A Guide to Seattle’s Top Indoor Experiences

While Seattle is known for its natural beauty and the great outdoors, there is still plenty to discover indoors. From world-class museum collections and captivating performing arts to unparalleled viewpoints and immersive experiences, Seattle offers an endless variety of indoor experiences for both adults and kids.

The Art Lover’s Guide

Seattle Art Museum

In the heart of downtown, SAM wows with its light-filled galleries housing everything from Australian aboriginal paintings and ancient Mediterranean sculptures to Native American house posts. Plus, its lineup of rotating special exhibits continues to draw arts-lovers season after season.

Frye Art Museum

Open since 1952 on Capitol Hill, Frye Art Museum has always been free. Alongside the permanent collection from the Fryes, who amassed more than 230 paintings, primarily late 19th- and early 20th-century German art, you will find cutting-edge rotating exhibits on offer.

Henry Art Gallery

Known for boundary-pushing exhibitions, Henry Art Gallery aims to inspire original thinking. Visit this University of Washington museum to see a sizable collection of contemporary art, photographs, costumes, and textiles.

Performing Arts Take Center Stage

Pacific Northwest Ballet

A ballet company of the highest calibre, PNB presents more than 100 performances a year at the beautiful McCaw Hall under the artistic direction of Peter Boal. Shows vary from contemporary interpretations to timeless classics like holiday favourite The Nutcracker.

Seattle Symphony

With more than 100 years of history and multiple Grammys under its belt, Seattle Symphony is one of the country’s top symphony orchestras. Catch them in concert at Benaroya Hall, where the acoustics are just as impressive as the musicians.

The 5th Avenue Theatre

See musical theatre at its belt-it-out best at the ornate 5th Avenue Theatre, known for incubating shows that go on to do big things. Hairspray, Aladdin, and Memphis started here, just to name a few.

Seattle’s Iconic Viewpoints

Space Needle

The undisputed icon of Seattle, the Space Needle soars 605 feet in the air. Take the 43-second elevator ride to the outdoor observation deck, where you will be at the perfect vantage point to plan where to go next.

Smith Tower

Before the Space Needle came to town, the Smith Tower was the tallest building in the city, and even the tallest building west of the Mississippi for many years. Its observatory offers picture-perfect vistas, along with Prohibition-era craft cocktails and a legendary Wishing Chair.

Sky View Observatory

The tallest observatory of all is located inside the sleek Columbia Center. Head to the 73rd floor, where you will be treated to 360-degree views that include the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, Elliott Bay, and all of Seattle’s skyline.

Kid-Friendly Interactions and Experiences

Seattle Aquarium

Discover the wonders of the marine environment at Piers 59 and 60 and get to know the beautiful animals found in the Salish Sea such as otters, seals, the giant Pacific octopus, and more, plus an opportunity to touch live sea creatures in the tide pools. Visit the Ocean Pavilion to marvel at tropical sharks, rays, and schooling fish. Enjoy daily activities and presentations, stop for a bite at the café, and visit the gift shops to collect a token of memory. One ticket provides access to the entire campus and amazing opportunities to learn about Earth’s ocean.

Pacific Science Center

There is always something new to learn at the Pacific Science Center, which features a tropical butterfly house, two IMAX theatres, a planetarium, and hands-on science experiments on topics ranging from reaction time and gyroscopes to pollinator plants.

Seattle Pinball Museum

You might feel like a kid at heart when you spot the dozens of pinball machines inside the Seattle Pinball Museum, which includes old classics and brand-new prototypes. Best of all, no quarters are necessary: just pay a flat admission fee and pinball your heart out. Seattle Pinball Museum sells soda for the kiddos and beer for adults.

These indoor experiences blend Seattle’s culture into a vibrant playground for both adults and kids.