I arrived at Cascadia Art Museum at 5:06 PM, expecting to explore the exhibits during regular hours…read moresince Apple Maps had listed them as open until 6:00 PM. Unfortunately, the museum had already closed to the public. Luckily, Sydney kindly invited me to stay for a private evening event that was just about to begin. The $20 admission ended up being incredibly worthwhile. Before the event I was able to walk around and see the gallery entirely while the staff set -up. The event featured a guest lecture by Dr. Simon Lhopiteau, a Paris-based art historian who recently opened a studio in Seattle. His talk centered on Henry Saÿen, a chemist-turned-painter whose work is rarely acknowledged in mainstream art history. We discussed Saÿen's invention of the self-regulating X-ray tube, his move to Paris during the rise of the avant-garde, and the influence of Henri Matisse on his artistic development. Dr. Lhopiteau also spoke about how both Henry Saÿen and Henri Matisse were among the early artists to shape the foundation of modern self-portraiture. Their work explored internal perception just as much as external form, and this introspective approach helped redefine how artists captured the self. He also shared how abstract and impressionist art in the early 20th century was not just rejected by the public, but often met with deep hostility and even violence. One of the highlights of the evening was Saÿen's 1903 painting titled Primitive Agricultures. We also explored the legendary artist gatherings at Le Dôme café in Paris and discussed the deeper connection between light, geometry, and perception in modern painting. The entire conversation felt alive--intellectually rich, spontaneous, and deeply human. It was one of the most engaging experiences I've had in a long time. Before leaving, I visited the museum gift shop and picked out a beautiful orange floral scarf for my mom. The shop was just as thoughtfully curated as the rest of the space. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Nancy, one of the museum ambassadors, who was incredibly kind and insightful. She told me about her travels through the Balkan countries and the museums and art collections she visited abroad. I shared my love for Renaissance art and armor from the Middle Ages and she encouraged me to visit France to experience those collections firsthand. I mentioned that my niece is French and currently studying there, so now I have even more reason to go. Before I left, I met Julie, the museum's education director, and learned that her academic thesis focused on Renaissance art and the representation of women. It was such an energizing conversation. She even gave me a list of local spots to eat, which meant a lot since I needed to grab dinner for my family after the event. I have attached the photos part of the current exhibit to this review to encourage people to see art in person because it is of amazing quality and deserves recognition. Had I arrived during regular hours, I probably would have paid $12 or gotten in free with my student ID, but I'm honestly glad I came when I did. Cascadia is not just a museum. It's a place of conversation, discovery, and connection. Whether you're visiting for the art or open to the unexpected, it's absolutely worth the experience.

I had the pleasure of attending a curator talk at the Cascadia Art Museum, and it was phenomenon!!…read moreDavid Martin is a dynamic speaker and is a world recognized art historian of northwest style arts. He walked us through an exhibit called "Urban Scenes of Seattle: 1910-1960". Apparently in the "old days" and before the internet, Eastern U.S. arts are influenced primarily by European arts, while Western U.S. arts are influenced by both European arts and Asian arts. As a result, these mid-1900s regional arts has an intriguing amalgam of art styles from other parts of the world while serving as a historical data point of our area. I highly, highly recommend attending one of his "coffee with the curator" talks that give so much behind-the-scenes story of the artists, many of whom David personally knows. Other than the Urban Scenes exhibit, they are currently featuring a special exhibit of Christmas cards that are individually made by local artists that were sent to family and friends. No two are the same! The museum is modest size but packs a punch! It is definitely a local gem. Housed in an old Safeway building, it shares space with a bistro in the same building. Their museum store also has excellent pieces from artists and/or uniquely curated pieces. And they sell books written by David Martin. He'll autograph them if you want!

I drive to the Schack Art Center once a year for their Fresh Paint art festival, but my favorites…read moreare almost always inside the art center itself. This year, their summer art events are "Art of the Garden" at the main gallery and "Cambium Layers II" at the mezzanine gallery. They have events throughout the year, rotating in special exhibits, classes, summer camps, and more. I chatted with the staff working there, and they are always very personable. While the Fresh Paint art festival is relatively modest with the length of two city blocks, the exhibit inside the center makes the drive worthwhile. If I was more of an art creator, I would definitely look into their classes. They have an impressive array from ceramics and clay to digital to glass, and classics like painting, sculpture, and woodcarving. The facility looks new and is very clean. I would recommend them both to shop for art (at front gift shop or during an exhibit period) and for their classes.

First visit and totally impressed. Such an amazing jewel in downtown Everett. You can visit the…read moregallery for free, watch glass blowing classes, and shop the store. The staff was super nice and the art, gorgeous. Looking forward to visiting again or taking a class.

Sweet little museum right in the heart of Bothell. We stumbled upon this little place while we…read morewere at the park. We saw a number of folks coming in and out of the of this old cabin and Schoolhouse and decided to check it out. It was a fun surprise for our 2 yr old and 3.5 yr old so see all the old tools and how folks lived as the area was being settled. The old Beckstrom cabin is quaint. You can't go inside - only look from the front door - but it's a very small place with many period piece antiques and tools used in the 1800's. We then ducked into the Hannan House. The docent was very friendly and was a wealth of knowledge. It was kitted out in some great antiques and décor items. Loved the children's room upstairs with all the toys. Had to keep a hand on our daughter as she wanted to cross over the ropes and play with the toys, which were pretty cool. Our favorite was the old Schoolhouse. The docents was very sweet and friendly. Our little guys enjoyed the table with the type writer, mechanical coin bank, and cash register. The docent knew a great deal about the structure and the owners of the schoolhouse. All of the buildings were relocated to the area from other locations in the Bothell area. So nice they the effort is being made to preserve the history and pass it onto the next generation. While our kiddos are very young, they did enjoy exploring and seeing all the items on display in every building. Great little detour. The buildings are all very close together. They are not wheelchair / stroller friendly as many older buildings of the late 1800's / turn of the century were not. Takes about 20-30 minutes to see all the properties.

