EMP Museum

EMP Museum (formerly known as Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame or EMP|SFM) is a leading-edge, nonprofit museum, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture. EMP Museum was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000. Since that time EMP has organized 46 exhibits, 17 of which have toured to major cultural institutions across the US as well as internationally.

The museum has founded numerous public programs including Sound Off! an annual 21 and under battle-of-the-bands that supports the all-ages scene and Pop Conference an annual gathering of academics, critics, musicians and music buffs. In addition EMP in collaboration with the Seattle International Film Festival SIFF presents the Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film Festival, which takes place annually every winter at the world renowned Seattle Cinerama Theater. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film Festival brings together industry professionals in film making and the genres of science fiction and fantasy to encourage and support new, creative additions to science fiction and fantasy cinema arts.

Institution Highlights

EMP Museum is home to exhibits, interactive activity stations, sound sculpture, and a wealth of educational resources.

  • A 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry designed building that houses multiple innovative galleries and Sky Church, which houses a Barco C7 black package LED screen, one of the largest indoor LED screens in the world.
  • Award-winning exhibits that cover a wide range of pop culture content, from the art of fantasy, horror cinema, and video games to science fiction literature and legendary costumes from screen and stage.
  • Interactive activities included in galleries like Sound Lab and On Stage where visitors can explore the tools of rock 'n' roll through myriad instruments and step into the spotlight to perform music before a virtual audience.
  • IF VI WAS IX, a soaring guitar sculpture made up of more than 500 musical instruments and 30 computers conceived by UK exhibit designer Neal Potter and developed by sound sculptor Trimpin.
  • The largest collections in the world of rare artifacts, hand-written lyrics, personal instruments, and original photographs celebrating the music and history of Seattle grunge luminaries, Nirvana, and legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
  • Educational resources including EMP's Curriculum Connections in-museum workshops and outreach programs; STAR (Student Training in Artistic Reach); Creativity Camps for Kids; Teen Artist Workshops; and Write Out of This World, an annual sci-fi and fantasy short story contest for 3rd to 12th graders.
  • Public programs such as EMP’s Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival, Pop Conference, the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), and Sound Off! the Northwest’s premier battle-of-the-bands.

Current Exhibitions

The source for all exhibition information is the official website, versions 2007–2011 and 2011–2012.

  • Hear My Train a Comin': Hendrix Hits London

Featuring lyrics, personal instruments, original photographs, outrageous outfits, and rare concert footage, Hear My Train a Comin': Hendrix Hits London celebrates the iconic musician's 70th birthday by inviting viewers to discover how Hendrix achieved prominence across the pond.

  • Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses

Featuring more than 200 iconic instruments, original poster artwork, photographs, albums, and 100 new and archived oral histories from key figures in the independent music scene, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses introduces the world's most extensive exhibition of memorabilia celebrating the music and history of Seattle grunge luminaries, Nirvana.

  • Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic

Legendary artifacts from literature, video games, and comics; and celebrated costumes from TV and the silver screen including The Princess Bride, The Wizard of Oz, Xena: Warrior Princess, and Labyrinth.

  • Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film

EMP presents an in-depth look at horror, and how it’s expressed through cinema, biology, history, and contemporary culture. Visitors can view iconic artifacts, get into the minds of monster makers past and present, and scream bloody murder.

  • Icons of Science Fiction

Featuring iconic artifacts from sci-fi literature, film, television, and art, including an Imperial Dalek from Doctor Who, Neo’s coat from The Matrix Reloaded, and Captain Kirk’s command chair from the classic television series Star Trek.

  • Guitar Gallery: The Quest for Volume

Instruments on display span the development of the guitar through the lives and accomplishments of innovators such as Orville Gibson, Leo Fender, and Les Paul, and the musicians who played them to fame such as Bo Diddley, Dave Davies of the Kinks, Eddie Van Halen, and Kurt Cobain.

