EMP|SFM Welcomes New Board MemberPeter M. Wilson, Engineering Director for
Google’s Kirkland Engineering Center, to join museum’s board of directors
SEATTLE—Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (EMP|SFM) announced today that Peter M. Wilson has been appointed to the museum’s board of directors.
“The EMP|SFM community is thrilled to have Peter’s technological expertise and creativity on the board.” said Bob Santelli, chair of EMP|SFM’s Board Nominating and Governance Committee and executive director of the Grammy Museum.
Mr. Wilson has served as engineering and site director at Google’s Kirkland Engineering Center since 2005, and before that he held management positions at Microsoft, Diamond Technology Partners and Accenture.
Since joining Google as site director, Mr. Wilson has helped grow the Kirkland office—one of Google’s most successful engineering offices—from 20 to 400 employees; and leads the development of a set of Google applications. Peter's focus is on Cloud Computing, Social Media and Online Advertising.
“It is an honor to be appointed to EMP|SFM’s board,” said Peter M. Wilson. “EMP|SFM is a unique organization that offers a tremendous creative asset to the community, and I’m delighted to bring my strengths to the table and to be a part of the museum’s future.”
Mr. Wilson also serves on the Technology Alliance Board of Directors, the board of the University of Washington Information School, and on various civic and business groups in Kirkland, where he lives. Since 2000, Mr. Wilson has served as benefactor for Harmony School in Phan Thiet, Vietnam. In his spare time, he enthusiastically plays the guitar.
On May 23, 2009, EMP|SFM will welcome the highly anticipated, West Coast premiere of Jim Henson’s Fantastic World to Seattle. The limited-run exhibition, organized by The Jim Henson Legacy and the Smithsonian Institution will run through August 16, 2009. For upcoming events related to the exhibition, visit empsfm.org/calendar.
On July 1, 2009, EMP|SFM will welcome Christina Orr-Cahall as its new CEO and director. Dr. Orr-Cahall is currently the CEO and director of the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Current exhibitions include:
Taking Aim: Unforgettable Rock 'n' Roll Photographs Selected by Graham Nash
February 6 – May 23, 2010
This dynamic new exhibition, showcases some of the most memorable photography in the history of popular music, as chosen by legendary musician Graham Nash of supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash, who is also well-known as a photographer, collector and pioneer in digital imaging and printing. As guest curator, Nash brings his rich musical history, keen eye and storytelling skills to an exhibition of 98 rock 'n' roll images taken by 40 of the world's greatest music photographers, including Anton Corbijn, Lynn Goldsmith, Annie Leibovitz, Jim Marshall, Neal Preston, Mick Rock, Francesco Scavullo and Nash himself.
Gelatine Lux
November 21, 2009 – April 11, 2010
EMP|SFM is proud to present Gelatine Lux, an otherworldly exhibition by noted Italian glass and installation artist Maria Grazia Rosin. Organized by the Carnegie Museum of Art, this immersive installation features 20 illuminated glass chandeliers suspended within an environment that includes sound and video components. The chandeliers, which evoke the forms of both marine and microscopic life, exist in an intra/extraterrestrial universe that envelops and disorients the viewer and raises questions about the origins of the world. Initially trained as a painter in Venice but working in glass since 1992, Rosin is fascinated by science—from marine biology to the physics of black holes.
About the EMP|SFM Building
Since EMP opened in 2000 and SFM in 2004, EMP|SFM has welcomed more than 4.5 million visitors through its doors. From its museum planning stages in 1998 through 2007, EMP|SFM has been a key economic driver among Seattle nonprofit arts and culture organizations, with combined EMP|SFM institutional expenditures and EMP|SFM audience-member spending resulting in $580 million dollars of local economic impact. EMP|SFM is housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building. This spectacular, prominently visible structure has the presence of a monumental sculpture set amid the backdrop of the Seattle Center.
About Experience Music Project
Experience Music Project (EMP) is dedicated to the exploration of creativity and innovation in popular music. By blending interpretative, interactive exhibitions with cutting-edge technology, EMP captures and reflects the essence of rock 'n' roll, its roots in jazz, soul, gospel, country and the blues, as well as rock's influence on hip-hop, punk and other recent genres. Visitors can view rare artifacts and memorabilia and experience the creative process by listening to musicians tell their own stories.
About Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (SFM) is the world's first museum devoted to the thought-provoking ideas and experiences of science fiction. SFM's exhibitions promote awareness and appreciation of science fiction literature and media while encouraging visitors to envision new futures for humanity. In the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, the museum pays homage to the most respected of science fiction practitioners—writers, artists, publishers and filmmakers.
