Museums are the cultural hubs of Seattle. Whether you’re looking to learn something new about the Emerald City or plotting a way to spend your Saturday afternoon, here are 23 museums to visit in our city.
Art
Seattle Art Museum (SAM), 1300 First Ave., Seattle | $20-$28
Seattle’s biggest art gallery showcases classic works from across the globe and Indigenous artists, as well as contemporary pieces from up-and-coming names.
Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E Prospect St., Seattle | $10-$15
The Seattle Art Museum’s off-shoot gallery is home to a wide range of SAM’s Asian art pieces.
Henry Art Gallery, 15th Ave. NE & NE 41st St., Seattle | Donation-based admission
The contemporary art museum located on the UW campus has a permanent installation that encourages you to sit quietly and gaze up at the heavens through a giant porthole in the ceiling.
Chihuly Garden and Glass, 305 Harrison St.| $22.50-$35
Gaze upon the works of the famed glass artist Dale Chihuly sprinkled throughout the museum’s gardens and exhibit halls.
Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave. | Free
In addition to its founding collection made up of primarily European artworks, this museum looks for commentary on current issues or new perspectives on past historical events.
Museum of Museums, 900 Boylston Ave. | $5-$20
This gallery tucked away in First Hill has touchable soft sculptures and miniature art museums on display (very meta). It even once showcased a cat tower exhibit that you could bring your feline friend to.
Bellevue Art Museum, 510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue | $5-$35
This Eastside museum started out as an art fair in 1947 and opened the doors to its physical location decades later in 2001.
Cultural
These longships would look kind of menacing coming out some fog on the Baltic Sea.
Photo by @bradleygearhart
National Nordic Museum, 2655 NW Market St. | $10-$20
Visitors can expect longships, tapestries, traditional garb, and artifacts from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland.
Northwest African American Museum (NAAM), 2300 S. Massachusetts St. | $5-$10
In addition to exhibits focused on the history and culture of people of African descent, NAAM also hosts festivals and other big events.
Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St. | $10-$17
This Chinatown-International District institution is the only pan-Asian art and history museum in the US. It contains powerful interactive exhibitsand conducts neighborhood tours.
Just for fun
WNDR Museum, 904 Alaskan Way | $28-$38
This interactive space on the waterfront has 20+ exhibits and art pieces that tickles the senses. Look for light-up floors, AI-generated paintings, and even a “hyper mirror.”
Seattle Children’s Museum, 305 Harrison St. | $11-$13
Let kids’ imaginations run wild among the cardboard box city, recreated PNW mountain tops, and the Raindrop Reading Room.
Seattle Pinball Museum, 508 Maynard Ave S. | $20-$23
The admission fee grants you unlimited play on all of the 50+ pinball representing different eras, from the 1950s to current times.
This is certainly one of the most reflective bathtubs we’ve ever seen.
Photo by @j.wl
Selfie Museum, 92 Union St. | $25-$29
Say cheese — this museum is built for making you look cool with tons of fun backgrounds. Make sure to wear something nice.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), 325 Fifth Ave. N. | $26.75-$33
One of Seattle’s most recognizable buildings has some of the world’s most recognizable pop culture artifacts, like props from “Harry Potter” and Jimi Hendrix’s guitars.
Science and technology
Located near kayak rentals, the Center for Wooden Boats, and lots of good restaurants, it’s easy to make a full family outing from your MOHAI trip.
Photo by @exploringthepnw_
Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), 860 Terry Ave. N. | $17-$22
Check out drag racing cars, periscopes from WWII, and other innovations and inventions that from the PNW.
Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave N. | $18-$23
Let out your inner scientist with exhibits on dinosaurs, tide pools, sound waves, farming in the Pacific Northwest, and butterflies.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, N. 440 Fifth Ave. | Free
The foundation dedicated to assisting international communities highlights their work and inform visitors on how to take action on urgent global issues.
NFT Museum, 2125 First Ave. | Suggested $15 donation
Feeling tech savvy? This Belltown spot aims to teach you about what non-fungible tokens are, while highlighting the art of several digital creators.
Transportation and military
Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way S. | $18-$26
The giant museum spans two buildings and crosses the interstate. Learn about how we got to space travel, see impressive historic aircraft, and peek inside an Air Force One plane.
The Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St. | Free
You can rent a boat here or browse the rotating exhibits that show off military vessels, smaller crafts, and the works of boat-loving artists.
Coast Guard Museum Northwest, 1519 Alaskan Way S. | Free
This often-overlooked spot has tons of interesting military artifacts like 2,500+ historic documents and vessel plans, 15,000+ photographs that span centuries, and parts of the famed USS Constitution ship.
US Naval Undersea Museum, 1 Garnett Way, Newport | Free
This museum is outside Seattle, a little further north, but worth the trip. Learn about torpedo technology, the extremity of deep ocean environments, and the history of submarines.
