Exhibits

MOHAI is committed to presenting exhibits that illuminate, educate, provoke and inspire. Tracing the 150 year history of the city, Essential Seattle takes the visitor on a journey through the core of the museum, telling significant Seattle stories, beginning with Captain Vancouver’s exploration of Puget Sound, through the heyday of the 1880s and the Great Seattle Fire and continuing through World War II. The transformation of Seattle from frontier settlement to major metropolis is emphasized by stories from the modern era: the environmental movement, grunge music, the Kingdome’s rise and fall, and more.

MOHAI has hosted numerous exhibitions from significant institutions around the country: Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis and Clark and the Revealing of America from the Library of Congress; Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War from The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden from the Smithsonian. Bringing such exhibitions to the Puget Sound and allowing a greater number of people to experience them is an important element of MOHAI’s mission. MOHAI often complements these national traveling shows with a companion exhibit that illustrates connections with this region. The award-winning exhibition Blue vs. Gray: The Civil War in the Pacific Northwest brought to light astonishing information about slaves, the suppression of civil liberties, and the secession movement here in the Northwest.

MOHAI exhibit staff also work with guest curators to develop and build exhibitions on relevant topics. Staff worked closely with Larry Kreisman and Glenn Mason, authors of The Arts and Crafts Movement in the Pacific Northwest, to create a beautiful exhibit that will tour other venues in the Northwest upon the completion of its run at MOHAI.

Featured Exhibits

Women’s Votes, Women’s Voices

Less than 100 years ago, women weren’t allowed to vote, but were required to pay taxes and abide by laws their male counterparts voted into place. Women from all economic and ethnic groups banded together to persuade the men of Washington to give them the right to vote. Find out how women in Washington state campaigned for women’s suffrage in Women’s Votes, Women’s Voices. This exhibition, created by the Washington State History Museum, is the state’s lead activity celebrating the centennial anniversary of women obtaining the right to vote in Washington. More Info

Cut from Nature: The Art of Richard Bennett

Northwest artist Richard Bennett (1899-1971) became an accomplished printmaker early in his career and would later become one of the nation's leading illustrators of children's books. Altogether Bennett illustrated over 200 books, including several by best selling and noted writers, as well as seven books that Bennett authored himself.
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Fisher Communications: A Century of Service and Innovation

Showcasing artifacts from its first 100 years of business, "Fisher Communications: A Century of Service and Innovation" features the many milestones of the Seattle-based company. Beginning in 1910 when Fisher started as a flour mill company, the exhibit encompasses Fisher's radio broadcast business (1926), its first TV broadcast as KOMO TV (1953), and continues on to the present with its status as a local leader in media innovation. More Info