Pacific Science Center

Have you ever wished you could boil blood in a paper cup? At the Pacific Science Center, that seemingly impossible feat was once a regular Halloween demonstration. The Pacific Science Center, nestled within the vibrant Seattle Center, isn’t just a museum. It’s a living testament to the World’s Fair’s legacy of innovation. Originally designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the architect behind the World Trade Center, for the 1962 World’s Fair, these iconic arches were meant to be temporary. Yet, the U.S. Science Pavilion, as it was then known, blossomed into the Pacific Science Center, opening its doors the day after the fair concluded. The Pacific Science Center has been sparking curiosity for over six decades. Some exhibits, like the Lens and Mirror Machine and a suspended model of the Earth’s moon, even date back to the fair itself. In the 1970s, the Pacific Science Center was a hub of quirky demonstrations. “OJs,” or staff in orange jackets, explained the metric system using a Chevrolet Chevette. A physics “witch” performed captivating experiments, while another demonstrator, impersonating Groucho Marx, playfully used liquid nitrogen. The Pacific Science Center continued to evolve. In the 1980s, under George Moynihan’s leadership, the center overcame financial challenges and cemented its place as a prominent science institution. Exhibits like “China: 7000 Years of Discovery” and the ever-popular robotic dinosaurs drew large crowds. Today, the Pacific Science Center houses two IMAX theaters, a rarity, a laser dome, a butterfly house, and a planetarium. The Pacific Science Center’s reach extends beyond its walls, with programs like Science on Wheels bringing hands-on science education to schools across the Pacific Northwest. From its World’s Fair origins to its current innovative programs, the Pacific Science Center remains a place of wonder, constantly evolving, reflecting its motto: Science will always be an unfinished story.