Children's
Museum at Seattle Center
c/o
Seattle Center House 305 Harrison
206
- 441-1768
The
Center has exhibits and hands-on activities for the
whole family. Check out "Mountain Forest,"
which describes and shows the flora and fauna of the
Pacific Northwest, and "Discovery Bay," an
infant/toddler area designed to exercise motor skills.
Rosalie
Whyel Museum of Doll Art
1116 108th Ave. N.E
.425-455-1116.
Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm.
Across
Lake Washington in Bellevue is the Rosalie Whyel Museum
of Doll Art, a spectacular collection of collectible
and antique dolls, teddy bears, miniatures and toys.
The sophisticated displays interest doll and toy collectors
as well as children..
Odyssey,
The Maritime Discovery Museum
Pier 66, 2205 Alaskan Way
206-374-4000
Daily 10-5
Admission charged.
The
center has four galleries with more than 40 interactive
exhibits that explore Seattle’s waterfront heritage.
The entryway looks through glass onto the pier and the
Sound. The next gallery shows the many ways that Puget
Sound is used by freighters, ferries, ships and boats.
A virtual kayak journey follows. The Harvesting the
Sea gallery explores the world of commercial fishing.
An outdoor observation deck on the 5th floor provides
panoramic views of Elliott Sound, the waterfront and
the Seattle skyline.
Seattle
Aquarium - Marine Park
Pier
59, Waterfront Park
206
– 386-4320, Fax: 206 -386-4328
daily,
in summer 10 am-7 pm, after Labor Day 10 am-5 pm.
Admission charged.
The
salmon ladder at the Seattle Aquarium offers a bottoms-up
view Home to sea otters, harbor seals, jellyfish, nautilus,
diving seabirds and 366 species of fish, the Seattle
Aquarium on Pier 59 offers an up-close look at Northwest
sea life. A highlight is "Sound to Mountains: A
Watershed Journey," which recreates an interactive
watershed and educates viewers as to the importance
to salmon of functioning watersheds.
Visitors
can watch diving birds be fed at 11 a.m.; divers feed
the fish each day at 1:30 p.m.; the otters, harbor seals
and fur seals are fed at 11:30 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m.
This
aquarium offers a compact collection of marine exhibits,
including sea lions, sea otters and an enlightening
depiction of Puget Sound's intertidal life and salmon
runs. One such salmon run returns to the aquarium itself
Woodland
Park Zoological Gardens (Zoo)
5500 Phinney Avenue North
206
- 684-4800, Fax: 206 - 684-4854
Winter hours: 9:30 am-dusk (last admittance 4 pm). Summer
hours: daily 9:30 am-6 pm.
In
Seattle's city zoo, the elephants inhabit a state-of-the-art
habitat (funded by voter bonds at US$1 million per elephant).
The newest exhibits are the Asian Trail of Vines and
a 6-acre/2.4-hectare Northern Trails exhibit with bald
eagles, bears, otters and snowy owls. There's also a
penguin area.
Seattle
Center
305
Harrison Street
206 - 684-7240, Fax: 206 - 684-7342
Seattle Center general information: 206-684-7200
The
1962 World's Fair, also known as the 'Century 21 Exposition',
brought in over 9 million visitors from around the world
for a glimpse of Tomorrow, Seattle-style. What remains
of the futuristic enclave of exhibition halls, arenas
and public spaces is today called the Seattle Center.
The
center hosts more than 1,500 events every year, including
summer festivals celebrating the cultures of the Philippines
(June 10-11), China (June 16-18), Brazil (Aug. 20) and
Tibet (Aug. 26-27).
The
grounds are home to dance, theater, opera, museums and
Key Arena.
The
following are part of the Seattle Center:
(1
) Space Needle
219 4th Avenue North
206-443-2100
The
Space Needle is a 600ft (180m) rocket styled observation
station and restaurant. After the 41 second zip up its
elevators to the top, visitors are treated to breathtaking
360° views. The top of the 605-foot Space Needle
is the best place to orient yourself to the city and
its surroundings
Observation
Towers
Bank
of America Tower (formerly Columbia Seafirst Tower),
701 Fifth Ave., offers a dramatic but less panoramic
view from the 73rd floor because its observation deck
doesn't go completely around the building. Hours are
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays; 206-386-5151.
The
best free view in the city may be from the 108-step
climb to the top of the old water tower in Volunteer
Park on Capitol Hill. Open daily.
(2)
Monorail
206-441-6038;
A
1.5 mile (2.5km) experiment in mass transit, is another
signature piece of the 1962 fair. Today, it provides
fun and frequent transport between downtown and Seattle
Center, covering the distance in only two minutes. It
runs at least every 15 minutes daily, 7:30 a.m. to 11
p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday
and Sunday, between Seattle Center and Westlake Center.
Tickets are $1.25 for adults, 50 cents for children
5-12 and seniors, free for children under 4.
(3)
Pacific Science Center
200 Second Avenue North
For general information, call 206-443-2001
Laser
Light Show: 206-443-2850
Planetarium:
206-443-2920.
IMAX
Theater: 206-443-4629
The Pacific Science Center has hands-on exhibits for
children, an impressive new Boeing IMAX Theater and
a gift shop. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and
to 6 p.m. weekends and holidays.
Located
at the Seattle Center, the Pacific Science Center houses
the Willard W. Smith Planetarium, with ever-changing
shows on such subjects as dinosaurs, space exploration
and Alaska. Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday
10 am-6 pm.
In
the museum's Science Playground, you can play tic-tac-toe
with a robot or virtual basketball.
The
IMAX theater has hourly screenings 10 am-8 pm.
Laser
light shows at the Boeing Spacearium feature music from
artists ranging from Sinatra to Hendrix. Shows run throughout
the day (midnight show on Saturdays.
(4)
Fun Forest - Seattle Center - Amusement Park
370
Thomas Street
206
- 728-1585 or 206-684-8582
(open
noon to midnight daily in summer)
Fun
Forest Amusement Park—Located at the Seattle Center,
this modest amusement park has rides geared toward children,
bumper cars and miniature golf.. On the north end of
downtown, at the foot of Queen Anne Hill.
