The Seattle NFT Museum on First Avenue in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. Image via seattlenftmuseum

The world is currently being dominated by non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a term that refers to digital tokens associated with physical assets that can be sold, bought, and traded. Countless artists have benefitted from this emerging technology, earning thousands of dollars without having to share their profits with museums, galleries, and other middlemen.



“Many digital artists, fed up after years of creating content that generates visits and engagement on Big Tech platforms like Facebook and Instagram while getting almost nothing in return, have lunged headlong into the craze,” said TIME Magazine. “These artists of all kinds – authors, musicians, filmmakers – envision a future in which NFTs transform both their creative process and how the world values art, now that it’s possible to truly ‘own’ and sell digital art for the first time.”


Beeple, Everydays: The First 5000 Days. Sold for: $69.3 million Beeple/Christie’s



Despite the hype surrounding NFTs, they remain misunderstood, especially by those in the art world. This is why tech entrepreneurs Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton are hoping that a physical museum will pave the way for a much greater appreciation for the phenomenon.



Located at 2125 First Avenue in the city’s Belltown neighborhood, the Seattle NFT Museum (SNFTM) will be the first-ever physical space dedicated to the emerging platform. Apart from serving as a gathering place for collectors and enthusiasts, it will also showcase a number of local artists, such as Larva Labs, Tyler Hobbs, Blake Kathryn, and Neon Saltwater.


Pak, METANOIA. Not listed for sale. Pak/Sotheby's



“The community has this incredible energy and influence that they wield, but there’s something that’s missing, and that’s the physical experience and physical interaction that comes from looking at art together,” said Hamilton in an interview.



“We chose to open a museum versus a gallery because we do care about the museum aspect of it,” Wong added. “We want it to be educational for those who only know the acronym NFT to the deep-level enthusiasts.”


Jennifer Wong and Peter Hamilton, founders of Seattle NFT Museum.


While the main goal of the museum is to make NFTs more accessible to the public, both Hamilton and Wong also aim to bridge the gap between the virtual and the physical. Because of this, QR codes will be scattered throughout the entire building, sending visitors to online portals where they can interact more with the artists.


Frames created by mobile technology company Samsung will also enable curators and artists to choose how a digital piece will be presented to the public.


Image via seattlenftmuseum


The Seattle NFT Museum is a huge contrast to Phosphene, an online portal launched in May 2021 by tech veteran Art Min, in partnership with Kirsten Anderson, the owner of the Roq La Rue Gallery. This online platform curates NFT pieces from “mid-career and impact-oriented artists and musicians.”



Screenshot via Phosphene



“The fidelity and size of displays make space for inspiration that smartphone scrolling can’t provide,” explained Wong. “As powerful as online communities have become, there is little substitute for looking at art, standing next to another person. We need both worlds, and we know there will be so many opportunities to bridge the metaverse with physical experiences in the future.”


To prepare for the launch, Wong is working with local artists to curate pieces for the opening show. Meanwhile, Hamilton is handling their Discord server, where they keep in touch with collector organizations across the country. Both may regard the Seattle NFT Museum as a “fun passion project,” but its huge potential has pushed them to be on the lookout for people to fill out roles in administration, IT, curation, and community management.



Screenshot via Superchief Gallery NFT 


Creating a physical space for digital art isn’t something new. In March 2021, the Superchief NFT Gallery was opened in New York, and similar ones have popped up in Australia and Europe. However, the Seattle NFT Museum will be the first of its kind in the city.


While there are other physical galleries dedicated to NFTs, the Seattle NFT Museum will be the first of its kind in the city.


“The imagination of NFT artists and creators is thrilling,” said Wong. “We wanted to create a space to serve the NFT community while helping put Seattle on the map as a hub for NFT and Blockchain innovation.”


(SNFTM Image)



She added, “We’re not experts and we’re here to learn as much as anyone. That is why we are counting on the feedback and support of NFT enthusiasts to continue growing the vision.”


Set to open its doors on January 14, 2022, the Seattle NFT Museum will feature more than 30 high-fidelity digital screens in both portrait and landscape orientations. Each installation will be linked to its metadata, while visitors can access the artist’s story and explanation through a QR code.


For more information on the Seattle NFT Museum, check out their official website. Those interested in visiting may also start purchasing tickets, which cost $125.




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