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Seattle Center is a tourism, performing arts, education, and entertainment center in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.
Introduction to Seattle Center
In 1886, one of the founders of Seattle, David Denny (1832-1903), set aside the land now occupied by Seattle Center for public use. The area started taking shape in 1928 as the Civic Center complex with the construction of an arena and auditorium.
The Seattle Center of today was originally built for the Century 21 Exposition, also known as the Seattle World’s Fair. It took place from April 21, 1962, to October 21, 1962. After the fair, the area became the center of the city’s performing arts and sporting events. In now hosts a collection of excellent museums and attractions.
To get to Seattle Center, you can ride the monorail from Westlake Center in Downtown Seattle. Visit the official website for more information.
Space Needle
The iconic Space Needle is the most popular attraction at Seattle Center one of the unmistakeable symbols of Seattle. Built for the Century 21 Exposition, it was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. It features an observation deck and rotating restaurant.
Construction on the Space Needle began on April 17, 1961, and was completed on December 8 later that year. It was designed by architect John Graham Jr. (1908-1991) and businessman Edward Carlson (1911-1990), based on a napkin sketch by Carlson. Victor Steinbrueck (1911-1985) added the hourglass figure.
The Space Needle stands 605 feet (184 meters) high and 138 feet (42 meters) wide. It was built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kilometers per hour) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude.
Observation Deck
Admission to the observation deck at the Space Needle is between US$35-$42.50 for adults, US$29-$37 for seniors, US$26-32 for kids age 5-12, and free for kids under 5 (as of January 2025). The price of admission depends on the time of day, and tickets are on a timed entry system in 15-minute increments. There are also combo tickets if you’re planning to visit other attractions at Seattle Center. You can purchase tickets online or at the Space Needle itself.
While waiting in line to for the elevator, you can read about the history of the tower and its construction. A photographer will also take your photo in front of a green screen. Then it’s off to the elevator, which takes a mere 41 seconds to get to the observation deck.
The observation deck sits 520 feet (160 meters) above ground. On a clear day, you can see beyond the Seattle skyline to Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, and Puget Sound. Unfortunately for us, it was one of Seattle’s typical gloomy and rainy days. If you’re hungry, it’s possible to get snacks and drinks as well as use telescopes for a closer view.
Once we finished at the top, we exited through the gift shop, where we were able to email ourselves the cheesy souvenir photo taken before riding up the elevator.
Our Thoughts on the Space Needle
Was it worth it? It wasn’t the most spectacular view (it would’ve been better with clear skies) and it’s got “tourist trap” written all over it. It was crowded at the top and slightly overpriced, but we felt we wouldn’t have properly seen Seattle without visiting. However, other lookout points with the Space Needle in view, especially Kerry Park, give you a more complete look at the city.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass is a fantastic art museum showcases the works of local artist Dale Chihuly. It opened in 2012 right next to the Space Needle. In addition to the exhibits, there’s also a gift shop, café, and meeting space. Admission is US$29-$37.50 for adults, US$24.50-$32 for seniors 65+, US$22-$28 for kids age 5-12, and free for kids under 5 (as of January 2025). Prices vary depending on a number of factors. A combo ticket including the Space Needle is US$64 for adults, US$55 for seniors 65+, US$48 for kids age 5-12, and free for kids under 5 (as of January 2025). Tickets can be purchased online. An audio tour is available if you wish to learn more about the art.
The Exhibition
The first part of the museum is indoors. It starts with the Winter Brilliance room and some beautiful works inspired by Native American art followed by the Sealife Room. Next is the Persian Room featuring a mesmerizing glass ceiling.
The exhibit continues to get more impressive as you move along, starting with Mille Fiori. There are colorful and imaginative pieces that when put together resemble a flowering wonderland. Ikebana and Float Boats are rowboats full of glass inspired by Chihuly’s exhibition in Finland.
Next is a series of chandeliers hung at eye level, based on an exhibit in Venice. The Drawing Wall includes drawings by Chihuly, and the Macchia Forest has an imaginative forest of oversized glass flowers using 300 colors.
Outside, one of the most impressive exhibit is the Glasshouse, which features a 100-foot sculpture. This is one of Chihuly’s largest suspended works.
