Lisa Elsewhere

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Shadow Puppets - Science Fiction Museum - Seattle

Though I'd usually be really excited about a science fiction museum, the current display at the EMP is a Battlestar Galactica exhibition and it's a show I've never gotten into. However, downstairs is an exhibition on horror films. It included some interesting displays on music and props, but the best part was this computerised shadow puppet screen.

EMP and Science Fiction Museum - Interior

The interesting lines of the Experience Music Project Building continue inside. A large part of the Museum is dedicated to documenting Seattle's musical history, from Hendrix onwards. The huge theatre space pictured below loops various audio visual displays. When we arrived it was nearing the end of a screening of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged concert. Essential viewing.

There are two diagrams explaining the connections between Seattle bands. The one above is the official version compiled for the Nirvana Exhibition. The one below is on a huge white board and is generated and updated by whoever wants to contribute. There are so many bands I love mentioned here.

Though I'm a Nirvana fan, I'm not crazy obsessed. But the Nirvana exhibition was pretty impressive. Above, some of the guitars used during the Unplugged concert. Below, Kurt's Unplugged set list.

Elsewhere in the museum is a music workshop. Working instruments are hooked up to computers. You can take a lesson, mix your recordings, or join all instruments on an island together in a jam session.

EMP and Science Fiction Museum - Seattle - Exterior

Seattle doesn't have a huge amount of interesting buildings and the EMP is a standout. The building was designed by Canadian/American architect Frank Gehry and features the curves and organic shapes his work is famous for. It is home to a strange combination of museums, The Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum. My photos don't do the building justice. An aerial view is available here.