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All the United States Washington Seattle Gum Wall

Gum Wall

A wall of chewing gum moonlights as collective art.

Seattle, Washington

Added By
S Lee
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Gum Wall window ledge  
Gum Wall window ledge  
Gum Wall Alley  
Gum Wall Alley  
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Heart   ratcarousel / Atlas Obscura User
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
  anyaandpoppy / Atlas Obscura User
We left a mark.   John King / Atlas Obscura User
  renepierce / Atlas Obscura User
  moonkat24 / Atlas Obscura User
  mocchiatto / Atlas Obscura User
Aledged.   hetmzr101 / Atlas Obscura User
Dingus   hetmzr101 / Atlas Obscura User
Not a selfie!   hetmzr101 / Atlas Obscura User
  starrybluenight / Atlas Obscura User
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
  espeyraunza / Atlas Obscura User
  espeyraunza / Atlas Obscura User
  espeyraunza / Atlas Obscura User
  espeyraunza / Atlas Obscura User
  Mama Shotts / Atlas Obscura User
  jlord7 / Atlas Obscura User
Very cool, very gross site to see   kristindauchy / Atlas Obscura User
  staceykenny11 / Atlas Obscura User
  staceykenny11 / Atlas Obscura User
gum wall alley   dawnrfifer / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley  
Gum Wall Alley  
Pacman being chased by ghosts - rendered in gum, Hubba Bubba packaging, and pennies.   Amanda / Atlas Obscura User
Note the Dr. Who reference in the center of the photo - taken in 2012   Amanda / Atlas Obscura User
September 2016   AntiArielle / Atlas Obscura User
September 2016   AntiArielle / Atlas Obscura User
September 2016   AntiArielle / Atlas Obscura User
September 2016   AntiArielle / Atlas Obscura User
September 2016   AntiArielle / Atlas Obscura User
September 2016   AntiArielle / Atlas Obscura User
Gum   JFish / Atlas Obscura User
Gum, duh   JFish / Atlas Obscura User
Nirvana gum tribute   maren / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Chew on this.   luvturtl / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   Chait Goli
Gum Wall Alley   cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   cait7911 / Atlas Obscura User
Gum Wall Alley   Qlyss / Atlas Obscura User
  mendy42 / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Rost / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Mathew Browne / PhotoHound
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
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Seattle’s Gum Wall   dc2az1 / Atlas Obscura User
  80schic84 / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Down an unassuming alleyway next to Seattle's famed Pike Place Market is a hidden work of art dubbed the Gum Wall or the Wall of Gum. The unexpected and colorful display is an excellent representation of Seattle's unique charm and character.

Started in the 1990s when local patrons in line for an improv show at Post Alley's Market Theater stuck their used gum on the wall, the Gum Wall has grown piece by piece to cover an enormous expanse of brick wall and continues to expand down the alleyway. The resulting colors and overall imagery are fascinating.

The stench of decaying and aged chewing gum can be a bit offensive, but the Gum Wall is still an intriguing sight. Some consider the wall to be a monstrosity or a glorification of littering, but to most the Gum Wall stands as a beautiful work of collective art.

For 3 days beginning November 10th, 2015, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority pressure-washed, scraped, and cleaned the wall for the first time in 20 years... but beginning the very next weekend, locals and tourists collectively started to recreate the wall at the same location as before.

Related Tags

Outsider Art Alleyways Gum Architectural Oddities Architecture

Know Before You Go

Head down a ramp (look for the Market Theater sign) to the left of the main entrance (marked by a large neon "Public Market" sign) to Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. At the bottom of the ramp, veer left into Post Alley and the Gum Wall will appear on both sides.

Community Contributors

Added By

S Lee

Edited By

ThomasMcConnell, YukonCornelius, Amanda, Blindcolour...

  • ThomasMcConnell
  • YukonCornelius
  • Amanda
  • Blindcolour
  • dlc31723
  • dawnrfifer
  • maren
  • AntiArielle
  • e1savage
  • JFish
  • staceykenny11
  • breaingram
  • Jason Rost
  • starrybluenight
  • mendy42
  • Qlyss
  • dc2az1
  • 80schic84
  • cait7911
  • davidklein23
  • ssingh 17c9bd99
  • luvturtl
  • Aty Trocious
  • anyaandpoppy
  • mocchiatto
  • espeyraunza
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • moonkat24
  • mathewbrowne
  • IgFan
  • RFrolicArts
  • rcnlshubs
  • kristindauchy
  • jlord7
  • hetmzr101
  • causeiwander
  • Mama Shotts
  • 2shttpwbpg
  • John King
  • ralphangel
  • renepierce
  • ratcarousel

Published

July 8, 2009

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Sources
  • http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Bubble-yuck-Crews-melt-chewed-gum-off-famed-6622382.php
Gum Wall
1428 Post Alley
Seattle, Washington, 98101
United States
47.608056, -122.340278
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