CULTURE & ARTS
Allen said in the 2015 interview. “If
MoPOP wasn’t Allen’s
I can give people a little bit of that
only museum. He
experience and open their eyes to the also started the Flying
different possibilities of painting and
Heritage & Combat
sculpture and other forms of art, that Armor Museum at
would be a fantastic outcome.”
Boeing’s Paine Field in
Everett, Washington. The
In 2000, Allen founded the Experience museum houses Allen’s
Music Project, Science Fiction Museum collection of rare military
and Hall of Fame, now known as the
aircraft, tanks and other
Museum of Pop Culture. The museum military gear from the United
sits at the base of the Space Needle at States, Germany, Japan, Russia
Seattle Center and was designed by
and the UK.
Frank Gehry.
‘If it has the potential
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This museum blended Allen’s love of
to do good, then we
art with his love of music. The museum
should do it.
pays tribute with various exhibits
dedicated to regalia from Seattle’s
greatest artists and bands including
Allen invested so much in various
Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix and even more
culture projects that as of 2017 Allen
recently Chris Cornell of Soundgarden.
expanded his portfolio with Vulcan
MoPoP also partners with the Seattle
Arts and Entertainment. Its mission
International Film Festival and the
states that it is “guided by Paul G.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film
Allen’s vision of investing in the region’s
Festival that takes place annually at
cultural fabric so that new generations
Seattle’s Cinerama Theater.
can explore and realize their true creative
potential.”
When the Cinerama Theater downtown
was faced with redevelopment in
After his death many who were close to
1997, Allen swooped in and saved the
him spoke out starting with Bill Gates who
Cinerama from becoming a dinner theater wrote in a statement, “I am heartbroken
or rock-climbing club. As a child Allen
by the passing of one of my oldest and
would go to the Cinerama to see science dearest friends, Paul Allen. Paul was a true
fiction films like Star Wars. After purchasing partner and dear friend. Personal computing
the theater Allen initiated a multimillion-
would not have existed without him. But Paul
dollar restoration and the Cinerama is still
wasn’t content with starting one company. He
in use today to air classic and select new
channeled his intellect and compassion into a
movies.
second act focused on improving people’s lives
Allen also started the Upstream three-
and strengthening communities in Seattle and
day music summit, modeled after Austin’s
around the world.
South by Southwest to give local musicians
an outlet to share their music in Seattle’s
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Pioneer Square neighborhood