PacSci Celebrates 60 Years of Igniting Curiosity

SEATTLE ⁠— October 19 2022 ⁠— Pacific Science Center (PacSci) will celebrate its 60th anniversary on Saturday, October 22. Celebrations include a 21+ birthday party where attendees are invited to dress up in futuristic-themed costumes.

“As we celebrate our legacy of igniting curiosity and inspiring critical thinking over the last six decades, we extend our gratitude to partners, supporters, and communities across our state who are the focus of our mission,” said PacSci CEO Will Daugherty. “This milestone is an opportunity to reflect on our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in STEM as we look to the next sixty years and beyond.”

PacSci’s birthday party will feature a futuristic costume contest with a chance to win prizes. Additionally, the party will include live music performances by Seattle locals Tomo Nakayama and KEXP’s DJ Evie, dancing, Planetarium shows, Laser Dome shows, Live Science Stage shows, Tinker Tank Makerspace activities, and food and drink.

This event is open to 21+ adults only. It has been generously supported by Boeing and Alaska Airlines. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit PacSci’s website. All tickets include light bites and a glass of champagne for a birthday toast.

Concurrently, PacSci has launched a crowd-sourced campaign across social media, calling for community members to share their nostalgic photos and videos from PacSci — and the World’s Fair — from 1962 until today. Participating users are encouraged to tag PacSci (@PacSci) and use the hashtags #PacSci60 and #Next60 when sharing photos and videos on social media.

PacSci was born out of the U.S. Science Exhibit at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. Nearly 7 million people visited the U.S. Science Exhibit during the Fair, which ran from April 21 to October 21, 1962. PacSci is the first institution in the U.S. founded as a science and technology center. PacSci’s iconic arches were designed by Seattle-born architect Minoru Yamasaki, who also designed the original World Trade Center in New York City. In 2010, PacSci was awarded landmark status by the City of Seattle; The City of Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board unanimously voted for the designation. PacSci serves nearly 1 million people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds every year across the U.S.

For more information about PacSci’s history and work, visit PacSci’s website.

Hashtags

#PacSci60 #Next60

About Pacific Science Center

Pacific Science Center is an independent, not-for-profit institution in Seattle and has been a gateway to access science education and innovation for nearly 60 years. The institution’s mission is to ignite curiosity in every child and fuel a passion for discovery, experimentation, and critical thinking in all of us. Pacific Science Center innovated during the pandemic to expand its digital programming and increase its reach across Washington, employing technology to bring experiential science education directly to homes and classrooms. In 2021—2022, its interactive online programs reached nearly half a million people and Virtual Field Trips reached more than 28,000 students across the state. PacSci imagines a future in which it serves every grade in every preK-8 Title I school in the state with programming in schools, virtual and digital programming, and in-person field trips–all at no cost to schools, educators, or families.

Media Contact

Tracy Jad Sawan, Marketing and Communications Manager 

tsawan@pacsci.org