Setting the social scene: whether partying into the past or having fun into the future, NRPA's Congress welcome and closing parties showcase the best of Seattle.

The city of Seattle is proud of its history, but it is also one of the most technologically advanced and high-powered business cities in the country. It makes sense then that delegates will voyage from past into future at the welcome and closing parties of this year's NRPA Congress & Exposition. Take a look at the amazing venues that will host attendees:

Freeway Park 

Dedicated on July 4, 1976, Freeway Park is not new to the crown of jewel parks that make up Seattle. However, it may be one of the most innovative to date. This five-acre downtown oasis is located between 6th and 9th Avenues and overlooks Seattle's financial center.

What makes the park special though is its span across the I-5 freeway, creating an inviting open greenspace where otherwise there would be unusable concrete ramping. The first of its kind, Freeway Park was constructed to "heal the scar" of the freeway cutting through Seattle's downtown area.

The space serves as a casual meeting place for passive recreation where workers can eat lunch or citizens can meet to head into the city. In 2006, the park's 30th anniversary, the space seems even more vibrant, with afternoon concerts, dog-walking groups and preschool play groups.

The park has also seen improvements in landscaping, with trees being pruned back to allow more light, signs directing users toward walking trails and the addition of new lighting. One of the most advanced upgrades has been the installation of wireless Internet throughout the park. Visitors can bring a laptop, enjoy the outdoors and relax. In fact, throughout Congress, attendees can use the Wi-Fi access between sessions.

The park will serve as the perfect backdrop to NRPA's Welcome Party, where attendees will learn the history of the Pacific Northwest as they walk the paths, enjoy music at the plaza's main stage, experience the fall foliage and experience aspects of Seattle's heritage at "cultural corners."

Experience Music Project

The Experience Music Project (EMP) is a one-of-a-kind, interactive music museum that tells the story of American popular music. It began as a vision of Paul Allen, whose passion for Jimi Hendrix began the world's largest collection of Hendrix memorabilia. His love of music soon expanded, and he wanted to create a destination for anyone to be inspired by musical innovation. EMP was born.

The museum takes visitors and attendees of the Closing Party into a world-class collection of artifacts and imagery. The Hendrix exhibit follows his life from his Seattle childhood on. The exhibit also features examples of muscians' handwritten lyrics, instruments and original recording equipment.

EMP also features costumes from some of the world's most well-known dressers, including Michael Jackson's white glove, lames Brown's cape, Kurt Cobain's V-neck sweater and Gene Simmons' KISS outfit.

There are also several special exhibits that will be featured while NRPA Congress is in town. The Art of Modern Rock looks at the concert posters that became icons through 70 years of rock 'n roll. Yes, Yes, Y'all: The Birth of Hip-Hop takes visitors back to the beginning of this controversial genre, including quotes, performances and photos from hip-hop pioneers like Run-DMC and Grandmaster Flash.

For attendees more interested in playing music than learning about it, the Sound Lab allows visitors to play instruments, regardless of the skill level. Visitors can create their own trio and create a band, sample rhythms or head for a soundproof room to perfect a song.

The true performer will be right at home at On Stage, where visitors experience what it is like to perform in front of screaming fans. The instruments are programmed so performers hit all the right notes, but they better bring some stage presence--others are watching via closed-circuit TV.

The entire museum will be open for the Closing Party sponsored by GameTime, where attendees will also be treated to food, performances, dancing and carnival rides.

Sci-Fi Museum

If music doesn't hit the right note, attendees to the Closing Party may want to wander to the Sci-Fi Museum and Hall of Fame, another feature of the EMP repertoire. Outer space creatures, out-of-this-world exhibits and adventures into the unknown await.

Visitors can tour the science fiction hall of fame, where the exhibit honors the creators of the genre. The 2006 inductees include George Lucas, Frank Herbert, Anne McCaffrey and Frank Kelly Freas.

If attendees are looking for something that is not from Earth, they can step into the Red Planet of Mars and explore how science fiction has impacted the studies of our closest planetary neighbor.

In addition, the exhibit Fantastic Voyages takes visitors to a whole other world with experiences like:

* Spacedock: See the greatest spaceships in an orbital docking station

* The Armory: View a collection of sci-fi weapons like lightsabers, ray guns and Klingon daggers

* Science Fiction Characters: loin famous heroes as they take visitors through their own self-discovery

* Amazing Places: See first-hand the places you've only read about in science fiction literature

In addition to discovering new worlds at the Sci-Fi Museum, attendees to the Closing Party can also pay a fee to blast off to the top of the Space Needle to do some stargazing of their own at any time during the party.

Fast Fact:

Seattle has the highest percentage of college graduates (47 percent) of any major U.S. city.

The Welcome Party called "Step Into the Past" will be held at Freeway Park adjacent to the Washington State Convention Center on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6-7:30 p.m.

The Closing Party with the theme "Experience Seattle" will be held Friday, Oct. 13, from 7:30- 9:30 p.m. at the Experience Music Project and Sci-Fi Museum at Seattle Center.