Seattle Center Site Chosen For Hendrix Project

What originally was envisioned as a small gallery of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia has turned into a planned $50 million project commemorating Northwest popular music and culture.

Organizers on Friday announced they’ve picked a site at the Seattle Center for the Experience Music Project, formerly the Jimi Hendrix Museum. The new name, they say, reflects a broadening of the project’s goals and programs.

“During the last two years, our mission has evolved and grown significantly,” said Jody Patton, executive director of the project.

Hendrix remains a prime component of the project. A museum will house more than 6,000 artifacts of the Seattle-born rocker, including his signature black felt hat and the Fender Stratocaster guitar on which he played “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock.

But plans now also include a 500-seat theater, a professional recording studio, 3,000 to 4,000 pieces of Northwest rock history, a multimedia library and interactive musicmaking technology.