Seattle World’s Fair

Having dazzled Russian citizens at the 1959 American Exhibition in Moscow with their multiscreen film, Glimpses of the USA, Charles and Ray received another commission from the US federal government in 1962 for a film to be shown in the United States Science Exhibit in Seattle, Washington, at the Century 21 Exposition. The office followed much the same formula that garnered acclaim in Moscow and created a 10-minute film that was the first thing visitors experienced upon entering the exhibit. Utilizing juxtapositions, variation, and repetition to great effect over six screens, the House of Science film explored and explained the various disciplines of science through both expert commentary and animations. The film’s narration also offers a window into the Eameses’ long-standing view of science as a form of artistic pursuit: “Science is essentially an artistic or philosophical enterprise carried on for its own sake. In this it is more akin to play than to work. But it is a sophisticated play in which the scientist views nature as a system of interlocking puzzles.” The theater that housed the film, as pictured on this souvenir postcard, was designed by Japanese-American architect Minoru Yamasaki—a former associate of both Alexander Girard and George Nelson, and future designer of the World Trade Center complex.