The Garden surrounds the Glasshouse, providing a unique setting where Chihuly’s works seems to blend in with the natural surroundings. It covers 26,000 square feet and all the pieces were created in Finland.
Finally, there’s Chandelier Walkway along with a theatre where you can watch a few short films about Chihuly and how he works.
Don’t Miss It!
Not knowing what to expect for such a high ticket price, we decided to visit with our last few hours in town and found it to be spectacular. We thought it was going to be a time-killer, but it ended up being one of the best exhibits we’ve ever seen. The pictures don’t capture the art nearly as well as seeing it in person. If we had known ahead of time, we would have bought the combo ticket with the Space Needle and saved some money. Do yourself a favor and go – it’s something you shouldn’t miss! We weren’t familiar with Dale Chihuly before visiting Seattle, but now we’ll never forget his name.
Seattle Center Armory
The Seattle Center Armory was built in 1939 by the Washington National Guard as the Seattle Field Artillery Armory. It was remodeled in 2012 and is now home of the Center Theatre, Theatre Puget Sound, The Center School, and a food hall with several restaurants.
The Seattle Children’s Museum is also at the Armory. It’s open daily except Tuesdays. Admission is US$15 and free for kids under 1 (as of January 2025).
Artists at Play
Just north of the Monorail station is Artists at Play. It’s a free playground created by artists. Construction began in December 2014 and it opened shortly after. It features a 30-foot climbing tower, a labyrinth, a human-powered ADA-accessible Carousel, listening stations, sound swings, and more.
International Fountain
Northwest of the Armory is the International Fountain. It was designed in 1960 by Japanese architects Kazuyuki Matsushita and Hideki Shimizu, and installed in 1962 for the Century 21 Exposition, also known as the Seattle World’s Fair. The fountain was rebuilt and expanded in 1995.
The International Fountain is 220 feet (67 meters) in diameter. A stainless steel dome, measuring 10 feet (3 meters) high and 27 feet (8.2 meters) in diameter, stands in the center. The fountain’s capacity is 9,000 gallons (34,000 liters). It runs year-round and features several different water jets that are often synchronized to music.
Climate Pledge Arena
Another building on the campus is Climate Pledge Arena, formerly KeyArena. Once the home of the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics, it now holds concerts and other events as well as the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. Key Arena opened in 1962 and closed in October 2018 to undergo a major renovation. It reopened in October 2021.
Other Museums and Venues at Seattle Center
Other museums at Seattle Center include the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), which was designed by Frank Gehry, and the Pacific Science Center. Both museums have plan-ahead pricing which varies depending on several factors. MoPOP is open daily except Wednesdays and admission starts at US$28.50 for adults, US$25.75 for seniors 65+ and students with a valid ID, US$20 for kids age 5-20, and free for kids under 5 (as of January 2025). The Pacific Science Center is open Wednesday through Sunday and admission starts at US$26.95 for adults, US$24.20 for seniors 65+, US$20.20 for kids age 3-17, and free for kids under 3 (as of January 2025).
In addition to the museums, McCaw Hall hosts the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet. The Exhibition Hall has space for trade shows and special events, while the Seattle Rep hosts the Bagley Wright and Leo Kreielsheimer Theaters as well as the PONCHO Forum. Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1947, is used by Seattle Public Schools for high school football.
Public Art at Seattle Center
Seattle Center is home to several pieces of public art scattered throughout the campus. There are too many to mention here, but I selected a couple I took photos of. First, between International fountain and Climate Pledge Arena, you can find a bronze sculpture of two whales with their backs outside the “water”. It’s titled Neototems and was created by Gloria Bornstein in 1995.
Near MoPOP is Grass Blades, created by John Fleming in 2002. It’s a 145-foot long flexible screen consisting of 110 steel blades, each 30 feet tall.
Gates Foundation Discovery Center
A block north of MoPOP is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center. It’s an excellent and inspiring space that explains how the foundation improves living conditions around the world. It also explains the tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done. Admission is free (as of January 2025) and it’s open Wednesday through Saturday.
There are video touch screens to learn about stories of individuals who were impacted by the foundation. Interactive exhibits let visitors contribute their ideas on how to make the world a better place.
