Like the long-awaited arrival of the Seattle Kraken, Pacific Science Center's newest exhibit, Hockey: Faster Than Ever, has finally arrived after multiple delays at the port. The exhibit opened Monday and runs through February 27, 2022. 

Consider it a crash course on hockey, enough to inform the sports agnostic and enough for established hockey fans to geek out. The exhibit chronicles the history of the Canadian-born sport, about its lacrosse-inspired origins, the development of professional leagues, and the history of its attire and equipment.  

Then there are the games. Upon entrance, you receive a scorecard (like the kind you get at mini golf) to track how well you perform on eight different skill tests to provide a glimpse into what it takes to excel at the sport. There's a goalie simulator and a light board reaction test (that one can get sweaty). Others are a bit less stressful, but no less essential to the hockey experience, like the Zamboni simulator.  

It's not all a bird's-eye view of hockey either. The presence of the Kraken just down the street is obvious—and not just because you get spit out into a gift shop for Kraken apparel at the end. PacSci's exhibit emphasizes the importance of broadening the reach of the sport, beyond the predominantly white and male scope. The Kraken have been outspoken in this regard, and some members of its historically diverse staff, as well as its investments in youth programs, are highlighted here. It’s a fitting capper to what was designed as the introduction to hockey many Seattleites may not have gotten yet. Not bad, eh?