Seattle is full of wonderful museums to educate and inspire.
The Seattle area is home to an excellent collection of art, history, maritime, and special interest museums. The Museum of Flight will take you on a thrilling adventure through aviation history with exhibits like the Great Gallery, the Personal Courage Wing and the original Boeing Headquarters, in one of the largest air and space museums in the world. At MoPOP you can learn to play an instrument, stroll through the Jimi Hendrix exhibit and explore the history of popular culture. History buffs will appreciate the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) and the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. Many of these museums are family-friendly and offer hands-on-activities for kids and adults alike!
Museum Partners
Southside Seattle
Northwest African American Museum
- Address 2300 S Massachusetts St, Seattle, WA 98144
- Phone (206) 518-6000
- Connect
International District
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience
- Address 719 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104
- Phone (206) 623-5124
- Connect
South Lake Union
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
- Address 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
- Phone (206) 324-1126
- Connect
MUSEUMS FOR EVERY INTEREST
Photo: Linda Lane
Art & Craft Museums
Seattle is a magnet for both artists and art enthusiasts. The casual yet sophisticated setting, beautiful scenery and inspiring mix of people create a powerful environment for artistic expression.
Photo: Bill Abbott
Aviation & Transportation Museums
The greater Seattle area has an extensive collection of historic planes, from public displays to private collections open to the public. See how far we have come since the first airplane took flight in Seattle in 1910.
Photo: Loren Javier
History & Heritage Museums
Seattle is named after the respected Native American Chief of the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes. Shaped by many cultures, including the original Native Americans, along with immigrants from Asia and Scandinavia, we retain a strong and diverse cultural heritage that provides many opportunities to learn about Seattle from the roots up.
Photo: David Newman
Maritime & Military Museums
The maritime heritage of Puget Sound is filled with fascinating stories of native traditions, intrepid explorers, pioneer sea captains and vessels, industrialists, and ordinary working people.
Photo: Ingrid Taylar
Science & Natural History Museums
In a region that is notorious for its stunning natural beauty and technological innovation, is it surprising that we have fantastic science and natural history museums for you to explore?
Photo: Theresa Arzadon-Labajo
Pop Culture Museums
The optimistic and creative mentality of Seattle residents creates an attractive climate for innovative thinkers. This is why some of the most original and successful business concepts in the nation have been launched right here in Seattle. (Hint: think Boeing, Amazon, Starbucks, REI, Expedia, Zillow…)
Photo: Nicholas Wang
Children’s Museums
While any museum in the area welcomes children, some offer special programs that keep the attention of even our youngest travelers. From hands-on exhibits to creative events catered just for kids, you’ll find yourself wishing that you were a kid again!
Upcoming Museum Events
Gone to Soon: Nabilah Ahmed
Now through 3/31/2025
In Gone Too Soon, the fourth edition of MoPOP’s Guest Curator Program, Guest Curator Nabilah Ahmed examines the …
Details Event WebsiteField Notes: Artists Observe Nature
Now through 8/31/2025
Not surprisingly, artists have looked to the natural world for inspiration for millennia. For this exhibit, contemporary glass …
Details Event WebsiteBethany Collins: At Sea
Now through 5/4/2025
Bethany Collins’ multidisciplinary practice encompasses the mediums of drawing, sculpture, book arts, and sound installation.
Details Event WebsiteOur Material World
Ongoing
From the food we put in our bodies to the furniture we put in our homes, human life …
Details Event WebsiteGiant Pacific Octopus
Ongoing
Take a close look at one of the most elusive and fascinating sea creatures found in Puget Sound: …
Details Event WebsiteDiego Cibelli: Fiori dei mei Habiti
Now through 5/10/2026
SAM’s ornate Porcelain Room features an evocative ceiling fresco, The Triumph of Valor over Time by the greatest …
Details Event WebsiteGwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Prize Winner: Bethany Collins
Now through 5/4/2025
Collins’s conceptually driven work uses language as both subject and medium to explore the nuances and intersections of …
Details Event WebsiteGuitar Gallery
Ongoing
The exhibition features nearly 20 guitars from music legends like Howlin’ Wolf’s 1965 Epiphone Casino, Nancy Wilson’s 1965 …
Details Event WebsitePorcelain Room
Ongoing
Vast quantities of translucent, elegantly decorated white-bodied porcelain from China and Japan, arriving in Europe in the seventeenth …
Details Event WebsiteSUBSCRIBE TO THE SEATTLE LOCALIST
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