Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

The Museum of Pop Culture, known as MoPOP, occupies 325 5th Avenue North in the Seattle Center district of Seattle, Washington, beside the Space Needle and the Monorail terminus. The building was designed by architect Frank Gehry, and its sculpted exterior of coloured metal panels is among the most photographed in the Pacific Northwest. Founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen as the Experience Music Project, the museum covers popular music, science fiction, fantasy, horror, video games and other forms of contemporary culture. Inside, the Sky Church hall hosts a large video screen and live events, while the Guitar Gallery displays a wall of instruments organised by the stories of the players who used them. Music exhibits reflect Seattle's own history, including the grunge scene of the 1990s and the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, a Seattle native. Science fiction and fantasy galleries display costumes, props and artefacts from film and television, and rotating special exhibitions change through the year. Interactive spaces, including the Sound Lab, let visitors try instruments and recording equipment. Exhibit schedules change, so contents on any given day differ from older descriptions. A visit typically takes two to three hours, and enthusiasts of a particular fandom may spend more. Crowds are heaviest on weekends, school holidays and wet-weather days, when Seattle Center attractions fill up; weekday mornings immediately after opening are the quietest. Admission is ticketed and uses dynamic pricing, so buying online in advance can secure a lower price, and Washington residents receive a discount with identification. Seattle Center is reached by the Monorail from Westlake Center or by Metro buses, and the entrance is a short walk from either. Visitors planning to see several Seattle Center attractions may find a multi-attraction pass worth pricing. Photographers should note the exterior colour is most vivid in direct daylight, and the structure photographs well from the grounds near the Space Needle.