Museums in Seattle

The origins of the Seattle Art Museum can be traced back to the Seattle Fine Arts Society( 1905) and the Washington Arts Association ( 1906). It was opened to the public by Richard E. Fuller in 1933. The Museum operates in three facilities - the main museum in downtown Seattle; The Olympic Sculpture Park on the Central waterfront of Seattle and The SAAM ( Seattle Asian Art Museum) in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill. It features around 25,000 artifacts and covers everything from Contemporary American Art, Native American works, to old European Masters, ancient Egyptian pieces to Asian artworks.

Address : 1300 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101

Open Hours : Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

General Admission Fee : USD 30-32
Seniors - USD 28
Student - USD 22

Exhibits : “Deer Scrolls”, “The Egyptian Masterworks of Tutankhamen”, “Hammering Man”

Service Animals : Allowed

Wheelchair : Accessible

Parking : Paid Parking Garages Available

How to Reach : Easily accessible by car
Via Light Rail - University Street Station
Bus - Line 26, 28, 40, 43, 70, 545, and more.
Ferry station - Seattle, Pier 50 Seattle Dock

The Museum of Pop Culture also known as the MoPop was founded by Paul Allen in 2000. It is located within the Seattle Center Campus and it houses various exhibits and organizes programs & events dedicated to the preservation and study of contemporary pop culture. The structure of the building is a unique fusion of textures and a multitude of colors. MoPop transcends time, inspiring and bringing together generations. It must-visit for those interested in art and culture.

Address : 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Open Hours : Thursday to Saturday - 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Suggested Duration : 2 to 3 hours

Admission Rate : USD 23 to USD 28

Architectural Style : Deconstructivism

Architect : Frank Gehry

Exhibitions : Body of Work: Tatto Culture, Nirvana: Taking Punk to Masses, Pearl Jam: Home and Away, Guitar Gallery, Hendrix: Wild Blue Angel.

Wheelchair : Accessible

Pets : Not allowed, except for service animals.

Pubic Transit : Via the Seattle Monorail to the Seattle Center Station.

Located within Seattle’s Volunteer Park, Asian Art Museum represents the art from the Asian countries of India, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas,China and other Southeast Asian countries. It features both contemporary as well as traditional artworks in different forms such as paintings, glass work, sculptures etc. Exhibitions are held throughout the year in this gallery and some of the exhibits include the famous Madhubani paintings of Baua Devi, Famous Japanese artist, Mr’s pop art and a lot more.

Location: : 1400 E Prospect St, Seattle, WA 98112, United States

Exhibitions: : JACOB LAWRENCE: THE AMERICAN STRUGGLE: Mar 5- May 23, NORTHWEST MODERNISM: FOUR JAPANESE AMERICANS: Mar 20,INKED! NORTHWEST COAST SILKSCREEN PRINTS FROM THE COLWELL COLLECTION: March 5

Museum of History & Industry ( MOHAI) is the largest private heritage organization in Washington dedicated to preserving, sharing, and propagating the history of Seattle, especially the Puget Sound Region. It houses around four million artifacts, archived materials, and photographs on the Puget Sound Region with a portion of it displayed at the Naval Reserve Armory in Lake Union Park.

Address : 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Open Hours : Daily - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Thursdays( July & August) - 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Suggested Duration : 2 to 3 hours

Admission Rate : Adult - USD 21.95
Senior ( 65+) - USD 17.95
Students and Military - USD 16.95
Youth ( Ages 14 and under) - Free

Architect : Paul Thiry

Exhibition : Maritime Seattle, Bezos Center for Innovation, True Northwest: The Seattle Journey.

Parking : AGC lot ( at 1200 Westlake Ave N)

Public Transit : Via Bus - Route 40/ RapidRide C: Westlake Ave N & Mercer St Stop
Route 70: Fairview Ave N & Valley St Stop ( Northbound)
Fairview Ave N & Aloha St Stop ( Southbound)

Frye Art Museum houses paintings and sculptures from the 19th Century to the Present Age. Initially, It was a private collection of Charles and Emma Frye which was later opened to the public as Seattle’s first free Art Museum in 1952. The Museum strives to reflect Seattle’s evolving identities through its exhibitions and various outreach programs.

Address : 704 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

Open Hours : Tuesday to Wednesday - 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Thursday - 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Friday to Sunday - 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Suggested Duration : 1 to 2 hours

Ticket Price : Free

Exhibition : Unsettling Feminity: Selections from the Frye Art Museum Collection, Art on the Mind: Ten Years of Creative Aging, Agnieszka Polska: Love Bite ( 2020)

Pets : Only service animals are allowed.

