Mural Amphitheatre is an outdoor gathering space built on a natural hillside. The world famous Space Needle serves as the backdrop for the Puget Sound Region's only mid-size amphitheatre located in the heart of Seattle Center just minutes from downtown Seattle.

The Amphitheatre serves as a primary venue for concerts during the major summer festivals.

Mural History
Seattle Mural
Paul Horiuchi
1962
Mural Amphitheatre, between Seattle Center Armory and Pacific Science Center

Artist Paul Horiuchi designed the 60 foot long cycloramic wall Seattle Mural in 1962 as part of the Seattle Center grounds. Born in Japan where he learned calligraphy and sumi techniques, Horiuchi moved to Seattle in 1946 where he studied Zen and became involved with the arts community. In the mid-1950s, Horiuchi began working in collage, a technique that would later become his signature.

The Seattle Mural was commissioned for the Mural Amphitheatre, designed by Seattle architect Paul Thiry. Horiuchi's design originally began as a collage of multicolored torn paper before it was enlarged and reworked into 54 brightly colored panels of Venetian glass fabricated in Italy. Using 160 color variations of glass, Horiuchi intended the mural to evoke the natural beauty and colors of the Northwest. The mural acted then and now as a sound-reflecting acoustic backdrop for an amphitheatre stage. The amphitheatre itself, with its terraced lawn, lies in the shadow of the Space Needle and is host to concerts and other open air performances throughout the year.

Seattle Mural was funded by a gift of Century 21 Corporation.

Parking is available in all Seattle Center lots.

King County Metro Online
Seattle Center Monorail

www.seattlecenter.com or Ticketmaster: www.ticketmaster.com, (206) 628-0888, TDD (206) 628-8889. Ticketmaster outlet on the west plaza of KeyArena and on the east side of campus near the Space Needle or all Ticketmaster locations.

Contacts: Seattle Center Customer Service (206) 684-7200, TDD / TTY: 7-1-1