Seattle Center Celebrates 50 Years With Free And Paid Attractions

It’s been fifty years since the World’s Fair gave Seattle the iconic Space Needle.  And the Seattle Center is celebrating its 50^th anniversary with a wide array of activities and attractions.  The 74-acre campus is home to public art displays, picnic areas and over 30 arts and cultural organizations. It also has a very popular fountain that shoots 137 nozzles of water into the air – all musically choreographed.  The center kicked off its celebrations in April and will continue through October of this year. Several additions have already been incorporated into the Seattle Center, including a rooftop community garden, a zip line and a new art glass museum.

Seattle Center’s Center House has also received a $4 million makeover that’s designed to better integrate the building with the rest of the park.

The $4 million remodel will achieve two goals, said Seattle Center Redevelopment Director Jill Crary. The first was to turn the building at the heart of Seattle Center into “the true center of the Center,” connecting the building’s interior to what’s happening outside. The second was to tone down the sometimes distracting colors and images that had built up over the years. (source)

To find out more about upcoming events celebrating Seattle Center’s 50^th anniversary visit: http://seattlecenter.com/thenextfifty/home.aspx

While not necessarily part of the Seattle Center’s 50^th anniversary celebration, Seattle’s “Great Ferris Wheel” has finally been constructed.  At over 175 feet tall with gondolas that are temperature controlled the Ferris Wheel is the newest addition to Seattle’s skyline. It’s scheduled to open July 4^th, just in time for Independence Day celebrations.