Wheelchair : Accessible

Parking : Public Parking at Terry Ave, 9th Ave, Columbia St, and Cherry St.

Public Transit : Via Bus - Route 3 and 4: James St and 8th Ave.
Route 12: Madison St and 9th Ave.
Route 60: 9th Ave and Columbia St.

Chihuly Garden and Glass is an exhibition dedicated to a large portion of American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly’s works. The exhibit includes eight interior galleries and three drawing walls tracing the trajectory of Chihuly’s significant series of work, a garden, and a theatre. The 40-foot tall Glasshouse with installations of red, orange, yellow, and amber palette is the centerpiece of the exhibition. Other than these, it also features a gourmet collection of food at the Art Plaza and Collections Cafe.

Address : 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109

Open Hours : Monday to Sunday - 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Suggested Duration : 1 to 2 hour

General Admission : Regular ( Ages 13-64) - USD 32
WA State Residents ( Ages 13-64) - USD 27
Senior ( 65+) - USD 27
Youth ( Ages 5 -12) USD 19
Ages 4 and Under - Free

Service Animals : Allowed

Wheelchair : Accessible

Parking : Nearby Garages - Fifth Ave N Garage, Mercer Garage.

Public Transit : Via Monorail - Westlake Station.

Wing Luke Museum, also known as the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience is dedicated to the culture, art, and history of Asian Pacific Americans. The museum is named after the First Asian American elected to public office in the Pacific Northwest - Wing Luke. It is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute and features exhibits representing over 26 ethnic groups. It organizes various outreach programs too. It also won The National Award for Museum Service for its exhibit on Bruce Lee - Do You Know Bruce Lee in 2014.

Address : 719 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104

Open Hours : Friday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Admission : Adult - USD 17
Senior (65+) - USD 15
Student ( 13-18 with Id) - USD 12.50
Youth ( 5 -12) - USD 10
Child ( Under 5) - Free

Permanent Exhibit : Wing Luke and the Museum.

Wheelchair : Accessible

Parking : Street Parking, nearby parking lots and garages

National Nordic Museum was established initially as the Nordic Heritage Museum in 1980. The Museum is dedicated not only to the preservation of Nordic cultures but it also brings together the community of Nordic Immigrants in Seattle together through the art exhibited. It features 5 ethnic galleries from Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, and Finland. It is a must-visit for those who wish to learn more about Nordic Culture and Heritage.

Address : 2655 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107

Suggested Duration : 1 to 2 hours

Admission Fee : USD 10 to USD 15

Exhibits : Dream of America, Folk Art Galleries, Iceland Room, Denmark room, Sweden room, Finland room, Norway Room, Fishing Galleries.

Wheelchair : Accessible.

Parking : Available

Seattle Children’s Museum was founded in 1979 with the incentive to instill in Children and their families - curiosity and the joy of discovery through enjoyable hands-on experiences. The museum features 11 exhibits and a play space of 18,000 sq feet for toddlers and kids up to age 8 to play and enjoy. It is the perfect place to bring kids for a day out.

Address : 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109

Open Hours : Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Admission Rate : Adults - USD 12
Children - USD 12
Grandparents - USD 11
Military ( with ID) - USD 9
Infants ( under 12 months) - Free

Exhibits : Tribal Tales, Mountain, Bijou Theatre, The Market, COG City, Dunn Lumber Construction Zone, Sound Transit, Global Village, Imagination Studio

Parking : Side Street parking at Seattle Center Campus, Nearby Garages.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture is located on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Founded in 1885, it is the oldest museum in Washington state. It houses over 16 million artifacts and specimens, some of which are among the largest collections in the United States. The museum’s mission is to share its knowledge of science and culture, and document and preserve heritage.

Address : 4300 15th Ave NE, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105

Open Hours : Sunday to Saturday - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

General Admission Fee : Adult - USD 22
Senior - USD 20
Student (non-UW) - USD 14
Youth - USD 14
Military Personnel - USD 4
Free for Children Age 3 and Under, UW student, faculty, staff, retirees, and the First Thursday of each month.

Popular Exhibits : “Pacific Voices”, “Life and Times of Washington State” and more.

