Discover MoPOP’s new exhibit: ‘Massive: The Power of Pop Culture’

Dive into pop culture’s power at MoPOP’s new exhibit Massive. Explore artifacts, interactives, and immersive experiences.

Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is inviting you to experience pop culture like never before with its new groundbreaking exhibition “Massive: The Power of Pop Culture” (Massive). Museumgoers can look forward to an immersive showcase of shared cultural phenomena that have left an indelible mark on our world.

Much more than a simple gallery show, the 2,400-square-foot exhibition is an exploration of how pop culture shapes our perceptions, influences our choices, and unites us through the sheer power of shared enthusiasm. The exhibit features over 80 extraordinary artifacts and includes interactives, films, and immersive environments.

“Massive” spans the spectrum of pop culture from iconic films like “Star Wars” to the global sensation of K-pop and the timeless influence of Beyoncé. Visitors will get to stand face-to-face with George Clooney’s Batman costume, Kim Kardashian’s Ancuta Sarca x Nike Bugatti sneaker pumps, and Judy Garland’s actual gingham dress from the “Wizard of Oz.” Visitors will also get to navigate and interpret the exhibit based on personal passions and interests.

“Massive encourages visitors to explore their own place within pop culture, bringing their personal experiences, identities, and communities into conversation with the museum,” said MoPOP CEO Michele Y. Smith.

This positioning of the visitor as expert is a core component of MoPOP’s vision for Massive. Digital technology has exponentially increased the amount of pop culture available worldwide, as well as the speed with which it travels, and we have all become creators with the potential for global reach.

One TikTok dance video can catapult a song to the top of the charts. One hashtag can become a country’s new favorite slang. One homemade meme can inspire a movement. We no longer simply witness pop culture, we embody it. Massive is designed to provide visitors with new tools and perspectives to embrace their roles as pop culture authorities, collaborators, and innovators.

Another culturally significant exhibit at MoPOP was Contact High. The exhibit closed Jan. 7, but took visitors through a hip-hop journey that showcased more than music.

“Contact High (explored) four decades of iconic photography from the late 1970s to today, documenting a revolution not just in music but in politics, race relations, fashion, and culture,”  MoPOP wrote on its website.

Beyond the individual, there is the community, and MoPOP has high hopes “Massive” will become a hub for pop culture-linked communities both here in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

“‘Massive’ focuses on creating a dynamic, dedicated space for our community to collaborate and engage with,” MoPOP’s Chief Collections and Exhibitions Officer Jacob McMurray said.

To do this, the exhibition dives into essential concepts that arise when pop culture is shared between diverse groups of people.

These are concepts such as the value of representation, appreciation versus appropriation, inspiration versus imitation, and the overall nature of fame and celebrity. How do individuals come to represent entire groups? Who is art created for? Who gets to tell a culture’s stories? How do we decide what succeeds, what matters, what lasts, and what gets saved?

By engaging directly with these questions and more, Massive provides visitors with a nuanced understanding of the ways pop culture and the individuals and communities that create it have the power to shape lives and legacies across generations.

MoPOP is celebrating the opening of this landmark project with a party from 6-10 p.m. on Friday, March 15.

This ticketed event is open to the public for those at least 21 years old. It will include performances by 8-Bit Brass Band, Wax Witch, a K-pop dance-along with Coffee Dance Studio and others. Guests will also be able to enjoy professional photos ops, art activities, a curatorial panel discussion, and a first chance to explore “Massive.”

Visitors to “Massive” won’t just be entering an exhibition, they’ll be immersing themselves in the wonders of global pop culture and rediscovering their place within it by claiming, connecting and being inspired by the transformative power that pop culture holds. And that’s a pretty big deal.

“Massive” opens March 16, 2024. Tickets are $38 for general admission and $32 for members. You can buy tickets here.

More information on the exhibition and opening party can be found on MoPOP’s website.

What else can be seen at MoPOP

There are several other exhibits open and ready to be explored at MoPOP now.

“Hidden Worlds” features films by Laika like the unsettling “Coraline.” “Nirvana” is perfect for music lovers with over 200 rare photographs and artifacts. “Fantasy” submerges users into the worlds of myth and magic with “Harry Potter,” “The Princess Bride,” and more.

Along with exhibits, the community can support local artists at the third Sound Off showcase. And looking ahead, what better place to send your aspiring artist this summer than MoPOP’s Creative Camps for Creative Kids?

By supporting youth and bringing new worlds to the community, MoPOP’s mission is to inspire and connect.

“The Museum of Pop Culture’s mission is to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities,” MoPOP’s website states.