THE 10 BEST Seattle Art Museums
Art Museums in Seattle
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Museums
Museums
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Travellers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travellers across the globe.
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- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
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Recommended Museum Tickets and Passes (5)
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Speciality & Gift Shops • Speciality Museums
Ballard
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Open now
Art Museums
Broadway / Capitol Hill
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Open now
Art Museums
Art Galleries • Speciality Museums
Belltown
Gardens • Art Museums
What travellers are saying
- Cassie HCalgary, Canada565 contributionsI have been a fan of Chihuly for years and I was thrilled to be able to visit this museum. We went late in the afternoon, around 5:30pm and this was a great time as it wasn’t very crowded and we were able to take our time. Even the people I was with, none of whom like art. Really enjoyed the museum.Written 7 December 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- The_Concierge_8Trinidad and Tobago3,774 contributionsWe had a few hours to spare on the evening of our last day in Seattle so decided to visit the Seattle Art Museum. It was just a few blocks walk from the Westlake tram/train station.
It would be nice for the city and main museums to install signs on corners of the city so folks know which direction to head to. We ended up having to walk the entire block around the building to find the entrance as only one was open to the public. Do please make visitors' lives easier.
Note: We find there's a general lack of directional signage to the main tourist sites in Seattle and I hope this can be addressed in a fun or artistic way. Come on Seattle!
It was 3pm by the time we entered and the museum was closing at 5pm.
We were still expected to pay the full price of $33 per adult and we did manage to see everything there was to see, because the collections open to the public were limited to two floors (3rd & 4th floors) and several areas were cordoned off to the public.
The price is a little prohibitive to the average person.
I'd have been happier with a $21 - $25 entry fee.
Aside, I do wish museums would do a quick-timed discounted ticket with a beeper to let you know when your time is up to leave so that folks with limited time can whiz around without having to pay full price.
Even if they charged $10 for a 2-hour ticket first thing at opening and last thing before closing, they'd still be making money....and perhaps more from the folks deterred by wasting money on a general admission ticket when they don't have the time to truly appreciate it all.
We saw works by Jacob Lawrence, Diego Cebelli and Alexander Calder. We saw the exhibitions on Australia's Yirrkala, Rememeber the Rain and American art stories.
I was impressed to see Rembrandt's etchings. Conscious constructions really did play with the mind. I also loved the artwork from the northwest coast.
Of course everybody enjoys the porcelain room but my faves in the museum were:
a) the Dieties & Demons in Japanese Art exhibition with the scary masks and sculptures
and
b) the vibrant Haitian artworks. I adored most of all 'Man chasing rats in a cashew tree' by Fernand Pierre and 'Noah's Ark' by Toussaint Auguste.
Do make sure to go see them if you're into bright colourful tropical works!
And there were some renowned European works in the Art of Devotion. The vibrancy of the blues and golds blew my mind! Moreso, because some of the works were more than 650 years old!
The museum shop is well-stocked. Tons of gift ideas for the whole family. I only wish my suitcase had space.
Do go see the SAM Gallery adjacent to the gift shop which stocks works by talented local / northwest artists.
This is a free-to-enter exhibition space with new artworks installed each month.
We enjoyed seeing Spirit Echoes with works by Perri Lynch Howard and Chris Sheridan which portrayed frequencies and conversations with the natural world.
You can visit the shop and SAM gallery without visiting the museum.
Lovely experience for art-lovers!Written 28 September 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Alyssa S127 contributionsVery educational. Not a whole bunch to see but plenty for enjoyment. It's a quick stop. We where in there for maybe 30 minutes and we did take our time reading up on everything. Staff was very friendly as well.Written 1 October 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Jason HennigRenton, WA440 contributionsI find it difficult to describe what Frye is like. It's an eclectic mixture of contemporary and traditional art, and is more than worth the visit (especially considering it's free). There's a good amount of street parking, so be sure to drop by and see for yourself!Written 21 September 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Alec DSeattle, WA2,603 contributionsSeattle’s Asian Art Museum just reopened after being closed for almost 3 years. They completely refurbished the 1930’s (Art Deco style) building They’ve added some additional gallery area on the east side of the building. It has floor to ceiling glass walls giving you a beautiful view of the park. They have a small yet beautiful collection. I highly recommend you visit if you’re i. SeattleWritten 16 February 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- ArchisGoreSeattle, WA23 contributionsOne of my favorite spots on the First Thursday Art Walk held at Pioneer Square. A free gallery showing thought-provoking contemporary art, on important topics of our time. The show with most impact on me was art by women who had to give birth while incarcerated (many of them in literal shackles.) My favorite show (as a techie) was the Pi Day show, which among other things, had beautiful Origami sculptures.Written 11 January 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- mamathomaAda, MI265 contributionsMy family (2 older adults and a 27 yr old son) really enjoyed the visit to this museum. The actual structure of the building is amazing. The exhibits are very interactive. Currently, there is a fantasy exhibit that is really well done. I enjoyed the pop culture area more than I thought I would. If you are not a Jimmy Hendrix or Nirvana fan (both native to Seattle, I believe), there is a litle less to see as there are 2 large areas devoted to them. Glad we went.Written 12 September 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
