- Bubbleator
The Bubbleator was a large, bubble-shaped hydraulic
elevator with transparentacrylic glass walls operated from an elevated chair built for the1962 World's Fair inSeattle . These transparent walls gave the illusion of looking through an actual 'soap bubble' by refracting light to obtain a rainbow-like effect for the riders inside. It was originally part of the Washington State Coliseum (now a sports venue known asKeyArena ), where it lifted 150 passengers at a time up one floor through a structure of interlockingaluminum cubes to the "World of Tomorrow" exhibit. After the Fair, the Bubbleator was relocated to the Center House atSeattle Center . By 1984, it had been removed and put in storage to make way for theSeattle Children's Museum . It was sold to a private owner inDes Moines, Washington who recycled the upper part of the dome into agreenhouse . The control chair, which had also been in private hands, was donated to theMuseum of History and Industry in 2005.While boarding the Bubbleator, passengers were commanded by an ethereal female voice to "Please move to the rear of the sphere."
The soundtrack for the Bubbleator was conducted by Attilio Mineo and released as "Man in Space with Sounds." [ [http://www.subliminalsounds.se/DOK/mineo2.html Subliminal Sounds] ]
References
External links
* [http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/queryresults.exe?CISOROOT=/imlsmohai&CISOFIELD1=title&CISOBOX1=Bubbleator Photos of the Bubbleator during the Fair, from the Museum of History & Industry]
* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos/photo.asp?PhotoID=10070 Photo of the Bubbleator at the Center House, from the Seattle PI]
* [http://www.seattlecenter.com/information/tour.asp "What A Great Place!" - Seattle Center]
* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/66575_fairwhere16.shtml "Century 21 remnants found new homes" - Seattle PI]
* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/243735_bubblechair07.html "Fair Bubbleator chair takes seat of honor at MOHAI" - Seattle PI] Geolinks-US-buildingscale|47.344677|-122.328542
"Note in overhead imagery, round object in front of house is greeenhouse/Bubbleator"
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