WASHINGTON, DC.- Three Smithsonian traveling exhibitions are in Seattle for the summer. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) will present the creative genius of Jim Henson, the craft and tradition of letterpress arts from Hatch Show Print and the vivid social history of Filipino Americans.

The Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame hosts “American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print” and “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” and visitors to the Odegaard Undergraduate Library at the University of Washington can view “Singgalot: The Ties that Bind.”

“American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print,” on view through July 19, illustrates the fascinating fusion of art with popular culture and music history. Featuring the work of one of the nation’s oldest and continuously printing shops—Hatch Show Print in Nashville, Tenn.—the exhibition highlights the uniquely American posters produced to advertise everything from vaudeville shows, state fairs and stock car races to the Grand Ole Opry, Elvis Presley and Herbie Hancock. The exhibition, created by SITES and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, is supported by America’s Jazz Heritage, a partnership of The Wallace Foundation and the Smithsonian.

“Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” takes a look into the incredibly prolific mind of Jim Henson (1936-90) and his wondrous creatures and characters, stories, songs and imagery. Organized by The Jim Henson Legacy and SITES, this exhibition offers audiences a rare peek into the imagination of this brilliant innovator and creator of Kermit, Big Bird and other beloved characters. The exhibition documents Henson’s process of “visual thinking” through works of art, photographs, documents, puppets and other 3-D objects, and film and video clips. It is made possible by The Biography Channel with additional support from The Jane Henson Foundation and Cheryl Henson. “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” is on view through Aug. 16.

Through July 26, visitors to the Odegaard Undergraduate Library at the University of Washington can view “Singgalot: The Ties that Bind.” Today there are more than 2.5 million Filipino Americans in the United States. Yet many, including Filipinos themselves, are not familiar with the details of their history in America: their experiences, rich traditions and culture. “Singgalot” is their story. In 2006, the Smithsonian Filipino American Centennial Commemoration marked 100 years of Filipino migration to the United States with insightful exhibitions, special programs and an extensive curriculum guide. “Singgalot,” a traveing exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program and organized by SITES, celebrates Filipino Americans as they share their struggles, challenges and achievements with the rest of the nation.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 55 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at www.sites.si.edu.