Movies, Music and History at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle
The Museum of Pop Culture (a.k.a. MoPop) is one of the most popular museums in Seattle. It’s full of movie props and costumes, music history and movements that continue to change our culture. My expectations were around the culture of music – more specifically, pop music. But as I spoke to my kids after our visit, we determined it was more about popular culture that it was pop music. That made more sense to me, so hopefully that distinction will help you know more of what to expect… along with the tips I’ll share in this post.
You can spend 2-3 hours wandering through the museum. The exhibits vary, so you’ll need to be ready to shift gears between each one. Here’s a rundown on what you can expect as you plan your visit to the Museum of Pop Culture.
Planning Your Visit – Tickets to MoPop
There are a few options when it comes to purchasing your tickets to the Museum of Pop Culture.
- Purchase General Admission tickets online.
- Purchase Special Exhibit + General Admission tickets online.
- Purchase Seattle CityPASS Tickets (then redeem your tickets on the website – either General Admission or Special Exhibit + GA)
When purchasing your tickets online, select your arrival time and arrival door. You’ll want to book your Special Exhibit tickets early as they are going fast. Keep your tickets on your mobile device through your email. It’s a PDF document in your email with QR codes for each ticket, which will be scanned when you check in at the ticket counter.
TRAVEL TIP: Strongly consider getting the Seattle CityPASS – it’ll save you money if you’re visiting multiple attractions in Seattle.
If you purchased a CityPASS, you’ll need to have two QR codes available for scanning at the ticket counter. The first one is the tickets from MoPop. The second one is from CityPASS. You’ll find it in the email with the subject line: Your Tickets & Important Next Steps. If you don’t have this second email, you won’t be able to enter. So keep it handy – or better yet, screenshot the QR codes on your smart phone.
Special Exhibits at the Museum of Pop Culture
Currently, the special exhibit at the Museum of Pop Culture is Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume. We had a great time reading about thoughts of different costume designers as they created the iconic clothing of several Disney characters. For example, the first part of the exhibit displays several dresses from various Cinderella productions. I was amazed at how much fabric was used for the blue Cinderella dress worn by Lily James in the 2015 movie.
If you’re okay to wait in line (we were – our kids, not so much), you can look into the Magic Mirror on the Wall and see yourself in a Disney costume. There’s also a crystal shoe from the Cinderella movie and drawings of some of the costumes from Disney movies over time.
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After that, wander through the larger room to see costumes from Disney’s Live Action Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Returns, the three witches from Hocus Pocus and many, many more. But do more than just look at the costumes. Read the information about the designers and you’ll also learn a thing or two about what goes in to making the costumes.
TRAVEL TIP: Check out the Special Exhibits at the MoPop
These special exhibits don’t last forever. So when the Disney one concludes, another one will take its place. So keep an eye out for future exhibits.
Music Exhibits at the Museum
Several of the exhibits at the Museum of Pop Culture are about music. I’d heard of all the musicians, but some only by name. One of the largest music exhibits is all about Pearl Jam. We looked at posters, concert tickets and other items from members of the band. My kids were not familiar with any of the music from Pearl Jam – and frankly, I didn’t recall any of their music either.
A single-room exhibit about Jimi Hendrix had several artifacts and photos from the legend. The highlight was the white guitar used by Hendrix to play The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock in 1969. Even I was familiar with that performance – not that I was there, but I’d seen videos of it. What a great performance!
One of the more popular selfie spots is at the guitar tower. It’s a column of numerous guitars and varying colors and sizes. It stretches for two floors and almost looks like a waterfall of guitars flowing from the ceiling.
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The other music-related exhibit is all about Nirvana – an American rock band founded by Kurt Cobain. In the exhibit, you’ll see instrument and equipment from the band, as well as learn about the history of the band.
If you want to get off your feet and listen to some great music, then head Sky Church. It’s a large TV screen – reminiscent of Times Square in New York City – where you can watch various music performances on a huge TV screen.
Super Mario and Indie Video Games
Just looking at the photo above probably hit play on the iconic video game soundtrack in your head. I remember playing the video game for hours on end and learning secret codes that could jump me further into the game. Well, on the second floor of the Museum of Pop Culture, you’ll find a large garage door with this iconic scene. It’ makes for a great selfie spot or quick photoshoot.
RELATED INFO: Check out Visit Seattle’s “Things to do in Seattle” page
Beyond this single wall of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. game, there’s an entire exhibit in indie video games. Sanitize your hands when you enter (since this is a very hands on exhibit). Then find a gaming console and try your hand at playing the game. Some of them are super weird.
For example, my wife and I played a game about awkward adolescents, where we went through a day of a teenager. You used a joystick and a pad of 16 different buttons that would light up to various colors. You had to press the right color button (although the light colors were constantly changing locations) to complete certain tasks – like showering, taking a photo or farting on a skink. Like I said, some of the games were a little weird. But game designers need to start somewhere.
Movie Props and Costumes
If you’ve seen popular movies, then you’ll love seeing props and costumes from generations of movies. Currently, there are four exhibit areas with these props and costumes.
Fantasy: Worlds of Myths and Magic
Fantasy movies have been around for a while. When you first enter, you’ll notice costumes and props from The Wizard of Oz (1939) movie starring Judy Garland. As you move through the exhibit, you’ll see items from other popular fantasy films – Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the Chronicles of Narnia and the Princess Bride. There are several hands-on exhibits as well. And the atmosphere of the exhibit places you in what feels like a magical forest from a fantasy movies. [Located on the second floor]
Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction
As a young teenager, I loved watching Star Trek: The Next Generation on TV or catching their movies in the theaters. As I got older, films like Men in Black were entertaining. Props and more from these types of science fiction movies are on display in a starship-like setting that’s sure to get your inner geek on. 😉 [Located on the first floor, but accessed from the second floor]
Scare to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film
The Ring. The Shining. Friday the 13th. Nightmare on Elm Street. Jeepers Creepers. If you like a good scare, then this is definitely the exhibit for you. It’s rated PG-13, so if you have young kids, you may not want to bring them through this one. There are body bags, monsters, skeletons, zombies, heads, weapons and much more from horror films throughout the years. You’ve been warned. [Located on the first floor, but accessed from the second floor]
Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame
The Hall of Fame has artifacts from a few of the most popular films and TV shows. You’ll see the shirt worn by Spock on the U.S.S. Enterprise (Star Trek) and a sword from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s a small exhibit, but that’s because it takes some real talent and popularity to make it into this hall of fame. [Located on the first floor, around the corner from the ticket counter]
The Details
Address: 325 5th Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109
Cost: Admission prices vary by day (i.e., mid-week is less expensive than weekends). General admission tickets are about $30 for adults, $27 for Seniors (65+) and students, $24 for Military (with ID), $21 for youth (ages 5-12), and children 4 and under are free. Tickets to the special exhibits can be added on for an additional fee. The Museum of Pop Culture is included with the Seattle CityPASS, so if you’ve purchased that pass, you can redeem your tickets on the MoPop website.
Parking: There is street parking and pay lots surrounding MoPOP and the Seattle Center. There is a pay lot next to MoPOP at 5th Avenue N and Harrison Street. You can take public transit, including the Tram, from other areas so you can save parking costs.
Hours: Open Monday to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
How long: Plan on 2 hours to tour the entire museum.
Website: https://www.mopop.org/
Phone: (206) 770-2700
Disclosure: I received complimentary admission ticket upgrades to the Disney’s Heroes and Villains exhibit for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.
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