Attraction
Space Needle
Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle at Seattle Center has an observation level at 520 feet and The Loupe, a revolving glass floor.
Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum's downtown building on First Avenue holds about 25,000 works, from Northwest Coast art and Asian ceramics to European painting.
At a glance
- Type
- Art museum
- Area
- Downtown, Seattle, United States
- Opening
- Open 5 days a week (closed Monday, Tuesday)
- Official site
- seattleartmuseum.org
Good to know
- Free for under-15s
- Free First Thursdays
- Free coat check
- Free audio tours
- Discounted parking
Why we recommend it
The Seattle Art Museum opened in 1933 in Volunteer Park and moved its main collection downtown in 1991, into a building by Robert Venturi at First Avenue and University Street. The building was expanded in 2007, adding a lot more gallery space. Outside stands Jonathan Borofsky's Hammering Man, a tall sculpture installed in 1992 that has become a downtown landmark. SAM also runs the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park and the free Olympic Sculpture Park on the waterfront.
The collection has grown to about 25,000 works. Highlights include Northwest Coast Indigenous art, Asian ceramics, European paintings such as Lucas Cranach the Elder's The Judgment of Paris, and modern work by artists including Mark Tobey. The museum also has a Porcelain Room, an Italian Room and a Japanese Tea House, and runs a changing programme of special exhibitions. Free audio tours are available on your own phone.
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, with late opening to 8pm on Thursday. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday, and on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Children aged 14 and under go free, and on First Thursdays admission is free for everyone. There is no timed ticketing for any exhibition on view, so you can turn up and buy at the desk or online.
Note the temporary changes: the First and University entrance by Hammering Man and the south wing are closed until 10 December 2026, so enter at First Avenue and Union Street. The museum café is also closed and is due to reopen as Bar Dojo. The coat check is free, and backpacks and large bags must be checked. Photography without flash is generally allowed, except where signs say otherwise, and only pencils can be used for sketching.
Allow two to three hours for the permanent collection and an exhibition. The museum suits adults and art lovers most, but free entry for under-15s makes it easy to bring children for a shorter visit. Pushchairs are allowed everywhere.
SAM is a short walk south of Pike Place Market, so it is easy to combine the two. The partner 1301 Garage offers discounted parking and has lift access to the second floor, and tickets to SAM include free transit rides.
Seattle Art Museum FAQs
What are the opening hours?
Wednesday and Friday to Sunday 10am to 5pm, Thursday 10am to 8pm, and closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Is there a free day?
Yes. Admission is free for everyone on First Thursdays.
Do children pay?
No. Children aged 14 and under go free.
Do you need a timed ticket?
No. The museum says there is no timed ticketing for any exhibition on view.
Which entrance should you use?
Use the First Avenue and Union Street entrance, as the First and University entrance is closed until 10 December 2026.
Is there a coat check?
Yes. The coat check is free, and backpacks and large bags are not allowed in the galleries.
Can you take photos?
Non-commercial photography without flash is allowed, except where no-photography signs are posted.
What is nearby?
Pike Place Market is a short walk north along First Avenue.