Exhibit Details

Some of the more interesting characters you will meet in Essential Seattle are Manuel Lopes, a sailor and the first African-American man to live in Seattle, Aki Kurose, a Seattle Japanese-American teacher who was interned during WWII and later devoted her life to peace, and Paul Allen and Bill Gates, founders of Microsoft.

The path of the exhibit takes visitors on a compelling journey through the core of the museum, allowing visitors to understand the interconnectedness of the events and people who made, and continue to make, history. Essential Seattle integrates several important regional stories: the 1880s in Boomtown!, and The Great Seattle Fire of 1889. Seattle’s two world fairs are vividly highlighted – the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909 and Century 21 of 1962. A dedicated gallery focuses on the Homefront of 1940s depicting the local war industry and civilian efforts, military contributions and the impact of the Japanese internment. Artifacts such as a WTO protester turtle costume, an early Gore-Tex jacket and bottles from local micro-breweries, along with an extensive collection of images in digital photo kiosks, provide a sense of contemporary times.

At the end of the exhibit, visitors have the opportunity to add their own perspectives to the exhibit by contributing what they believe are the key events of the last 30 years to a historical timeline.