  • Women Who Rock: Vision Passion Power (June 2013 – September 2013)

Past Exhibitions

  • The Gehry Experience (June 2000 – January 2001)
  • Hendrix Gallery (June 2000 – April 2003)
  • Milestones Gallery (June 2000 – October 2004)
  • Northwest Passage (June 2000 – January 2011)
  • Artist to Icon: Early Photographs of Elvis, Dylan, and the Beatles (January 19, 2001 – May 1, 2001)
  • Island Revolution: Jamaican Rhythm from Ska to Reggae, 1956-1981 (June 2001 – January 2002)
  • The LP Show (February – April 2002)
  • Uncommon Objects (May – September 2002)
  • Memphis Spotlight (July 2002 – January 2003)
  • Jay Blakesberg's Grateful Dead (September 2002 – November 2003)
  • Ella Fitzgerald Spotlight (January 2003 – April 2003)
  • Disco: A Decade of Saturday Night (February 2003 – October 2003)
  • Yes Yes Y’all: The Birth of Hip-Hop (May 2003 - September 2003)
  • Nirvana Spotlight (April 2003 – October 2004)
  • George Hunt's Conjurating the Blues: The High Cotton Tour (May - July 2003).
  • Paper Scissors ROCK: 25 Years of Northwest Punk Poster Design (May 2003 – September 2003)
  • Jimi Hendrix (June 7, 2003 – August 5, 2007)
  • Upsetting the Stage: Pop In Progress (July 2003 - October 2003)
  • Sweet Home Chicago, Big City Blues, 1946–1966 Traveling Exhibition (September 2003 – January 2004)
  • More Noise Please: A Portrait of Steven Jesse Bernstein (October 2003 – February 2004)
  • American Music: Photographs by Annie Leibovitz (November 2003 – January 2004)
  • Springsteen: Troubadour of the Highway (January 2004 – April 2004)
  • Costumes from the Vault (June 2004 – January 2007)
  • Beatlemania! America Meets the Beatles, 1964 (February 2004 – December 2005)
  • Songcraft: The Art & Craft of Songwriting (July 2004 – January 2006)
  • KISS Spotlight (October 2004 – January 2006)
  • Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956–1966 (November 2004 – October 2006)
  • Yes Yes Y'all: The First Decade of Hip-Hop (June 18, 2005 – January 6, 2008)
  • Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion (May 2006 – October 2006)
  • DoubleTake: From Monet to Lichtenstein (April 2006 – January 2007)
  • Disney: The Music Behind the Magic (November 4, 2006 – September 9, 2007)
  • American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music (October 13, 2007 – September 7, 2008)
  • Message to Love: Remembering and Reclaiming Jimi Hendrix (January 26, 2008 – April 6, 2008)
  • Jimi Hendrix: An Evolution of Sound (April 26, 2008 – September 24, 2012)
  • American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print (October 11, 2008 – July 16, 2009)
  • Gelatine Lux (November 2009 - April 2010)
  • Taking Aim: Unforgettable Rock 'n' Roll Photographs Selected by Graham Nash (February 6, 2009 – May 23, 2010)
  • Spaced Out: The Final Frontier in Album Covers (August 2009 – January 2010)
  • Reflections: The Mary Wilson Supreme Legacy Collection (June 11, 2010 – September 6, 2010)
  • Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition (October 2010 – March 2012)
  • Avatar: The Exhibition (June 2011 – September 2012)
  • AC/DC: Australia's Family Jewels (April 2012 – September 2012)
  • Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket (October 2012 – May 2013)

Science Fiction Museum

The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame was founded by Paul Allen and Jody Patton and opened to the public on June 18, 2004. It incorporated the formerly independent Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame established in 1996 (below). The museum was divided into several galleries with common themes such as "Homeworld," "Fantastic Voyages," "Brave New Worlds," and "Them!" Each gallery displayed related memorabilia (movie props, first editions, costumes, and models) in large display cases, posters, and interactive displays to sketch out the different subjects. "From robots to jet packs to space suits and ray guns, it's all here." Members of the museum's advisory board included Steven Spielberg, Ray Bradbury, James Cameron, and George Lucas. Among its collection of artifacts were Captain Kirk's command chair from Star Trek, the B9 robot from Lost in Space, the Death Star model from Star Wars, the T800 Terminator and the dome from the film Silent Running. Although the Science Fiction Museum as a permanent collection was de-installed in March 2011, a new exhibit named Icons of Science Fiction opened as a replacement in June 2012, at which time the new Hall of Fame display was unveiled and the class of 2012 inducted.

