Onward! To MOHAI!

The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) is located in the former Naval Reserve Training Center, a massive white structure on the shores of South Lake Union, designed in the 1930s by architect B. Marcus Priteca, who also designed the Paramount, and a bunch of other noteworthy buildings in Seattle.

The MOHAI experience is an interactive museum, where you end up hammering on something in a coal mine exhibit, then sawing through something else in a sawmill exhibit.  You begin with a lecture about how the original settlers were NOT-- read NOT! -- Europeans on their fancy boats, but rather Chief Seattle and the Pacific Northwest Native Americans.  Then you're on the Oregon Trail, and when you push a button, an old pioneer sounding voice explains how the way was hard, but the Lord saw them through.  This kind of thing.  Later you're in a brothel -- wait that wasn't in the museum -- and after a spell you're watching old cars honk at each other in the 1930s, as the Aurora Bridge was going up.  It's quite a ride.

This is all upstairs.  Downstairs?  I dunno.  Me and the B showed up later and made it to about the 1950s.  (We plan to return, so stay tuned.)

Here's me and the B striking an expeditionary pose in front of Mount Rainier.  B looks like I've kidnapped her and am using her as a prop for some cheesy documentary.  Behind me is a large print of Mt. Rainier. (This is in MOHAI, so it's not the actual volcano, in case there's any confusion.)

Oregon trail, at a distance that prevents actually reading it.  Score.

Full frontal of MOHAI:

Here's a shot of the MOHAI on South Lake Union:

So there you have it.  Enjoy!