It’s no secret that Washington possesses some of the most eccentric tourist attractions and recreational grounds. Perhaps, at another time, we could create a fun itinerary for your next visit, but right now we would like to focus on the strangest tourist trap yet — The Market Theater Gum Wall.

Down a modest alleyway, just outside the main entrance of Pike Place Market stands the strangest polychromatic art exhibition dubbed the Gum Wall or the Wall of Gum. As the name implies, it is essentially, a series of walls covered in thousands of pieces of used chewing gum.
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This unexpected and strange wall of art started in 1990, when local patrons in line for an improv show at the Post Alley Market would stick their used gum to the wall and place coins on the gum blob. The collection has grown over the years, expanding into the alleyway.
Kranich17/Pixabay
As an interactive and unique project, the Gum Wall is one of Seattle’s quirkiest destinations, even among locals. While most people perceive it as interactive art representing Seattle’s charm and character, others, understandably, consider it the glorification of littering.
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If you’re wondering, yes, the Gum Wall has been scraped clean before. In 2015, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority spent three days cleaning and pressure-washing the wall, only for the locals and tourists to return it to its former glory.
The Gum Wall Pike Place Market/Facebook
Today, the coating is 15 feet high and runs along a 50-foot-long section. It makes an excellent backdrop for photos and adds to the city’s charm.
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You may find the stench of decaying gum to be a bit ripe, but we can guarantee that the intriguing sight of the wall makes up for it.
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Consider washing your hands when leaving the Gum Wall alleyway before continuing on your trek through Pike Market. The wall hasn’t been cleaned since 2015 and is considered to be one of the germiest places in Washington.

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The Gum Wall, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101, USA