To mark Allen Institute’s 20th Anniversary, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Executive of King County, Dow Constantine, have declared Saturday, September 16 “Open Science Day” in the city of Seattle and King County, a significant milestone recognizing the work and impact of the Allen Institute over the past 20 years and the thousands of hours Allenites have dedicated to help realize the Institute’s ambitious vision for change—Understanding life. Advancing health.   

Two decades ago, founders Paul G. Allen and Jody Allen envisioned a research institute that would transform the scientific landscape through foundational scientific research that would empower scientists across the globe to tackle and answer the most pressing questions in neuroscience. Founded on the pillars of big, team, and open science, that vision has grown to include many other facets of human biology, including the human cell, immune system, and the dynamic flow of neural processing that breathes life into conscious experience, decision making, and emotion.  

Paul G. Allen and Jody Allen founded the Allen Institute in 2003 with open science as a core principle. Since its inception, the Institute has openly shared its knowledge, data, and tools, to advance research around the globe—accelerating discovery and helping the global scientific community uncover new insights into human biology. During the last 20 years, hundreds of thousands of researchers have used the Allen Institute’s open science resources, such as the Allen Brain Atlas, to help make discoveries on everything from Alzheimer’s and autism to kidney disease and cancer.  

The following Seattle landmarks will light up emerald green (the 20th anniversary gemstone) this weekend to celebrate the Allen Institute’s two decades of impact.  

• Lumen Field 
• 520 Bridge 
• Two Union Square 

• Westin Hotel 
• Great Wheel 
• Pacific Science Center 
• Seattle Convention Center (trimming) 
• Russell Investments Tower 

• Rainier Square 
• Museum of Pop Culture