Our Mission
We are on a mission to activate the world-shaping power of pop culture through participative experiences, discovery, and play.
Our Vision
A world where everyone sees and wields their cultural power.
Our Beliefs
Pop culture is powerful.
It is a theater, an open world, and a runway where we can imagine new realities and try them on for size
Pop culture is who we are.
It defines us and we define it
Pop culture connects us.
In an era of digital and physical isolation, pop culture is a connective force
Pop culture is complex.
We have the responsibility to explore and expand the scope of every story
Pop culture is alive.
It’s constantly moving and changing both form and medium
MOPOP sees pop culture as a dynamic history that shapes the world through creative expressions in film, fashion, music and gaming. We're committed to collaborating with staff and community to foster equity and disrupt inequitable power dynamics.
Our mission centers on harnessing the transformative power of pop culture through meaningful interaction. Based in Seattle, we serve diverse audiences and draw connections between local, national, and global cultural narratives.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are core to our practices, and guide our exhibition choices and strategies. We invite you to join us in building an inviting, transformative institution that ensures pop culture is for everyone.
MOPOP's 2024-2026 strategic plan, The Power of Pop Culture, sets our direction as a flagship museum, pop culture champion, community ally, and change agent. By reimagining what a museum can be, we're committed to preserving the history of pop culture while sparking conversations that shape its future.
Our plan harnesses MOPOP's unparalleled collection and visionary team to craft transformative experiences with global impact, solidifying pop culture's status as a vital art form and a driving force for social change.
The architecture of the MOPOP building is inspired by the energy, movement and fluidity of the art it exists to celebrate. A symphony of textures, myriad colors and flowing design elements create a one-of-a-kind visual experience.
Three-thousand panels, made up of 21 thousand individually cut and shaped stainless steel and painted aluminum shingles, blanket the building's exterior responding to changes in light conditions and appearing to shift when viewed from different angles, reminding audiences that music and culture are forever evolving.
MOPOP’s architect, Frank O. Gehry, used Computer Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application (CATIA) in the creation of the building—the first architect to do so.
140,000 square feet
35,000 square feet
85 feet at Sky Church
210 feet at W Harrison St
360 feet at 5th Ave N
MOPOP is proud to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.
Our 2023 Annual Report delivers a year in review, including the evolution of our mission, vision, and values, a summary of our impact and attendance, and detailed financial facts and figures.