Service Animals : Allowed

Wheelchair : Accessible

Parking : Accessible parking, Paid Parking lots, and Garages available

How to Reach : Via Light Rail - The University of Washington light rail station
Bus - Route 43 or 44
Bike tracks near the museum entrance

Pacific Science Center is a science center in Seattle that was built in 1962. It was designed by Minoru Yamasaki. It houses a wide variety of interactive exhibits and experiences from one of the world’s largest Laser Dome theaters, two IMAX theaters, VR Experiences, a Planetarium, to Naked Mole Rat Cam, Axolotls, and more. The science center was built with a vision to ignite curiosity and to explore and learn.

Address : 200 2nd Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Timings : Wednesday & Friday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Weekend & Holidays: 10:00 AM to 6:00 Pm
Summer: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

General Admission Fee : USD 25.95
Seniors - USD 23.95
Youth - USD 17.95
Child - USD 13.95
Members free

Add-ons : Planetarium: timed ticket
IMAX Documentary: USD 6.75 - USD 10.75
VR Experiences: USD 3- USD 15
Laser Show: USD 5

Exhibits : Tinker Tank, Tropical Butterfly House, Willard Smith Planetarium, and Living exhibits.

Service Animals : Allowed

Wheelchair : Accessible

Parking : Nearby garages and parking lots.

Seattle Pinball Museum is a museum with a collection of over 50 pinball machines. Initially, it was a private collection which was later opened to the public in 2010. It features pinballs from as early as the 1960s. It strives to preserve Pinball history through American Pop Culture. Visitors can choose among any pinball machine and play as much as they want here.

Address : 508 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104, United States

Open Hours : Sunday, Monday, & Thursday - 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Friday & Saturday - 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Tuesday and Wednesday Closed

Entry Fee : Adult - USD 18
Child - USD 15
Senior - USD 15
Multi-Entry Fee - Adult - USD 23
Child - USD 20
Senior - USD 20

Popular Exhibit : Jersey Jack Pinball, Spooky Pinball, Stern Pinball, Dutch Pinball

Parking : Street Parking and nearby parking lots.

Public Transit : Via Bus & Trains - King Street Station
Light Rail - International District/Chinatown Station - Bay A.

The center for Wooden Boats is a museum dedicated to the documentation and preservation of experiences in maritime history. It is located at three sites; the Center for Wooden Boats at Cama Beach State Park, the South Lake Union Campus at Lake Union Park, and the Northlake Workshop & Warehouse North of Lake Union. It has over 170 vessels, most of which are rowboats and small sailboats. If you visit the museum on a Sunday, visitors can avail the free sailing class and on other days rent boats provided by the museum.

Address : South Lake Union, 1010 Valley Street, Seattle, WA 98109 &
Cama Beach State Park, 1880 SW Camano Drive, Camano Island, WA 98282

Open Hours : Tuesday - Sunday - 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Boat Rental Hours - Wednesday- Sunday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Entry Fee : Free

Popular Exhibits : Historic Small Craft of the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Rim Institute of Maritime Artists, “Still Afloat: Historic Small Craft King County”.

Service Animals : Allowed

Wheelchair : Accessible Docks

Parking : Available

How to reach : By Bus lines 40, 62, 70, 83, By Car, it’s 5 minutes from Downtown Seattle.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a national historical park that was built in 1979 to memorialize the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98. The Seattle unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a museum and visitors center. The museum tells the history of Seattle, the people that came for the gold rush, and how the city went through a developmental change. Visitors can enjoy the interactive exhibits, read, and further dive deep into the history of Seattle by watching a movie.

Address : 319 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

Open Hours : 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Entry Fee : Free

Service Animals : Allowed

Wheelchair : Accessible

Collections : The Hielscher Collection, The Sourdough, and more.

Parking : Sreet parking limited to two hours and Paid Parking lots and Garages available

How to reach : Via Train - King Street Station
Boat - Washington State Ferry Terminal on Pier 52
Streetcar - S Jackson St & Occidental Ave walk (closest stop).

Museum of Museums is an art center located in Seattle, Washington. It was created by Greg Lundgren. The museum was built with the vision to inspire artists and create a thriving art scene in the city. It features murals, sculptures, rotating installations, exhibition spaces, even a gift shop, and more. Visitors can also enjoy the visual journey, and participate in the weekly art classes.

Address : 900 Boylston Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

Open Hours : Wednesday to Thursday - 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Friday to Saturday - 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Sunday - 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Monday & Tuesday Closed

General Admission Fee : USD 10

Exhibits : Ruth True Space, Barbara Malone Gallery, Emergency Room

Service Animals : Allowed

Parking : Garages Available

How to Reach : Public Transport via Light Rail - Broadway & Marion Station
Bus - Route 43 and 49, Broadway & Marion Station