EMP Museum

The EMP Museum (formerly known as Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame or EMP|SFM) is a museum dedicated to the history and exploration of popular music, science fiction and pop culture located in Seattle, Washington. The Frank Gehry-designed museum building is located on the campus of the Seattle Center, adjacent to the Space Needle and the Seattle Center Monorail, which runs through the building.

The EMP Museum was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and opened its doors in 2000. EMP struggled financially in its early years; as a result, Allen established the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (SFM), which opened in 2004 in the south wing of the EMP building. When SFM opened, EMP and SFM were treated as separate museums, and visitors had the option of purchasing admission to one museum, or, at a higher cost, a combined admission to both. In 2007, after mounting criticism, EMP|SFM ended the separate admissions policy and began charging a single admission price for entrance to both the EMP and SFM wings. Although the Science Fiction Museum as a permanent collection was de-installed in March 2011, a new exhibit named "Icons of Science Fiction" is scheduled to open in June 2012.

EMP has provided funding for radio station KEXP in partnership with the University of Washington. EMP was also the site of the demo and concert program for the first international conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME-01) and the Pop Conference, an annual gathering of academics, critics, musicians and music buffs.

The EMP in collaboration with SIFF operates the Science Fiction Fantasy Short Film Festival (SFFSFF). Sffsff takes place annually every winter in Seattle, Washington at the world renowned Seattle Cinerama Theater. The festival brings together industry professionals in filmmaking and the genres of science fiction and fantasy to encourage and support new, creative additions to science fiction and fantasy cinema arts.

Read more about EMP Museum:  Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Architecture, Finances

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