6 Best Sights in Seattle, Washington

One of the only museums in the United States devoted to the Asian Pacific American experience provides a sophisticated and often somber look at how immigrants and their descendants have transformed (and been transformed by) American culture. The evolution of the museum has been driven by community participation—the museum's library has an oral history lab, and many of the rotating exhibits are focused on stories from longtime residents. Museum admission includes a guided tour through the East Kong Yick building, where scores of immigrant workers from China, Japan, and the Philippines first found refuge in Seattle (check the schedule, as this is the only way to see this section). The museum also offers weekly guided food tours of the neighborhood along rotating themes.

A tiny yet delightful free museum illustrating Seattle's role in the 1897-98 Gold Rush in the Klondike region, this gem is located inside a historic redbrick building with wooden floors and soaring ceilings. Walls are lined with photos of gold miners, explorers, and the hopeful families who followed them. Interactive components include ranger talks and gold-panning demonstrations.

Located in the Lake Union Park's converted Naval Reserve Building, the 20,000-square-foot MOHAI offers visitors an in-depth slice of regional history with a permanent collection featuring more than 100,000 objects ranging from vintage souvenirs to everyday household items. Permanent exhibitions include the Center for Innovation, which showcases Seattle's role as a place where invention and entrepreneurship flourish; the exhibit is supported by a $10 million gift from Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon (which has its corporate headquarters a few blocks away). Special temporary exhibitions examine everything from chocolate to stories of Jewish merchants in Washington State.

Celebrating the Nordic cultures of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark (of which there are many descendants in Ballard), this museum opened in its spacious new building in 2018. Exhibits trace Scandinavian art, artifacts, and heritage all the way from Viking times. Galleries give an in-depth look at how immigrants came to America and settled in the Pacific Northwest. There's also a relaxing "Sense of Place" area, where visitors can immerse themselves in the scenery and sounds of the Nordic region while getting comfortable on plush stuffed rocks. Models of boats lead to the back garden, which contains a century-old functional sauna and a Viking ship.

Focusing on the history of African Americans in the Northwest, this museum housed in an old school building tells stories through a diverse collection of well-curated and insightful photos, artifacts, and compelling narratives. Past exhibits have included Xenobia Bailey: The Aesthetics of Funk, and The Test: The Tuskegee Project, focusing on the first African American aviation units in the U.S. military to serve in combat. One gallery is dedicated to the work of local artists. NAAM also hosts film screenings, talks, and other community events.

Boeing, the world's largest builder of aircraft, was founded in Seattle in 1916. This facility at Boeing Field, between Downtown and Sea-Tac airport, houses one of the city's best museums, and it's especially fun for kids, who can climb in many of the aircraft and pretend to fly, make flight-related crafts, or attend special programs. The Red Barn, Boeing's original airplane factory, houses an exhibit on the history of flight. The Great Gallery, a dramatic structure designed by Ibsen Nelson, contains more than three dozen vintage airplanes. The Personal Courage Wing showcases World War I and World War II fighter planes, and the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery is home to the NASA Full Fuselage Space Shuttle Trainer.