Seattle Center - 1880s to Present and Beyond - Seattle, WA
N 47° 37.262 W 122° 21.052
10T E 548775 N 5274385
The Seattle Center and Armory has had a rich history since the 1880s.
Waymark Code: WMWH6W
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 09/05/2017
Views: 7
Located inside the Seattle Center Armory building is a timeline mural that covers a wall on the SE corner of the building on the ground floor. This timeline mural may be visited every day at 7:00AM and closes at 9:00PM Sunday through Thursday, 10:00PM Friday and Saturday, 11:30PM on New Year’s Eve. The Armory is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
A quick history of the former armory building:
The Seattle Center Armory was constructed in 1939 as the Old Armory Building. It housed the 146th Field Artillery and its half-ton tanks. The basement of the Armory still has markings from the old firing range and an unfinished swimming pool intended for the recruits (inaccessible to the public). In 1941, Duke Ellington played on stage for the University of Washington's Junior Prom.
For the 1962 Worlds Fair, the Armory was reconfigured into the first vertical shopping mall in America, called the Food Circus.
In the early 1970’s, the Food Circus was renamed Center House after some minor renovations. In 1985, the Children's Museum moved into the first floor of the building and expanded their space in 1995, building a giant toy mountain for the newly created Kenneth and Maureen Alhadeff Exhibit Center. At the same time, Center House was renovated and reconfigured to emphasize public programming, such as signature events, free family entertainment and cultural festivals. In December 2000, the Kennedy Center designated the Center House Stage as an Imagination Celebration National Site, only the fifth location in the nation to be designated. Today, over 3,000 free public performances occur in Seattle Center Armory each year.
The Seattle Center Armory has become a central destination for tourists to the nearby Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture and other venues to take a break and enjoy the many eating establishments on the ground floor.
Visit Instructions:At least one good photo you have personally obtained and a brief story of your visit. Any additions or corrections to the information about the Waymark (for instance, have the hours open to the public changed) will be greatly appreciated.