Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Washington Seattle Pac Man Park

Pac Man Park

This painted blacktop brings the classic arcade game to life.

Seattle, Washington

Added By
Lew Blank
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Overhead view of Pac Man Park   seattledot
Man in Pac Man Park   Tylor Gwin / CC BY-SA 2.0
Summit Avenue before its makeover   Map Data © 2017 Google
Ghosts Incoming   Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
Ready Player   Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Walking through the Capitol Hill district of Seattle, you may begin to hear the strange, yet familiar, sound of “wakka wakka wakka wakka” as rows of yellow dots appear beneath you. You will soon realize that you have entered Pac Man Park, a painted blacktop bringing the classic arcade game to life.

A small section of Summit Avenue had been under-utilized for years, sandwiched between two major roads that made it often vacant and redundant. Finally, the city put two and two together and capitalized on the perfect opportunity: to turn the empty road into a lively public gathering space. The local government put together a neighborhood referendum to vote on the future of the plaza, and out of nine options, Pac Man was chosen. The city's Pavement to Parks program provided the necessary funding—no copyright payments were required, as the art project qualified as fair use—and voila, Pac Man Park was born.

At 2,600 square feet, Pac Man Park forms an entire Pac Man arena, complete with four ghosts, lots of yellow pellets, and Pac Man himself on a mission to win. Since the design is life sized, it's possible to walk through the pathways yourself, like the Pac Man version of Pokémon Go.

Unfortunately, if you walk through the edge of the arena, you probably won't teleport to the other side. But who knows, maybe that will be Pac Man Park’s next addition.

Related Tags

Video Games Parks Theme Parks

Community Contributors

Added By

lewblank

Edited By

nluchs, Aty Trocious

  • nluchs
  • Aty Trocious

Published

September 5, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2017/3/20/how-capitol-hill-s-pac-man-park-came-to-be
  • https://www.geekwire.com/2017/go-play-near-traffic-city-seattle-officially-open-arcade-park-pac-man-chomps-pavement/
Pac Man Park
110 Summit Ave E
Seattle, Washington
United States
47.618855, -122.324915
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Denny Substation

Seattle, Washington

miles away

Cal Anderson Park

Seattle, Washington

miles away

Tashkent Park

Seattle, Washington

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Seattle

Seattle

Washington

Places 131
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Denny Substation

Seattle, Washington

miles away

Cal Anderson Park

Seattle, Washington

miles away

Tashkent Park

Seattle, Washington

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Seattle

Seattle

Washington

Places 131
Stories 18

Related Places

  • Merliot, El Salvador

    'The Little Prince' Park

    Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's 1943 book shares a surprising connection with El Salvador.

  • Anakie, Australia

    Fairy Park

    This slightly spooky yet nostalgic theme park claims to be the first of its kind in Australia.

  • De Zwaan and the tulips.

    Holland, Michigan

    Windmill Island Gardens

    The park is home to the United States's only still-operating Dutch windmill.

  • Pixie Woods entrance.

    Stockton, California

    Pixie Woods

    This hidden amusement park is a magical escape for kids and kids-at-heart.

  • Gates to Corriganville. March 2017.

    Simi Valley, California

    Corriganville Park

    The ruins of the movie ranch owned by actor and stuntman Ray "Crash" Corrigan.

  • Patriot Park in 2015.

    Odintsovsky District, Russia

    Patriot Park

    You'll find rocket launchers, not rollercoasters, at Russia's “military Disneyland.”

  • Ralph Baer Memorial.

    Manchester, New Hampshire

    Ralph Baer Memorial

    This riverfront statue honors the inventor of the first video games ever sold.

  • Homestead, Florida

    Fruit and Spice Park

    Found: Garden of Eden in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.