For anyone who loves music, science fiction & fantasy and pop culture in any form, then a stop at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture – MOPOP – should be on the ‘go here’ list.

The museum is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It’s had a myriad of transformations since it first opened at Seattle Center as the Experience Music Project (EMP). And we still get a kick out of walking by the curvilinear building that architect Frank Gehry said was inspired by a broken guitar.

We love stepping inside, too, to see what’s new. And to make sure that our favorite objects and areas, such as the Guitar Gallery and the Jimi Hendrix exhibit, are still around.

There are plenty of new things happening at MOPOP as it turns 25, too.

MOPOP’s refreshed restaurant and lounge

It’s nice when a great museum has a restaurant and/or lounge that invites locals and visitors to stop by even if they aren’t touring any exhibitions.

And MOPOP’s reimagined Culture Kitchen and its new upstairs bar (The Lounge) look promising on that front.

The refreshed menu focuses on Pacific Northwest ingredients and regional partnerships, while the specialty cocktail list includes the MOPOP25 (vodka, Douglas fir jelly syrup and prosecco) and the Velvet Underground (Heritage Elk Rider Whiskey, dry vermouth and chocolate bitters).

Mini Jimi Hendrix LEGO set

LEGO fan? Jimi Hendrix fan? MOPOP has a treat for you.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen founded what is now MOPOP as the Experience Music Project (EMP), although he wanted to call it The Jimi Hendrix Museum, as an homage to the Seattle native who was his favorite musician.

While the focus and mission of the museum have morphed and expanded over 25 years (haven’t you?), the museum is still home to the world’s largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia. A small portion of that collection is on display at any one time.

But now there’s a limited edition Mini Jimi Hendrix LEGO set that visitors can take home.

Created by MOPOP, Authentic Hendrix, and Most Incredible, this 255-piece LEGO set is available for sale (while supplies last) for $150 in the MOPOP gift shop.

Smells like… MOPOP

MOPOP is also launching a bespoke fragrance.

Created in collaboration with Generation by Osmo, MOPO says Electric Harmony is the world’s first custom fragrance for a museum created using olfactory intelligence (OI), an AI-powered technology.

MOPOP’s fragrance “evokes tranquility, connection, and innovation” and seamlessly blends “the rhythmic and melodic elements of music with the electric energy of contemporary sounds,” said MOPOP CEO Michele Y. Smith.

But how did Generation by Osmo use AI-powered technology and traditional perfume creation methods to make the MOPOP fragrance?

According to Christophe Laudamiel, Generation’s Master Perfumer, an image of MOPOP’s iconic and gigantic classical and electric guitar sculpture, created by the artist Trimpin, was fed into the olfactory intelligent (OI) platform.

The platform then designed a scent structure that the museum chose as a starting point.

“I refined it to make it more like an electric guitar and gave it some very modern and unique diffusive vibrations for the nose and positive brightness and polished the back of the fragrance with elegant woods found in guitar making,” said Laudamiel, “I gave it a bit of mystery with natural oud as well,” he said.

The final product is sold in a bottle inspired by the coloring of the museum’s Frank Gehry-designed building and includes lemon oil and linden blossom, rum extract, oud oil and yes, some patchouli oil. It can be worn by “anyone who wants to bring the MOPOP experience home with them,” said MOPOP CEO Smith.

Thanks for visiting Stuck at the Airport. Subscribe to get daily travel tidbits. And follow me on Twitter at @hbaskas and Instagram.