Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

The Museum of Pop Culture — known as MoPOP — is one of the most significant museums dedicated to music and popular culture in the United States, located in the heart of Seattle.

The striking building designed by architect Frank O. Gehry houses exhibitions across three floors covering contemporary popular culture and technology, with a strong emphasis on music. Over the years, the museum has expanded its scope to include horror, fantasy, science fiction, fashion, video games, and sports.

The Main Hall

For music lovers, two highlights stand out in the main hall: a towering sculpture made of stacked and intertwined musical instruments, and a statue honoring Andrew Wood, vocalist of Mother Love Bone, who died on March 19, 1990, at just 24 years old.

In a museum dedicated to pop culture, having Andy Wood in the main hall says a great deal about the weight his story carries for the Seattle scene.

The Chris Cornell Sculpture

On the eastern exterior of the museum stands a life-size bronze sculpture of Chris Cornell, vocalist of Soundgarden, who died on May 18, 2017. The work was created by artist Nick Marra and donated to the museum by Cornell’s widow, Vicky Cornell.

Unveiled in 2018, the sculpture depicts Cornell with a guitar and is one of the most visited stops on any music-focused itinerary through Seattle.

Exhibitions and Permanent Collection

Throughout its history, MoPOP has mounted several exhibitions directly tied to the Seattle scene. Between 2018 and 2023, Pearl Jam: Home and Away displayed more than 700 rare items from the band’s private collection. From 2011 to 2025, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses ran as one of the museum’s signature shows before closing to make way for a future broader exhibition on Pacific Northwest music.

Current featured exhibitions include a show dedicated to guitars and another focused on Jimi Hendrix, with interviews, costumes, and instruments belonging to the Seattle-born musician.

The permanent collection holds rarities that may return to display in future exhibitions, among them Kurt Cobain’s clothing and guitars, Screaming Trees instruments, Soundgarden and Mother Love Bone show posters, and historic setlists — including one written by drummer Dave Grohl for Nirvana’s show in São Paulo in January 1993.

The museum also hosts events and special programming throughout the year. Worth checking the schedule before your visit.

Admission to the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) requires a fee.