Seattle Central Library & Seattle Art Museum

Nick and I recently went to Seattle Public Library’s downtown Central Library and the Seattle Art Museum with our friend, Sean. It was the first time Nick and I had been to the Central Library (*gasp!*) and Nick’s first time visiting SAM (I had been there before, but it had been a long time).

Seattle Central Library

Seattle Central Library Interior

Seattle Central Library Exterior

Central Library exterior

Downtown Seattle’s 11-story glass and steel Central Library was opened in 2004. One of its major features is the “Books Spiral,” which is a 4-story gently sloping continuous spiral of nonfiction books. The Central Library has lots of reading areas, hundreds of public computers, and an auditorium. It also has a really impressive automated check-in and sorting system.

We didn’t spend a lot of time at the library, but we went up to the top and walked down the spiral. One thing I didn’t like was a weird, disorienting red corridor that is a bold, bright red everywhere on the ceiling, walls, and the floor. Sadly, I didn’t get a picture of that.

Seattle Art Museum

In addition to its permanent collection, SAM’s featured temporary exhibition while we visited were was City Dwellers: Contemporary Art from India (through February 16, 2015). SAM allows photography, so I brought my camera with. Using a flash, however, was not allowed, so please pardon the crummy photos. 😛

Inopportune: Stage One by Cai Guo-Qiang

Inopportune: Stage One

Face from a Native American totem pole

Face from a Native American totem pole

Peruvian ceramic vessel

Peruvian ceramic vessel

Australian aboriginal painting

Australian aboriginal painting

The First People

The First People

Untitled (Self in Progress) by Alwar Balasubramaniam

Untitled (Self in Progress)

India Shining V (Gandhi with iPod)

India Shining V (Gandhi with iPod)

Sea Change

Sea Change

Mexican seated figure

Mexican seated figure

Ceramic Egyptian hippopotamus

Ceramic Egyptian hippopotamus

Burkinabe antelope mask

Burkinabe antelope mask

African Opa Mma costume

African Opa Mma costume

Egyptian marble head

Egyptian marble head

Episodes from the Aeneid

Episodes from the Aeneid

South African caterpillar suit

South African caterpillar suit

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