Selected past exhibitions
  • Alien Encounters (September 10, 2006 – October 30, 2007)

Featured 33 original paintings showing how artists portrayed alien beings during the past 70 years. Artists included hall of fame illustrators Frank Kelly Freas and Ed Emshwiller.

  • Out of this World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television (June 16, 2007 – September 30, 2007)

Featured costumes from Star Wars, Blade Runner, The Terminator, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and many more popular films and television shows.

  • Innersphere: Sculptural Works by Rik Allen (November 17, 2007 – April 27, 2008)

Featured glass and metal sculptural rocket ships, symbolizing journeys of outward exploration and inward discovery, by Washington artist Rik Allen.

  • Jim Henson's Fantastic World (May 23 – August 16, 2009)

Provided a rare peek into the imagination and genius of Jim Henson, creator of Kermit the Frog, Big Bird, and other beloved characters.

  • Robots: A Designer's Collection of Miniature Mechanical Marvels (May 16, 2008 – May 3, 2009)

Featured a collection from designer Tom Geismar, inspired by antique tin and wooden toys, samurai warriors, and mid-20th-century Japanese film characters.

  • Gelatine Lux (November 21, 2009 – April 11, 2010)

Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 by the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (Kansas City, Missouri) and the Center for the Study of Science Fiction (CSSF) at the University of Kansas (KU). The Chairmen were Keith Stokes (1996–2001) and Robin Wayne Bailey (2002–2004). Only writers and editors were eligible for recognition and four were inducted annually, two deceased and two living. Each class of four was announced at Kansas City's annual science fiction convention, ConQuesT, and inducted at the Campbell Conference hosted by CSSF.

The Hall of Fame stopped inducting fantasy writers after 2004, when it became part of the Science Fiction Museum affiliated with EMP, under the name "Science Fiction Hall of Fame". Having inducted 36 writers in nine years, in 2005 it began to recognize non-literary media. It retained the quota of four new members and thus reduced the annual number of writers. The 2005 and 2006 press releases placed new members in "Literature", "Art", and "Film, Television and Media", and "Open" categories, one each. In 2007 and 2008 the fourth inductee was placed in one of the three substantial categories.

EMP de-installed the Science Fiction Museum in March 2011. When the exhibition "Icons of Science Fiction" opened in June 2012, a new Hall of Fame display was unveiled and the class of 2012 inducted.

Nominations are submitted by EMP Museum members but the selections are made by "award-winning science fiction authors, artists, editors, publishers, and film professionals."

EMP restored the original name online during June 2013 and announced five new members, one daily, beginning June 17. The first four were cited largely or wholly for science fiction but the last was J. R. R. Tolkien, "hailed as the father of modern fantasy literature".

The class of 2013 brings the number of members to 74, four annually except 2008 and 2013.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame inductions
  • 1996: Jack Williamson; A. E. van Vogt; John W. Campbell, Jr.; Hugo Gernsback
  • 1997: Andre Norton; Arthur C. Clarke; H. G. Wells; Isaac Asimov
  • 1998: Hal Clement; Frederik Pohl; C. L. Moore; Robert A. Heinlein
  • 1999: Ray Bradbury; Robert Silverberg; Jules Verne; Abraham Merritt
  • 2000: Poul Anderson; Gordon R. Dickson; Theodore Sturgeon; Eric Frank Russell
  • 2001: Jack Vance; Ursula K. Le Guin; Alfred Bester; Fritz Leiber
  • 2002: Samuel R. Delany; Michael Moorcock; James Blish; Donald A. Wollheim
  • 2003: Wilson Tucker; Kate Wilhelm; Damon Knight; Edgar Rice Burroughs
  • 2004: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley; E. E. "Doc" Smith; Harry Harrison; Brian Aldiss
  • 2005: Steven Spielberg; Philip K. Dick; Chesley Bonestell; Ray Harryhausen
  • 2006: George Lucas; Frank Herbert; Frank Kelly Freas; Anne McCaffrey
  • 2007: Gene Wolfe; Ridley Scott; Ed Emshwiller; Gene Roddenberry
  • 2008: Ian Ballantine; Betty Ballantine; Rod Serling; William Gibson; Richard M. Powers
  • 2009: Edward L. Ferman; Michael Whelan; Frank R. Paul; Connie Willis
  • 2010: Octavia E. Butler; Richard Matheson; Douglas Trumbull; Roger Zelazny
  • 2011: Vincent Di Fate; Gardner Dozois; Harlan Ellison; Jean Giraud
  • 2012: Joe Haldeman; James Tiptree, Jr.; James Cameron; Virgil Finlay
  • 2013: H. R. Giger; Judith Merril; Joanna Russ; David Bowie; J. R. R. Tolkien