2 Stars for the contents in the little museum +1 Star for…read morethe enthusiastic volunteer who greeted me at the museum +1 Star for the robust contents on their website Despite being a local for decades, I didn't know this heritage society is in the area, on the lower level of the Heritage Hall. Purely coincidental that I spotted the cute sign outside that marks if its open. A sizeable golden plaque on the outside wall is next to the entrance. The most eye-catching artifact in the little museum is Peter Kirk's Top Hat & Morning Suit. He's the namesake of Kirkland and perhaps "founder" of this town. Peter Kirk had a dream of making Kirkland the Pittsburgh of the West in 1888, which ended up being a failure. Perhaps lucky for Kirkland, the lack of industrialization instead gave Kirkland the chance to grow into a charming, thriving city. While artifacts dot this little museum, their documentations are the gems of the heritage society. Their website is well organized, and they publish a journal once every two months. Staffed by volunteers, they are a wealth of information. From their website: "The Kirkland Heritage Society's mission is to identify historic resources; to encourage their preservation; to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the history and heritage of Kirkland and its people; and to promote public involvement in and appreciation of its heritage and cultures."

The volunteer that met us at the entrance was very knowledgeable and seemed passionate about his…read morejob. Great museum with educational videos, and some hands on for both adults and children.

My wife and I had the best time exploring this museum. We spent over 3 hours looking over and…read morereading the fascinating displays. There's tons to see and learn and knowledgeable docents to add their personal knowledge and life experience. The parking is plentiful and free and admission is free, but why not sign the visitor book and then donate a few bucks to this great place to help keep things going. Very highly recommended!

So much to see here! All of the staff we spoke to were so friendly and gave great customer service…read more- a true rarity these days. We most recently visited so my kiddo could check out the Dino exhibit. Online/on the website they had mentioned fossil digs so my kid was really looking forward to that. When we went through all 4 levels of the museum though, there was no fossil dig to be found. After asking staff , they mentioned it's only once or twice a year. A bit of a bummer since that's the main thing my kid wanted to do! Just 1 star off for that. The husky scavenger hunt kind of made up for it! If you're coming with a kid they'll offer the scavenger hunt & I'd highly recommend it to make the visit more interesting for the little ones! All in all I definitely recommend checking out the Burke Museum & also stop by Off the Rez (connected cafe) while you visit!

The natural history sections aren't the biggest, but the Burke uses the space well and has good…read moredensity. It's small but they manage to pack in some surprisingly big Dinos and Mammals. To me, where this museum really shines, is the Native exhibits offering both past and present history on rotation and access to working scientists. I always learn a lot when I go. When the wet lab is active may be my favorite part. Watching animal skeletons prepped. Might be a little gross for some people so check the schedule if you are squeamish. Another note for Parents is that there is a small play area on the top floor. Perfect for rainy days with the little ones. The surrounding University grounds are great to let them run around as well. There is a Starbucks at the Suzzallo Library and bathrooms too if you left the Burke and have a kid who needs to go even after they were prompted a million times before you exited the Burke! There are also tons of food options and a couple small grocery stores nearby. Which is great if you/your group have dietary needs. The light rail station is very close by and many buses drop off / pick up right across the street. Public transit to this location is quite good and I recommend it, especially since youth 18 and under are free to ride.

I visited the Henry Art Gallery with a friend last month as part of her birthday celebration and it…read morewas a great experience. We had lunch at Ba Bar at U-Village then came to the gallery to walk off our lunch and take in a lot of interesting, diverse art. The gallery now offers FREE admission to everyone (thanks in part to 4Culture), whereas before it was only free to UW students, faculty, and staff. What I like about the Henry is the curation. They always have intriguing and interesting exhibits that are grouped well and have just enough art pieces for you to see and take in without getting overwhelmed. The space is clean, well lit, and pretty minimalist. Also like that they have a cute little cafe, City Grind, with both indoor and outdoor seating. On this visit, we were impressed by the exhibit by Diné artist Eric-Paul Riege (b. 1994, New Mexico). Riege's tactile sculptures of jewelry and other objects were HUGE and a cool sight to behold. A sign said that some sculptures could be touched gently which I fully took advantage of because these giant soft sculptures just called out to be touched. It's a terrific exhibit and is showing until October 25, 2026. Go see it while you can!

It's cool, but even though the museum spans three floors, it's really small and there aren't many…read moreexhibits. It didn't help that one of the four exhibit spaces was in transition, either. Good job. Good effort. I expected more.

Came in tonight for Drag Bingo with my mom and Aunt. They're in their 70s…read more The only seating available was high tops, and they were struggling with the tall chairs. Alex grabbed a folding table and chairs to accommodate their needs. This was amazing customer service and good community stewardship. Not to mention the vibe is awesome, the drinks are cold and everything is affordably priced.