Support Us Button Widget

How locals can show a landmark building some love

Historic Seattle’s Heart Bombing event is at the Inscape Arts and Cultural Center this year.

A sign that shows an llustration of a large building — underneath, lettering says "Seattle Inscape: History. Arts. Culture."

The INS building was transformed into a center for the arts, but retains elements of its past.

Photo via Seattle Municipal Archives, No. 191709

Romance is building up this week. You can see for yourself at Historic Seattle’s free Heart Bomb event on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 12-12:30 p.m., at the Inscape Arts and Cultural Center.

Heart bombing refers to a public display of affection for historic buildings + sites in which advocates write love letters and often show up to take group pics.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation organizes them to raise awareness about landmarks that are either threatened or rouse strong feelings within the community.

For the past decade, Historic Seattle has been dropping Heart Bombs at beloved locales like Key Arena, The Showbox, and Bush Garden. Now it’s Inscape’s turn to get some love.

💕 Where the heart is

The arts center is located near Lumen Field at the former Immigration & Naturalization Service Building, which was where immigration paperwork was processed from 1932 to 2004. After a preservation effort, the 77,000-sqft space became a hub of creative endeavors with 100+ tenants, from performance arts groups to sculptors to digital media specialists.

Visitors can find remnants of the building’s important past with a permanent installation telling the story of immigrants who passed through its halls over the decades. The Wing Luke Museum even offers a walking tour.

💕 Bombs away

Taking part in the Heart Bomb at Inscape Tuesday is fairly straightforward — create a Valentine’s Day card that expresses your fondness for the building, then show up at noon on Tuesday to take a group photo with other admirers. Take a look at snapshots from a previous Heart Bomb to get inspiration.

If you end up missing this Heart Bomb, don’t sweat it — Historic Seattle has a bunch of other events throughout the year that emphasize a passion for the city’s past. Your heart will go on.

More from SEAtoday
Performances and shows take to the sea, earth, and sky for Seafair Weekend Festival.
These themed bars and clubs in Seattle take “dress to impress” to a whole new level.
Resurfaced by Murray Stenson from an old cocktail book, the Last Word put Seattle on the map and helped to reinvigorate the world’s interest in cocktails.
Teachers are the unsung heroes of our community. Show your support by sharing a local teacher’s supplies wishlist ahead of the 2024-2025 school year.
Crochet and coffee shop concept Stitch Cafe is opening this summer in Capitol Hill.
These shops, matcha lattes, boba drinks, and ceremonial performances highlight Seattle’s thriving community of tea lovers.
Check out local artists’ new works, network with other creatives, and celebrate art works with the annual Seattle Art Fair.
A turn of phrase here, a recognizable Seattle nod there — these craft beers found around the Emerald City take local pride seriously.
FareStart is a social-enterprise nonprofit focused on job training and employment to disrupt poverty — all while serving up delicious dishes, of course.
This week — Monday, July 22-Friday, July 26, 2024 — we’re shining a spotlight on the vibrant drink scene in Seattle.