 605 ft (184 m) Space Needle, an official city landmark and globally recognized symbol of Seattle's skyline. Other notable attractions include the Pacific Science Center, Climate Pledge Arena, and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), as well as McCaw Hall, which hosts both the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet. The Seattle Center Monorail provides regular public transit service between the Seattle Center and Westlake Center in Downtown Seattle, and is itself considered a tourist attraction.

Pacific Science Center
Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

History

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Seattle Civic Auditorium, 1954
President Dwight D. Eisenhower starts the electronic countdown to the opening of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, 1958

In 1886, Seattle founder David Denny donated the tract of land that would eventually host the Seattle Center, stipulating that it be of "public use forever". Plans for the land took shape in 1928, when mayor Bertha Knight Landes dedicated the newly-constructed arena and auditorium on the site as the Civic Center complex. In 1958, the Civic Auditorium was chosen as the future location of the World's Fair, and demolition work began following a countdown ceremony initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In 1961, Japanese architects Hideki Shimizu and Kazuyuki Matsushita were chosen to design the International Fountain, and a contract with Alweg Rapid Transit Systems was signed for the construction of the monorail line. On April 21, 1962, President John F. Kennedy officially opened the World's Fair; the six-month event was attended by, among others, astronaut John Glenn, politician Robert F. Kennedy, and singer Elvis Presley, who arrived in September 1962 to shoot the film It Happened at the World's Fair.[1][2]

On June 1, 1963, ownership of the complex was returned to the City of Seattle, which has since maintained it as a hub for the city's performing arts and sporting events. Some of the facilities were leased to the Century 21 Center, a nonprofit corporation formed in 1962 to promote the Seattle Center complex.[2] The Seattle Center Armory remained under the ownership of the Washington State Military Department but was leased to the city government for use as an events and museum space.[3] In December 1964, City of Seattle announced its intent to take over management of the Century 21 Center from the corporation after it had incurred $300,000 in debts.[4] The corporation was dissolved in 1965 and promotion of the Seattle Center was transferred to Greater Seattle, Inc., the region's tourism organization.[5]

The Seattle Center campus underwent a decline in attendance and importance after the World's Fair, which led to proposal to redevelop it for other uses.[2] The Seattle city government contracted Walt Disney Imagineering in 1987 to design a long-term campus plan; the Disney proposal included replacement of the International Fountain with a pond and Memorial Stadium with a parking garage topped by an artificial meadow. The proposals were rejected by the city government after public outcry at hearings.[2][6]

Attractions

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Several buildings and pieces of artwork at the Seattle Center have Japanese influences. These include the Pacific Science Center, designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki,[7] the "Seattle Mural" by artist Paul Horiuchi, and the Kobe Bell, a gift to Seattle from its sister city of Kobe, Japan.[8]

Landmarks

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  • The Space Needle, an official city landmark, featuring an observation deck and formerly a revolving restaurant.[9] At the time of its completion in 1961, the Space Needle was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
  • International Fountain, located in the center of the complex. Designed by Japanese architects Kazuyuki Matsushita and Hideki Shimizu, the fountain was built as a modernist water sculpture and renovated extensively in 1995. With over 20 spouts, the fountain rotates through programmed cycles of water patterns, accompanied by recorded music from around the world. The music is changed twice a month; it is chosen to complement the water patterns and events programming at the center.
  • John T. Williams totem pole—A 34-foot (10 m) totem pole commemorating John T. Williams.
  • Kobe Bell, an official city landmark[10]
  • Mural Amphitheatre, featuring a mosaic mural by artist Paul Horiuchi; the Horiuchi Mural, also created for the World's Fair, is an official city landmark.[11]
  • Artists At Play playground
  • Howard S. Wright Memorial Fountain
  • Seattle Center Monorail, which runs between the Seattle Center and Westlake Center

Museums

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Performing arts

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Venues

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  • Seattle Center Armory (known as Center House[12] from the early 1970s until 2012, and the Food Circus[13] from 1962 to the early 1970s), including Center Theatre, the home of Seattle Shakespeare Company and Book-It Repertory Theatre, as well as the Seattle Children's Museum, The Center High School and the Academy of Interactive Entertainment. Before the 1962 World's Fair, the building was an armory. Seattle Center Armory is an official city landmark.[9]
  • Exhibition Hall, a space for trade shows, receptions, exhibits, and special events
  • Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center is one of the largest rental venues on the grounds and the first City of Seattle building to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The large, flexible space can accommodate a wide range of commercial, charity and community events.
  • The Northwest Rooms, once a small conference center, now houses SIFF Film Center, The VERA Project, and KEXP-FM.
  • IMAX Theater at Pacific Science Center[14]
  • Seattle Laser Dome

Athletics

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Festivals

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The Seattle Center hosts many cultural, music and arts festivals. Major attractions include:

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  • View of the Space Needle with the International Fountain in the foreground.
    View of the Space Needle with the International Fountain in the foreground.
  • Kreielsheimer Promenade and Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
    Kreielsheimer Promenade and Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
  • Monorail tracks entering the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) building.
    Monorail tracks entering the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) building.
  • The towers of the Pacific Science Center at night.
    The towers of the Pacific Science Center at night.
  • The Kobe Bell.
    The Kobe Bell.
  • MoPOP and Space Needle seen against the backdrop of the Seattle waterfront and Puget Sound.
    MoPOP and Space Needle seen against the backdrop of the Seattle waterfront and Puget Sound.

References

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  1. ^ "History". www.seattlecenter.com. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  2. ^ a b c d Cipalla, Rita (December 11, 2022). "Seattle Center: After Century 21". HistoryLink. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Patty, Stanton H. (June 27, 1965). "City Abandons, for Present, Plans to Purchase Armory". The Seattle Times. p. 43.
  4. ^ Patty, Stanton H. (December 7, 1964). "City Acts to Take Over Seattle Center". The Seattle Times. p. 1.
  5. ^ "Greater Seattle to Promote Center". The Seattle Times. December 29, 1965. p. 1.
  6. ^ Carter, Don (June 2, 1988). "Seattle's center of attraction". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. C1.
  7. ^ Berger, Knute. "Remembering the Seattle architect who built the World Trade Center | Crosscut". crosscut.com. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  8. ^ "Kobe Bell". seattlearts.emuseum.com. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
  9. ^ a b Landmarks Alphabetical Listing for S Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine, Individual Landmarks, City of Seattle. Accessed 28 December 2007.
  10. ^ Landmarks Alphabetical Listing for K Archived 2012-04-28 at the Wayback Machine, Individual Landmarks, City of Seattle. Accessed 28 December 2007
  11. ^ Landmarks Alphabetical Listing for H Archived 2012-02-09 at the Wayback Machine, Individual Landmarks, City of Seattle. Accessed 28 December 2007
  12. ^ Press Release Archived 2013-05-13 at the Wayback Machine, Seattle Center March 26, 2012 Press release. Accessed 25 July 2013
  13. ^ Seattle Center Armory Archived 2013-08-01 at the Wayback Machine, Seattle Center Website. Accessed 25 July 2013
  14. ^ IMAX Theater Archived 2018-11-16 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed November 25, 2018
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47°37′21″N 122°21′09″W / 47.62250°N 122.35250°W / 47.62250; -122.35250

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