Century 21 Digital Collection
Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Seattle’s 1962 World’s Fair showcased Seattle as a space-age city. See photos, brochures, postcards and other items related to Seattle’s 1960s vision of the future.
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Inscription on both stone lions at World's Fair Museum donated by Republic of China
The World’s Fair Museum operated on the grounds of the Seattle Center, in the former United Arab Republic Pavilion of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair), during the summer of 1963. It displayed photographs and artifacts from the fair.
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_02004
Date: 1963-08-03
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View S.E. Left Information Pavilion; Back is partial view of U.S. Science Pavilion
General Insurance Company Information Center and United States Science Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). On the Information Center, designed by Austin Associates: “The Seattle World's Fair Information Center is located in front of the United States Science Pavilion on Friendship Mall. It is sponsored by the General Insurance Company of America, whose home office is in Seattle. A coral-colored nylon roof tops the open-sided structure. Ten trained guides help visitors with information about the fair, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The guides, young ladies dressed in yellow blouses and brown skirts, have complete information on locations of buildings, exhibits and service facilities at the-fair. In addition, they will answer questions about places to see, transportation, lodging, service club meetings and sightseeing.” (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 64.) On the United States Science Pavilion, designed by Minoru Yamasaki and Associates and Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson: “The lacy pattern of this six-unit complex placed around a central court with its 100-ft. high arches is in decided contrast to the forcefulness of Coliseum 21. In a sense, the pavilion is a salute to concrete, for it is believed to represent the largest single use of precast and prestressed structural components in the nation.” (An Architect’s Guidebook to the Seattle World’s Fair. Seattle, Pacific Builder and Engineer, April 1962, p. 21.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00618
Date: 1962-02-25
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View S.W. of Opera House entrance from Mercer Str.
Opera House, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “The brand-new Opera House (225 Mercer Street) had been constructed within the shell of Seattle's old Civic Auditorium -- which New York Times critic Harold C. Schonberg described as a ‘6,000 seat, flat-floored, unpleasant’ space that had ‘held just about everything but bullfights.’ Now the hall was the 3,100 seat pride of the town's arts establishment.” (Peter Blecha, “Century 21 Exposition (1962): Performing Arts at the Fair.” HistoryLink.org, http://historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9371
Identifier: spl_wl_sec_00907
Date: 1962-06
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View N.E. of fair
Aerial view of the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair).
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00008
Date: 1962-09-30
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Small old world shops on Blvd. West; view N.E.
Concessions, Boulevards of the World, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "The Boulevards of the World area is the shopping center of the fair. Stores, stands and kiosks displaying the goods and gifts of a dozen nations line the gay and colorful thoroughfares that tie the five theme Worlds of Century 21 together." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 119.) Building 20.
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00456
Date: 1962-09
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Fairliner on fairgrounds; Union 76 Skyride terminal in distance, 1962
Fairliner, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). "THE FAIRLINER--trackless gasoline-operated vehicles with a capacity of 50 sightseers each maintain regular schedules. These elephant trains wind around the grounds, giving passengers in their three cars a complete circuit of the grounds every 25 minutes. Tour prices: Adults--50¢; Children--25¢. Charter prices: $30.00 per 1/2 hour." (Official press book : Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, p. 64.)<br><br>Clarence E. "Gene" Voiland was a West Seattle pharmacist who enjoyed using his new Balda Baldamatic I 35 mm camera.
Identifier: spl_c21_jv_014
Date: 1962
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View East with Monorail station to left; 110.000 fair attendance day; 4 P.M.
Aerial view of Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “World’s Fair attendance, like a flaming skyrocket, zoomed to a new record yesterday. By 10 o’clock, the total was 114,104. The old mark was 106,860, set September 15. The fair’s new admissions policy--$1 after 6 o’clock instead of the regular $2--was credited with pulling in the evening crowd.” (Stanton H. Patty, Seattle Times, October 7, 1962.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00329
Date: 1962-10-06
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Washington State theme exhibit interior in Coliseum
Washington State Theme Exhibit, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair). “Rising in the center of the Coliseum, the ‘World of Tomorrow’ exhibit symbolizes the 21st century -- just beyond man’s reach yet within his range of vision. The theme of this structure of interlocking aluminum cubes, ‘The Threshold and the Threat,’ depicts the ambivalence of atomic power, to be employed either for the advancement or the annihilation of man and his planet. Visitors ascend to the overhead exhibit in a globe-shaped elevator, the ‘Bubbleator,’ for a 21-minute tour of the future, which includes a look at the city of tomorrow, the home of the future, and transportation, industry, food production, education, communications and recreation in the 21st century…The ‘World of Tomorrow’ exhibit was designed by the Donald Deskey Associates of New York and installed by the Radio Corporation of America. The State of Washington sponsored and financed the exhibit.” (Official press book: Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Century 21 Exposition, 1962, pp. 31-32.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_01100
Date: 1962-10-07
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On the Blvds. of the World; 2nd Ave. No.
Boulevards of the World at the Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). "The Boulevards of the World area is the shopping center of the fair. Stores, stands and kiosks displaying the goods and gifts of a dozen nations line the gay and colorful thoroughfares that tie the five theme Worlds of Century 21 together. Exotic shops and restaurants are on Boulevard East, Boulevard West, Freedom Way and United Nations Way. In among the bazaars are fine restaurants and elegant exhibits. In the streets, kiosks display food and favors for sale, while along the edges are benches for the sightseers." (Official Guide Book, Seattle World's Fair 1962. Seattle: Acme Publications. p. 119.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00228
Date: 1962-04-28
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U.S. Science Pavilion photo mural
United States Science Pavilion, Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair). “Beneath five arching towers representing man’s constant striving for knowledge for the universe will be presented the most significant scientific display ever assembled…It is the United States Government’s Science Exhibit, a $9,000,000 program of participation including a giant six-building pavilion and unique exhibits dedicated to showing the peaceful uses of science. Stepping out of the textbook into the techniques of showmanship will be the authentic story of the tremendous break-throughs in the barriers which now stand between man and his conquering of space, his control of weather, disease, and over-population of the world.” (Washington State Dept. of Commerce and Economic Development. Seattle World's Fair preview. Seattle: Acme Publications, 1961, n.p.)
Identifier: spl_wl_exp_00842
Date: 1962-09
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