Seattle museums at a 50% discount. How does that sound? It’s a sweet deal that’s offered every February during Seattle Museum Month. Because of Leap Year, you get an extra day to maximize savings. The event runs February 1-29, 2024.
Sometimes the word “museum” makes people think of boring, stuffy institutions. While that can sometimes be true, it’s definitely not the case in Seattle. With 27 area museums participating including the zoo and aquarium, you’re bound to find something that appeals to your kids. To prove the point, we (two mom friends) planned a packed weekend itinerary for our 10-year-old boys. They had a blast (and so did we!).
Details about Seattle Museum Month
Here’s how Seattle Museum Month works:
- Stay at a participating Seattle hotel and pick up your museum pass. KidTripster Tip: If you’re local, consider this your excuse for a staycation.
- The passes admit four people.
- Each person receives half-off admission.
- Passes are good for the entire month and can be used more than once at multiple locations.
Museums Participating in Seattle Museum Month
Last February, we visited eight of the museums participating in Seattle Museum Month during one whirlwind weekend. We spent a few hours, or less, at each location. Here’s an idea of what you can expect:
Burke Museum
4303 Memorial Way NE at the University of Washington (UW) campus
Although we came for the dinosaur bones, we were blown away by the many other things the Burke Museum has to offer. The museum showcased the evolution of life, Northwest Native American art, and other fascinating exhibits covering topics including biology, archeology, and paleontology. The museum houses the only real dinosaur fossils in Washington state, including a t-rex skull. Every exhibit space had hands-on opportunities that kept our boys engaged.
KidTripster Tip: Be sure to get a snack or meal at the museum’s cafe – Off the Rez. It’s Seattle’s first Native cafe and serves traditional dishes like sweet frybread. The “Indian Tacos” are made using frybread. The food was absolutely outstanding. We’d go back just to eat there again.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
305 Harrison Street at Seattle Center
Chihuly Garden and Glass might be one of Seattle’s best known museums, but it was our first visit here. It’s a stunner and we can see why it’s so popular. The boys did a good job looking, but not touching as we wandered through the eight galleries. We wondered if they would find glass art boring, but they were intrigued by the colorful, vibrant works of art. They were able to get their wiggles out once we entered the lush outdoor garden. This space contains large sculptures as well as views of the Space Needle.
KidTripster Tip: After you’re done looking at the art, grab a snack and sit inside the glasshouse. Even on a rainy day, it’s a gorgeous space and a fun place to people-watch. While the kids snacked, the moms sipped on champagne.
[ Related : Itinerary for a Family Weekend in Seattle ]
Museum of Pop Culture (aka MoPOP)
325 5th Avenue N at Seattle Center
All things pop culture reside at MoPOP, with a particular emphasis on Pacific Northwest artists. It’s located inside one of the most recognizable structures in Seattle.
This museum covers a lot: music, film, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and even gaming. Note – the “Scared to Death” exhibit showcases horror films. It’s pretty scary, and its rated PG-13. Otherwise, all aspects of the museum are kid-friendly.
KidTripster Tip: Just outside of MoPOP is a large play structure. We took a break from museum-hopping to stay and play for a while. There’s a massive 30-foot climbing structure, musical instruments, tall slides and so much more at the Artists at Play playground.
Pacific Science Center (aka PacSci)
200 2nd Avenue N at Seattle Center
The sprawling Pacific Science Center covers everything from local geography to outer space. While everything here is kid-friendly, our boys really enjoyed the dinosaurs, the salt water tide pool, and the water play area. They also liked wandering through the Tropical Butterfly House and were delighted when butterflies landed on their shoulders.
Seattle Aquarium
1483 Alaskan Way at Pier 59
The Seattle Aquarium is a beautifully designed space on Seattle’s waterfront. Inside, we encountered hands-on experiences. We also learned about marine life in the Puget Sound, and the ocean. The museum is home not just to fish, but also birds and mammals.
[ Related: 5 Top Things To Do in Seattle with Teens & Tweens ]
Seattle Children’s Museum
305 Harrison Street at Seattle Center
The Seattle Children’s Museum is a fun and playful space, especially geared towards younger kids. They’ll really like the neighborhood which includes a clinic, market, veterinarian, post office, fire department, and construction zone. There are several hands-on educational exhibits and opportunities for creative play. If traveling with tiny kids, there’s a space specifically designed for ages 3 and under.
KidTripster Tip: You could spend a day (or a weekend) just exploring the museums at Seattle Center. You can easily walk between the museums which include Chihuly Garden & Glass, MoPOP, Pacific Science Center, and the Seattle Children’s Museum. Seattle Center is on the monorail stop, and it’s where the Space Needle is located. You’ll also find several restaurants around here and the Artists at Play playground.
The Museum of Flight
9404 E Marginal Way S
The Museum of Flight really captured the boys’ interests. After all, it’s pretty amazing to be able to walk up to, and even inside of, historic air and space craft. There’s a ton of it here. This museum is massive, and includes an extensive WWII exhibit, as well as an Apollo exhibit showcasing the race to space, and planes of all kinds.
The kids enjoyed climbing into the cockpits of several planes, pretending to work mission control, and checking out the play area. Of all the museums we visited, we could have spent the most time here, and not just because it was so big.
KidTripster Tip: If your kids are really into aerospace, head north to the Boeing Future of Flight. It’s located in Everett at Paine Field (not part of Seattle Museum Month). Put it on your list for a future visit. You can book a factory tour and explore several exhibits showing modern aircraft, like drones and other robotic controlled craft.
Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Avenue N
Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! And sloths, and rhinos, and penguins, too. Founded in 1899, you’d better bet that the Woodland Park Zoo has the zoo thing figured out. Animals of all kinds, from the Pacific Northwest and around the world live at the Woodland Park Zoo. There’s so much to explore here that you could easily spend the day here.
KidTripster Tip: Our boys loved feeding the Humboldt Penguins. For $5 you get 4 fish. Toss them in the tank and watch the penguins scramble for their snacks. Penguin feeding takes place from 11-2 daily.
Click here for a complete list of the museums participating in Seattle Museum Month.
Where to Stay During Seattle Museum Month
The downtown hotel choices can be overwhelming. We recommend the Sheraton Grand Seattle (1400 6th Avenue).
This modern hotel is both affordable and convenient. Our spacious concierge level suite included a kitchen and dining area. The Sheraton Club Lounge was stocked with an ever-changing array of snacks and beverages. The hotel has a nice indoor pool and fitness center.
The Sheraton Grand Seattle is walking distance to Pike Place market and several of the downtown museums.
Visit Seattle hosted the author during Seattle Museum Month, providing a complimentary hotel stay and free admission to museums for purposes of this article.
[ Related: Stay in the Heart of Seattle at the Four Seasons ]
