I'll start off by stating that I was the VP one of the corporate sponsors of the EMP. We didn't get paid anything for having our instrument in the EMP other than some exposure for the company, which... More

I'll start off by stating that I was the VP one of the corporate sponsors of the EMP. We didn't get paid anything for having our instrument in the EMP other than some exposure for the company, which most people probably wouldn't recognize even when they got their picture taken with our instrument in one of the exhibits. I always felt that the cost was way too high for this place. $20 for adults, and now an additional $7 if you want to see the sci-fi museum. You can easily spend a whole day at this place. The exhibits are wonderful, and if you're into music as much as my family is, this place will suck you right in. They got rid of the James Brown simulator a while ago (I actually enjoyed that -- I thought that the attraction had great potential for other topics as well, much in the same vein that Disney would be doing with 3D motion, special effects, etc.). The soundlab area is fun for everybody, allowing you to learn new instruments and play. On Stage allows you to play on a "stage" and you get your picture taken -- which you can purchase of course (again, rather expensive). Those drums are sure cool in there ;) Anyways, I got the current Disney family membership for $75 which is good for a year with free unlimited admission for your whole family. Family, being defined as 2 adults and all kids under 18. This also includes the sci-fi museum as well. You also get 2 free EMP/SFM Guest passes as well. Again, I don't get paid anything from the EMP, and don't even get a mention on their corporate website. We just love music, and found that this is a great way to make this experience more affordable. Granted, you'll have to go a couple of times to get your money's worth, but with summer coming up and with a whole year to use the membership, I had to share this with you. It actually paid for itself when we took our family including the 2 grandparents (using the free passes) the first time we used the membership. I have a hard time recommending this place though, for a family outing without some kind of offer like this -- it's just too expensive for an average middle class family. If the EMP is stressing "education" like they are, they really need to be able to make this experience available and affordable to the masses -- not just an elite few. UPDATE (3/15/2007): They just dropped the prices this week to $15 for both EMP and Sci-fi for adults with kids 5-17 $12 and under 5 free! Now THIS is what they needed to do years ago! The Disney deal is still a great deal if you want to go several times -- you also get a T-shirt and a Disney pin and discounts at the store there as well as the restaurant. I just added back the star I took away for a perfect score!
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I was excited at the idea of EMP, even the building being so far out, but I'm disappointed. It costs too much and there's not enough for children, in my opinion. It is definitely more enjoyable if... More

I was excited at the idea of EMP, even the building being so far out, but I'm disappointed. It costs too much and there's not enough for children, in my opinion. It is definitely more enjoyable if you're over the age of 12 and love history and music memorabilia. I think, if they wanted to get the next generation more excited about this area of the arts, they would have made more user friendly, hands-on exhibits where they could create music - even I had a hard time creating any music, and that was my major!
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For music lovers everywhere, you can't go wrong with this unique site. Located near the Seattle Center, the building is not hard to find. In fact, the architecture stands out. :) Once inside, I... More

For music lovers everywhere, you can't go wrong with this unique site. Located near the Seattle Center, the building is not hard to find. In fact, the architecture stands out. :) Once inside, I was given a headset and explained how to enjoy the facility. The headset was used to provide personalized and interactive learning/entertainment throughout the site. It's quite different. When I took the headsets off for a bit, there was no talking throughout the area. Dead silence. Everyone was enjoying their own exhibit. :) There is a huge collection of guitars in the lobby area in a very unique display. It's easy to spend an entire day here with the theatre, various exhibits, and music history throughout the place. You have to check out the Jimi Hendrix display. Unbelievable. There are interactive exhibits throughout the site that make it really interesting. You can even be part of a rock band performing a live concert! The price appears expensive, but is well worth it once you begin to see all that's there. I could have easily spent two days.
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This is a must do activity in Seattle. When you come through the door past the amazing Sky Church" you will be given a hand held tour guide. Complete with music clips, interviews and narration you... More

This is a must do activity in Seattle. When you come through the door past the amazing Sky Church" you will be given a hand held tour guide. Complete with music clips, interviews and narration you could spend hours inside the museum learning about the artists portrayed. There is also an interactive studio where you can make your own music, music video or even learn to play an instrument. This place takes the whole day to see properly. Located in the heart of the Seattle Center there is plenty of parking, or jump on the monorail at Westlake and it will take you into EMP. A great activity for the whole family.
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I love the EMP. It is a great place to check out on a regular basis because their exhibits change regularly. I have probably gone 2-3 times a year for past couple of years and I have brought many... More

I love the EMP. It is a great place to check out on a regular basis because their exhibits change regularly. I have probably gone 2-3 times a year for past couple of years and I have brought many visitors to Seattle there because I believe it is a unique place that Seattle should be proud of. Some of their exhibits (regular and changing) include their Jimi Hendrix room, a history of the Beatles, fashion through the 70's Disco era, and Bob Dylans' American Journey. Probably the most fun part of the museum is the hands on instrument rooms. The EMP probably has about 10 rooms that you can go into and play with various instruments (synthesizers, acoustic and electric guitars, drums, etc.). You and few of your friends can enter the rooms and for 10 minutes you can just jam. The rooms are all sound proof so no one outside can hear you. If you are feeling pretty musical, you can get a cd made of what you play in the room. Pretty cool! Overall, the EMP is a fantastic way to spend a rainy Seattle day. Their restaurant is yummy, and the only con of the whole place is that it is pretty expensive (maybe $20 or something) but it is definitely worth it if you spend some time there.
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I brought my out-of-town friend to EMP when he visited and he LOVED it here. We stayed for 5+ hours and still didn’t have enough time to check out the entire place. There is so much history, so... More

I brought my out-of-town friend to EMP when he visited and he LOVED it here. We stayed for 5+ hours and still didn’t have enough time to check out the entire place. There is so much history, so many artifacts, and many fun and interactive exhibits that even people not very interested in music will have a little bit of fun at least. The price is kinda steep though, so a city pass of some sort might be a good idea.
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It's easy to pick out the EMP from I-5, and point it out to visitors as "that-ugly-as-sin-monstrosity" just this side of the Space Needle, but that's only one aspect. Ugly could as easily be just... More

It's easy to pick out the EMP from I-5, and point it out to visitors as "that-ugly-as-sin-monstrosity" just this side of the Space Needle, but that's only one aspect. Ugly could as easily be just simply strange - and it's what's inside that counts. If it were just the displays, I'd rate this lower. The displays are good and quite interesting, but let's just say the replay value is low. However, the EMP is used for much more than static (or interactive for that matter) displays. There are movies, workshops, concerts and more.. We've seen all sorts of people, from Amy Tan (with the Stephen King/Dave Barry band, The Wrockers) to Iron Butterfly. Our eldest daughter has attended several jazz workshops taught by some of the biggies in the field and has performed several times there as well (so we may be biased). Also, the inhouse restaurant is surprisingly good, inventive, and inexpensive - a great place to catch a meal before watching one of the frequent music related movies or documentaries - also a nice alternative to the space needle restaurant!
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