Honoring A Pacific Science Center Legend
Ron W.
Pacific Science Center would like to take a moment to honor and thank someone who is a real treasure within our organization. Over 36 years ago, we were lucky enough to secure the services of a talented carpenter named Ron Wuethrich. While the Science Center was lucky, Ron had no idea what he was signing on for, or just how long this relationship was going to last!

Consider the following:
  • In 1973 there was no Discovery Labs.
  • No Boeing IMAX Theater.
  • No Eames IMAX Theater.
  • No Ackerely Gallery.
  • No Tropical Butterfly House.
  • Building 3 was an open-air atrium with limited exhibit space in the lower floors.
  • There were no computers on site, unless they were in an exhibition as a very special feature.
  • The upper and lower pads were not connected by Water Works, so there was no shortcut to move between the north and south ends of the campus.
  • There was no secured front gate. At night the ponds were open to people strolling around from the Seattle Center Grounds.
Think of everything that has changed over the last 35 years, and then remember Ron likely played a part in making that change happen. On the exhibit side alone, the numbers are very impressive:
  • Ron has seen, and probably helped install, repair and then take-down over 155 traveling exhibitions.
  • Ron has helped Pacific Science Center build well over 25 permanent and traveling exhibitions. We say well over because our records only go back to 1975 and don't include a complete listing of permanent exhibitions.
  • Because of our traveling program, some of the exhibits Ron helped build have completed 217 venues in four different countries and have been seen by over 17 million people outside of Seattle!
  • This does not begin to take into account the number of visitors Ron's work has touched through Science on Wheels and our other outreach programs.
  • Thanks to Ron's contributions to all our programming he is actually entitled to boast his work literally touches over a million people per year.
Ron's contributions to Pacific Science Center's mission over the last 36 years are impressive, but that's not the only reason he should be considered one of our treasures. Ron is a cheerful, diligent and hard worker. Despite skills that would have paid him handsomely in a commercial setting, Ron happily takes on any job no matter how large or small. From building interactive cabinetry, refurbishing old and tired exhibits, to refinishing furniture, or building and installing shelves for someone's office, every task is tackled with a good heart and a desire to do the best work possible.

We honor Ron for all his work over the last 36 years, but we treasure the quiet, hard-working man who has been a living example of trust, respect, integrity, excellence and service.