Museum of History & Industry Announces Grand Opening on Saturday, December 29, 2012

August 12, 2012

SEATTLE, WA–The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) is excited to announce a public grand opening of the new MOHAI at Lake Union Park on Saturday, December 29, 2012. The beautifully restored Naval Reserve Armory will provide MOHAI with nearly 50,000-square feet of exhibition and program space that will inspire visitors to connect with the power of history. The public is invited to join MOHAI for a community-wide Grand Opening with free admission, special programming and activities, and extended hours from 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012. Festivities continue throughout the week with special events and activities including a New Year’s Family Day (Tuesday, January 1, 2013), Free First Thursday (Thursday, January 3, 2013), and more.

The exhibits for the inaugural year were developed to highlight the advantages of the new museum space by incorporating interactive features and hands-on activities. MOHAI’s premier core exhibit on the Seattle experience will allow visitors to explore the region’s history with thousands of artifacts and images. Along with this entirely new core exhibit, MOHAI has teamed up with various local organizations to create three temporary exhibits, each exploring a unique aspect of our local culture. 2013 will also bring the opening of the Center for Innovation, a new project exploring the culture of entrepreneurship and creativity that has flourished in the Pacific Northwest. “This is an incredibly exciting time at MOHAI,” stated Executive Director Leonard Garfield, “This once-in-a-generation opportunity will allow us to engage more visitors, to engage more students, and to ensure that MOHAI continues to be a central resource for Puget Sound culture and history.”

In addition to the museum’s 20,000 square feet core exhibit on the Seattle experience, MOHAI’s 2013 special exhibition schedule includes:

Maritime Seattle 

Opens December 29, 2012

Continuing MOHAI’s 50+ year partnership with the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society (PSMHS) the Maritime Seattle will explore how Puget Sound communities have lived, worked, and played connected to the water. Hosted in the historic bridge room, the gallery will feature many artifacts from MOHAI and PSMHS’s collections including the WWII-era TANG periscope and the 1885 Fresnel Lens from the Smith Island Lighthouse.

Celluloid Seattle: A City at the Movies

December 29, 2012–September 8, 2013

The first exhibit in the Special Exhibitions Gallery will examine Seattle’s relationship with film. Curated by celebrated local film critic Robert Horton, Celluloid Seattle: A City at the Movies will explore both the image of Seattle captured in films, and how the idea of “going to the movies” has changed in the city over the years. Along with film clips and historic artifacts, the exhibit will help visitors truly engage with the historic movie experience through a set of recreated mini-theatres and interactive games and activity kiosks.

Punctum/Poetry

December 29, 2012–May 27, 2013

A collaboration with Arts Corps, Seattle’s largest nonprofit arts education organization, this exhibit will be the first showcase in the new Community Focus Gallery. Envisioned as a forum for the diverse voices and stories of the Puget Sound Region, the gallery will feature community projects that go beyond conventional exhibitions. This premier exhibit will help bring to life MOHAI’s historic photo collection through poetry and spoken word produced by Seattle high school students.

Still Afloat: A Contemporary History of Seattle’s Floating Homes

June 15, 2013–November 3, 2013

This exhibit is designed to shed light on one of Seattle’s most iconic images: the houseboat. Centered on the long-standing floating home community on Seattle’s Lake Union, the exhibit will feature historic photos, oral histories, and architectural diagrams.