The room seems higher than the building looks from the outside. After lingering there, you proceed to EMP's showpiece, the element that sets it apart from every other museum in the world - Artists' Journey. It's a thrill ride, of sorts, with all the latest computer-technology special effects. After that experience, you'll welcome the more reflective Crossroads area, where the main exhibits are. But experience is still the operative word here and, while there are some objects in display cases that you'll just want to gape at, most exhibits come alive with sights and sounds that each viewer can customize, with the hand-held computer that comes with your ticket.
Crossroads includes the story of the electric guitar, with prototypes showing every step of the way.
One of the world's great instrument collections, it's sure to lure guitar lovers from all over the world. Northwest Passage highlights contributions to rock from our corner of the world, from The Kingsmen to Nirvana and beyond. Natives and newcomers will get a crash course on Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Soundgarden, Heart, Pearl Jam and all the others whose music came from here and blanketed the globe. The whole history of rock is represented in Crossroads, from its roots in country, gospel and blues, from rockabilly to the folk revolution of the '50s, through the San Francisco Sound of the '60s, from punk and grunge right up to rap and hip-hop. In the Sound Lab you get to feel what you've just learned about.