FAQ: CLOSURE INFORMATION
FAQ: CLOSURE INFORMATION
Why is Mindport Exhibits closing?
Mindport began in downtown Bellingham as an experimental project of three friends, and it has continued for almost 30 years under the guidance of a small number of dedicated staff. Kevin Jones, the museum’s founding director, retired in 2019, and funding from a generous donor who has been financially supporting the museum for decades is coming to an end, so we feel the business is at a natural stopping point.
Sharing this space—providing a place for countless visitors to slow down, look, think, experiment, play and spend time with one another—has been an amazing journey!
When will Mindport Exhibits close?
On Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, 370 people gathered to say goodbye to Mindport Exhibits, creating a memorable, record-breaking send-off. Some attendees were visiting for the first time, while many longtime friends came to bid farewell. There was a lot of love in the room. We are grateful to our community for seeing us out in such a heartfelt way!
What will happen to the exhibits?
SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention
1312 Bay St. Bellingham, WA 98225
| Exhibit | Artist | Notes |
| Praxinoscope | Aidan Forrest, Margot Stroop | |
| AeroTrack (commercial production prototype) | Jeremy Robinson, Bill Lee, Kevin Jones | |
| Spiral Eyes | Joe Edwards | |
| Electromatic | Aidan Forrest | |
| Dial G for Gator | Kevin Jones | |
| Echo Chamber | Aidan Forrest | |
| Color Mixing Table | Michael Oppenheimer, Margot Stroop | |
| Backwards Speech | Joe Edwards, Kevin Jones | |
| Rhythmo | Kevin Jones | |
| Occular Camera | Aidan Forrest | |
| Standing Kaleidoscope | Kevin Jones | |
| Magnet Board | Aidan Forrest | |
| Sonoluce | Kevin Jones | |
| Lux Infinitum | Aidan Forrest | |
| Air Engine | Bill Lee | |
| Marbellous Indeterminancy | Kevin Jones | |
| Umbra | Romy Randev | Purchased by MP |
| Anamorphic Mirror | Kevin Jones | |
| Rotograph | Aidan Forrest | |
| Vortex | Aidan Forrest | |
| Moire | Joe Edwards, Bill Lee, John Ito | |
| Magnetic Molasses | Bill Lee, John Ito | |
| Upside Down | Kevin Jones | |
| Bella Stella | John Ito | |
| Mechanism Models (loose) | Mark Day | |
| Mechanism Models (table top) | Mark Day | |
| Diaballique | John Ito | |
| Focus | Aidan Forrest | |
| Upside Down | Kevin Jones |
FIG (Family Interactive Gallery) Whatcom Museum
250 Flora Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
| Dreamscape | Kevin Jones | |
| Pneumatic Ping-Pong Balls | Kevin Jones | |
| Rollentless | John Ito | |
| Color Mixing Box | Aidan Forrest | |
| Light Spinner | Aidan Forrest | |
| Allella | John Ito | |
| Marimba | Maker unknown | Donated to MP |
| Tranquility | David C. Roy | Purchased by MP |
| Perception and Illusion | Margot Stroop and Aidan Forrest | Painting by Margot Stroop, base structure by Adian Forrest |
| Noise Whackers | Aidan Forrest | |
| Giant Tic Tac Toe | Mass-produced item | Purchased by MP |
| Bug Box | AnMorgan Curry | |
| Burl Jives | Joe Edwards | |
| AeroTrack (commercial production prototype) | Jeremy Robinson, Bill Lee, Kevin Jones |
Make.Shift Art Space
306 Flora Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
| Autoharp | Mass-produced item |
| Theramin | Mass-produced item; altered by Kevin Jones |
Mount Vernon High School Science Museum
1075 E. Fulton Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
(Contact: Eric Engman)
| HoverChord | Aidan Forrest | |
| Rotation Station | John Ito | |
| Zoom Out | Aidan Forrest | |
| Cartesian Divers | Bill Lee, Aidan Forrest, Lea Sklarsky | Currently (“Bubbler”) |
| Combination Lock | Kevin Jones | |
| Morse Code | Kevin Jones | |
| Sonic Sandbox | Kevin Jones | |
Max Higbee Center
1400 N. State Street, Suite 101, Bellingham, WA 98225
| Road Blocks | Kevin Jones | |
| Rotating Kaleidoscope | Kevin Jones | |
| Polarizing Plastic | Kevin Jones | |
Explorations Academy
1701 Ellis Street, Suite 215, Bellingham, WA 98225
(Contact: Jason Quick)
| EmRiver Stream Table | mass-produced item | Donated to Mindport by Natural Systems Design |
| Living Machine (fish!) | Kevin Jones, Ocean Arks International | |
