MoPOP Unveils Michael Jackson's Thriller Jacket, Moonwalk Shoes in Seattle

A dozen pieces from Michael Jackson's stage wardrobe, including the jacket he wore in the Thriller music video and the shoes he had on when he introduced the moonwalk to the world, are now on display at Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture. The limited-run exhibit, called Michael Jackson: The Fashion Legacy, opened Saturday and runs through September 7 at Seattle Center.

The show was created through a partnership between MoPOP and Julien's Auctions, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle. MoPOP describes the exhibition as featuring select items from what it calls the largest collection of Jackson stage costumes, accessories, and music-video-worn pieces ever assembled. Beyond the Thriller jacket, the display includes the white-and-blue ensemble and suit from the Smooth Criminal video, an embellished Thriller-era jacket Jackson wore during his Bad Tour, and a bedazzled glove worn during a photoshoot for VIBE magazine.

A Global Tour Makes Its First Stop in Seattle

The Seattle pop-up is actually the opening chapter of a much bigger international campaign. According to Julien's Auctions, the three-week MoPOP showcase kicks off a touring activation building toward the auction house's inaugural Celebrity & Culture Week in Abu Dhabi this December. That timing tracks with a broader surge in collector demand: Julien's Auctions notes that global market interest in authenticated Jackson stage items has spiked in 2026 ahead of the Lionsgate biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, whose teaser materials reportedly generated record digital viewership that reignited interest in his memorabilia.

The VIBE glove on display carries its own layer of history. The magazine that commissioned the photoshoot was co-founded in 1993 by producer Quincy Jones, per Julien's Auctions, who also produced Jackson's Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad albums.

Moonwalk Shoes Recall a 47-Million-Viewer Moment

The shoes on view connect directly to one of the most-watched moments in television history. Jackson introduced the moonwalk on March 25, 1983, during the taping of the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever special, which aired on NBC that May to more than 47 million viewers, according to Wikipedia. He performed Billie Jean in black sequined outerwear and leather loafers during that Pasadena Civic Auditorium taping, the same look now represented in the MoPOP display.

Jackson's stage wardrobe has commanded serious money on the secondary market before. Julien's Auctions sold his original red-and-black calfskin Thriller jacket for $1.8 million in June 2011 to commodities trader Milton Verret, as reported by CBC News, with a portion of the proceeds going to a sanctuary that housed Jackson's former Bengal tigers. A white wool Smooth Criminal fedora, custom-made for Jackson by the Golden Gate Hat Company, was separately estimated to fetch up to £80,000 at an October 2025 auction, according to JustCollecting News.

Fans React, Some Push for National Preservation

MoPOP shared images of the exhibit on its website and Instagram page, and reaction online has been enthusiastic. One social media commenter said they were booking a flight just to see the exhibit, while another argued the VIBE glove belonged in the Smithsonian.

That sentiment overlooks what the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture already holds. The Washington, D.C. museum's permanent collection includes a black felt fedora Jackson threw into the crowd during his 1984 Victory Tour, caught by an audience member at Giants Stadium before it was donated, along with a black sequined silk jacket, according to LAist.

Visiting the Exhibit

General admission tickets to MoPOP range from $39.95 to $44.95 and cover full entry to the Jackson exhibit, per KNKX Public Radio. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Seattle Center. Hoodline previously ranked MoPOP Seattle's top museum, and the Frank Gehry-designed building itself has become part of the draw. Founded in 2000 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen as the Experience Music Project before rebranding to MoPOP in 2016, the 140,000-square-foot structure's swooping metallic exterior was inspired by a smashed electric guitar in tribute to Jimi Hendrix, according to Architectural Record.