Architecture

EMP is located on the campus of Seattle Center, adjacent to the Space Needle and the Seattle Center Monorail, which runs through the building. The structure itself was designed by Frank Gehry, and resembles many of his firm's other works in its sheet-metal construction, such as Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Gehry Tower. Much of the building material is exposed in the building's interior. The building contains Шаблон:Convert, with a Шаблон:Convert footprint. The name of the museum's central Sky Church pays homage to Jimi Hendrix. A concert venue capable of holding up to 800 guests, Sky Church boasts 70-foot ceilings, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, and a mammoth indoor HD LED screen. The last structural steel beam to be put in place bears the signatures of all construction workers who were on site on the day it was erected. Hoffman Construction Company of Portland, Oregon was the general contractor. Magnusson Klemencic Associates of Seattle, Washington were the structural engineers for the project.

Even before groundbreaking, Seattle Weekly said the design could refer to "the often quoted comparison to a smashed electric guitar." Indeed, Gehry himself had made the comparison, "We started collecting pictures of Stratocasters, bringing in guitar bodies, drawing on those shapes in developing our ideas." The architecture was greeted by Seattle residents with a mixture of acclaim for Gehry and derision for this particular edifice. "Frank Gehry," remarked British-born, Seattle-based writer Jonathan Raban, "has created some wonderful buildings, like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, but his Seattle effort, the Experience Music Project, is not one of them." New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp described it as "something that crawled out of the sea, rolled over, and died." Forbes magazine called it one of the world's 10 ugliest buildings. Others describe it as a "blob" or call it "The Hemorrhoids". Despite some critical reviews of the structure, the building has been called “a fitting backdrop for the world's largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia.” The outside of the building which features a fusion of textures and colors, including gold, silver, deep red, blue and a "shimmering purple haze," has been declared "an apt representation of the American rock experience."

Finances

The museum has had mixed financial success. In an effort to raise more funds, museum organizers used Allen's extensive art collection to create a 2006 exhibit within the confines of the EMP. The exhibit was entitled DoubleTake: From Monet to Lichtenstein. The exhibit included Roy Lichtenstein's The Kiss (1962), Pierre-Auguste Renoir's The Reader (1877), Vincent van Gogh's Orchard with Peach Trees in Blossom (1888), Pablo Picasso's Four Bathers (1921) and several works of art from Claude Monet including one of the Water Lilies paintings (1919) and The Mula Palace (1908). Since then the museum has organized numerous exhibitions focused more specifically on popular culture:Sound and Vision: Artists Tell Their Stories, which opened February 28, 2007, for example, brought together both music and science fiction in a single exhibit, and drew on the museum's extensive collection of oral history recordings. The museum's recent exhibitions have ranged from horror cinema, video games, and black leather jackets to fantasy film and literature.

See also

Шаблон:Portal bar

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Commons category

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Camilla
16 April 2016
Went here two hours before closing time, which was enough to see the exhibitions that you wanted to see. Very interesting place, with many things to see. Good for all ages!
Connie Chiu
1 October 2017
Really cool exhibits! Love be exterior design of the museum. Fun spot to hangout, with a lot of walking options in the area.
Michael C
10 July 2018
Excellent collection of movie props and popular music instruments. Super cool place. Stop by. You won't be disappointed.
Nikki
18 August 2018
The Pearl Jam exhibit was one of the most overwhelming experiences. If you are a fan - this is a must do! Also loved the Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits.
David Xu
16 August 2016
if you're at all interested in the various forms of modern entertainment and how they came to be, I would highly recommend. make sure you watch the video interviews, they're fantastic!
Nerijus Pudziuvelis
31 October 2018
I was expecting something more/else. Do not know myself what exactly, so all I saw was kind of good. Music part about Nirvana, Jimi and PJ was my favorite. While movies were just fun to take photos.
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325 5th Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA Get directions
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