| Winogradsky Columns | Sam Bottman, Lea Sklarsky, Aidan Forrest | |
| Wave Music | Kevin Jones | |
The Comics Place
107 E. Holly Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
| Art Gallery Illusion | Aidan Forrest, Margot Stroop | Never publicly displayed at MP |
| Parking Meter | AnMorgan Curry | |
| Eye Grid | Aidan Forrest, MP staff | Never publicly displayed at MP |
| Serpentine | Aidan Forrest | |
| Joe’s Face | Joe Edwards, Kevin Jones | |
| Fidget Grid | AnMorgan Curry | |
Chris Byrne, Cascadia College
18345 Campus Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011
| Rolling Uphill | Kevin Jones | |
| Liquid Crystals | Kevin Jones | |
| Orbiter | AnMorgan Curry, Bill Lee, Aidan Forrest | |
| Crazy Wheels | Kevin Jones | |
| Making Electricity | Kevin Jones | |
Whatcom Hospice House
| Wall/lap double Labyrinth | mass-produced item |
Setting Sun Labs (projected-opening 2026)
210 W. Holly Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
| Swirl | Bill Lee, John Ito |
| Tree | Aidan Forrest |
WWU Anthropology Department, Arntzen Hall
315516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
(Contact: Dr. Judith Pine)
| Phonemes | Joe Edwards, Sam Bottman |
New Prospect Theater
207 Prospect Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
| House of Mystery | Kevin Jones |
Lake Whatcom Water Sewer District
1220 Lakeway, Bellingham, WA 98229
| Hand-drawn Sewer Blueprints | George Ginn |
Private Collections
| Video Feedback | Kevin Jones | |
| House of the Saints | Kevin Jones | |
| Marble Pump | Kevin Jones | |
| Pipe Organ | Kevin Jones | |
| Postcard Station | Tallie Jones, Stephen McMillian | Will become a pop-up postcard station at community events |
Donations of Tools and Materials
Children of the Setting Sun Productions -Setting Sun Labs
Max Higbee Center
Loving Space
SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention
Lummi Boys and Girls Club
Correspondence Club (@ Bellingham Public Library SkillShare)
Re-Sources
Habitat for Humanity
Allied Arts
Can someone else assume ownership of Mindport to keep it going?
Mindport was a privately-owned business that had been reliant on substantial financial assistance from a donor. That funding, which supported operations and programs here, was coming to an end and would not be available to a new owner. Thus, due to financial considerations, new ownership was a path that could not be pursued.
Why isn’t Mindport a nonprofit?
That is an option that we explored in recent years with legal and nonprofit consultants. To be successful and sustainable, Mindport would need to be set up, managed and funded as a nonprofit. This means creating and sustaining a nonprofit structure capable of continually raising the substantial sum of money needed to support exhibits, programs and other operations.
There are already more than 120 arts, culture and humanities nonprofits in the Bellingham area doing important work here. Mindport chose to close instead of entering that market and competing for limited funds with our museum friends and other vital organizations.
Will the building be another empty space in downtown Bellingham?
We are pleased to report that 210 W. Holly St. has been gifted to Children of the Setting Sun Productions, a local Indigenous-led nonprofit. CSSP is developing Setting Sun Labs — a vibrant lab space that will share films, podcasts, events, a digital heritage library, immersive media and contemporary art. Their vision is to create an immersive experience gallery, a Coast Salish lifeways gallery, digital media production studios, an artist-in-residence program, and maker spaces for Indigenous artists to create and interact with each other and the community. Learn more by reading this September 2024 media release.
What will happen to the Correspondence Club?
Effective January 2024, the Correspondence Club, which meets one Saturday per month, will transition to the Bellingham Public Library’s Skillshare space at 210 Central Avenue in Bellingham. People will still be able to learn the art of making snail mail collage, note cards and envelope assemblage in the company of mail art enthusiasts. All materials will continue to be provided.