Seattle Center facts for kids
The Seattle Center is a super fun place in Seattle, Washington, where you can find entertainment, education, cool sights, and amazing shows! It's located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. This special area was built for the 1962 World's Fair, which was a huge event. The most famous part of the Seattle Center is the 605 ft (184 m) Space Needle. It's an official city landmark and a symbol everyone recognizes when they think of Seattle!
Other awesome places here include the Pacific Science Center, Climate Pledge Arena, and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). You can also catch incredible performances at McCaw Hall, home to the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet. The Seattle Center Monorail is a cool way to travel between Seattle Center and Westlake Center in downtown Seattle. It's even a tourist attraction itself!
Contents
Discovering Seattle Center's Past
How Seattle Center Began
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The land where Seattle Center now stands was given to the city way back in 1886 by Seattle founder David Denny. He wanted it to be used by the public forever!
Later, in 1928, Seattle's mayor, Bertha Knight Landes, helped create the "Civic Center" complex. This included an arena and an auditorium, which were early versions of some of today's buildings. The Seattle Field Artillery Armory was built in 1939.
The Exciting World's Fair
In 1958, the Civic Auditorium was chosen as the spot for the upcoming World's Fair. President Dwight D. Eisenhower even started an electronic countdown to begin the preparations!
In 1961, talented Japanese architects Hideki Shimizu and Kazuyuki Matsushita were chosen to design the beautiful International Fountain. Also, a contract was signed to build the monorail line. On April 21, 1962, President John F. Kennedy officially opened the World's Fair! Many famous people visited, like astronaut John Glenn and singer Elvis Presley, who even filmed a movie called It Happened at the World's Fair there.
What Happened Next
After the World's Fair ended, the City of Seattle took over the complex in 1963. They wanted to keep it a lively place for arts and sports.
For a while, the Seattle Center wasn't as popular as it was during the World's Fair. There were even ideas to change it completely! In 1987, Walt Disney Imagineering suggested some big changes, like replacing the International Fountain with a pond. But people in Seattle didn't like these ideas, and the city decided to keep the center mostly as it was.
Amazing Attractions at Seattle Center
Many buildings and artworks at Seattle Center show influences from Japan. This includes the Pacific Science Center, designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, and The Seattle Mural by artist Paul Horiuchi. There's also the Kobe Bell, a special gift from Seattle's sister city of Kobe, Japan.
Famous Landmarks to See
- The Space Needle: This is an official city landmark with an observation deck where you can see amazing views. When it was finished in 1961, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River!
- International Fountain: This cool fountain is in the middle of the center. It was designed by Japanese architects Kazuyuki Matsushita and Hideki Shimizu. The fountain has over 20 spouts that create different water patterns, set to music from all over the world. The music changes twice a month!
- John T. Williams totem pole: This is a tall, 34-foot (10 m) totem pole that honors John T. Williams.
- Kobe Bell: This bell is another official city landmark and a symbol of friendship with Kobe, Japan.
- Mural Amphitheatre: Here you'll find a huge mosaic mural called The Seattle Mural by artist Paul Horiuchi. It was also made for the World's Fair and is an official city landmark.
- Artists At Play playground: A fun place for kids to play!
- Howard S. Wright Memorial Fountain
- Seattle Center Monorail: This monorail takes you on a quick ride between Seattle Center and Westlake Center.
Cool Museums to Explore
- Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP): This museum is all about music, movies, and pop culture!
- Chihuly Garden and Glass: See incredible glass art here.
- Pacific Science Center: Located in the building that was the United States Science Pavilion during the World's Fair. It's full of hands-on science exhibits!
- Seattle Children's Museum: A great museum especially for younger kids, located in the Armory.
Places for Performing Arts
- Marion Oliver McCaw Hall: This is where the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet perform. Their ballet school is right next door!
- Seattle Repertory Theatre: Home to different stages like the Bagley Wright Theatre.
- Center Theatre: You can see shows by the Seattle Shakespeare Company and Book-It Repertory Theatre here.
- Cornish Playhouse: This theater hosts productions from the Cornish College of the Arts.
- Seattle Children's Theatre: Located at the Charlotte Martin Theatre, this is where you can watch plays for kids.
- The Vera Project (or VERA): A place for music and arts.
- Mercer Arena: This used to be a place for sports and concerts. It was taken down, and a new home for the Seattle Opera is being built there.
Other Great Venues
- Seattle Center Armory: This building used to be an armory before the 1962 World's Fair. Now it has the Center Theatre, the Seattle Children's Museum, and a food court. It's an official city landmark!
- You can even see a piece of the Berlin Wall in the food court!
- Exhibition Hall: A large space for trade shows and special events.
- Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center: A big, flexible space for many kinds of events. It's also a "green" building!
- The Northwest Rooms: These rooms now house the SIFF Film Center, The VERA Project, and KEXP-FM radio station.
- IMAX Theater at Pacific Science Center: Watch amazing movies on a giant screen!
- Seattle Laser Dome: Experience cool laser shows.
Sports and Athletics
- Climate Pledge Arena: This is the home for the Seattle University Redhawks men's basketball team, the WNBA's Seattle Storm, and the NHL's Seattle Kraken. It used to be called the Seattle Center Coliseum and then KeyArena. It hosts over 100 events each year!
- Memorial Stadium: This stadium is used for high school football and soccer. It was built even before the World's Fair.
Fun Festivals to Enjoy
Seattle Center hosts many exciting festivals celebrating different cultures, music, and arts. Some of the big ones include:
- Bumbershoot
- Northwest Folklife
- Festál (a year-long series of 24 world cultural events)
- PrideFest
- Bite of Seattle
- Winterfest
Images for kids
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View of the Space Needle with the International Fountain in the foreground.
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Kreielsheimer Promenade and Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
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Monorail tracks entering the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) building.
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The towers of the Pacific Science Center at night.
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The Kobe Bell.
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MoPOP and Space Needle seen against the backdrop of the Seattle waterfront and Puget Sound.
