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    National Nordic Museum

    4.3 (150 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Zara-Maria S.

    Okay I have to be honest. We didn't come for the museum, we came for the troll. He is part of the Dambo trolls collection and I've been dying to see one in person. This statue is massive and so adorable.Frankie Feetsplinters was well maintained and very welcoming for the museum. There is street parking around the area and parking in the back of the museum. If you are looking to visit the museum. You do have to pay for the parking though. I can't wait to check out other trolls across the US and internationally.

    Katie A.

    Nicely done museum! Very informative exhibits, and some interactive. Really did a great job explaining immigration from the different Nordic countries, and what people ended up doing once they arrived in the US. My only comment was that entrance was fairly pricey. $24 a person. Although there were various discounts.

    Emily T.

    Very interesting history and a nice space to visit! Theres onsite paid parking. You can purchase a ticket at the counter and then take time to look around the museum. We took our 7 month old in the stroller and I would say they're baby friendly. They also have a nice little patio outdoor area with more artifacts to look at. Overall, definitely enjoyed our visit!

    Folk Art Exhibit
    Ryan E.

    Wonderful museum that does a great job teaching why so many people from Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland came to the US from their home countries in the late 1800s. Spacious and open design, and not so many exhibits that you feel overwhelmed trying to take everything in. All staff/volunteers seemed to be of Scandinavian heritage and they were all very nice and helpful. I will definitely take my Norwegian descent family here next time they are in town. Go there on the first Thursday of the month and entry is free. Best to go on their website and book tickets first, and if you do on first Thursday, tickets will come up as free and you don't need to provide credit card information. A new spot on my top "off the beaten path" sites to see in Seattle. Lots of great restaurants and breweries nearby also.

    Salmon bread
    Rebecca C.

    Loved the exhibits and the kids section for the toddlers and younger. Space is light and airy with soaring atrium. Really enjoyed the gift shop.

    Andrew T.

    This beautiful museum is a frequent stop for us now that we live in the neighborhood and it's so cool to learn more about Ballard's history as well as the Nordic culture. They have pretty frequent events here so you can always see something different. And it's really cool to see the huge troll sculpture outside and have some food and coffee at Freya, the restaurant near the entrance

    Kirstin H.

    Really enjoyed our visit to the National Nordic Museum! It's a clean, thoughtfully curated space that offers a great overview of Nordic culture, history, and immigration to the Pacific Northwest. The staff were warm and welcoming, and the entire facility felt well-maintained--I especially appreciated the clean restrooms. There's a café on-site as well, though food and drinks are not allowed in the exhibition rooms. Parking is super convenient, with a small on-site lot for just $2/hour, which is a steal in Seattle. The location is also perfect: right in the heart of Ballard and within easy walking distance to plenty of great restaurants and bars. It's easy to turn your museum visit into a full-day outing. That said, I'm docking one star because there weren't a lot of exhibits, and a few of the interactive ones were out of order during our visit. Hopefully that's just a temporary issue, because otherwise, it's a great spot. Overall, it's a great way to spend an afternoon and learn something new --definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

    Ricky V.

    During my mom and aunt's visit, I thought the National Nordic Museum would be fun to visit given our heritage. Thankfully I had the library admission pass since the entrance cost would not be worth the value. The building's architecture was neat, but it seemed very minimal, like a contemporary art museum with empty rooms and displays. Upstairs was the best section with Nordic history in the PNW, however, there were limited exhibits. The museum was fairly disappointing to us.

    Pam D.

    Visiting the National Nordic Museum offers two great experiences in one stop. Just outside, you can snap photos with Frankie Feetsplinters, part of the Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King. Inside the museum, the exhibits are beautifully presented with photos, displays, dioramas, short films, and stories highlighting the culture, history, and sustainability efforts across the Nordic region. Having a little Swedish heritage myself, I found the experience especially grounding and informative. Great experience for the afternoon. Allow 1 -2 hours.

    Brent W.

    Where to start. Well the building is beautiful, staff is very friendly, and the exhibits are done very well and are informative. I learned a fair amount and enjoyed my visit. They have a cafe and a nice gift shop. We parked on the street to avoid paying a parking fee.

    Jenna P.

    I confess I'm 33% Norwegian. So I needed to go. I didn't expect much as some reviews called this place small. I'd say small but jam packed with incredible artifacts, stories and an ambience that for the reverence of the topic. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Parking was tight for a full sized car but paying simple with a text that told us how much time we had left as we wandered around the museum. Outside: Check out The door handles- and the giant statue made of repurposed material... Inside the high ceiling, the glass birds, and the Viking boats. The collection was chronologically ordered... with stores of famous and important Norwegians and the courageous common ones who left everything to escape hardship and come to the US. Side note: My great grandfather came here alone at 16 and was an indentured servant for five years on a farm in Minnesota. We were here for two hours and I really enjoyed it. I do wish the gift shop was larger and has some Rune mugs -- I was on a hunt. Highly recommend.

    Thomas Dambo troll statue
    Maggie B.

    Great museum! Loved the Faux Flora exhibit, which was the main reason I wanted to check it out. Definitely worth seeing! It was a unique sensory experience. The building design and the rest of the museum was lovely and I learned a lot about Nordic history.

    Chai Tea at the Nordic Museum cafe
    Tina T.

    We really enjoyed our visit here! Is it small like other reviews mention, sure. I also wasn't expecting a Disney style sized resort so I personally wouldn't have noticed if no one said anything. We started at the cafe and had a quick lunch. Very friendly service, clean establishment, and tasty food and beverage options. We moved onto the exhibit rooms next, and there were tons of things to see. It truly felt like walking through history with all the momentos, artifacts, and stories of the past. Loved the distinct areas that gave a glimpse into the differences between the 5 Nordic countries as well. Of course we ended the day with a trip to the store! Little pricey but such a vast array of items that anyone can find something to take home to remember their visit, or to have a little piece of Nordic tradition in their home. We enjoyed it so much we became members. They have events throughout the year which is fun. The membership offers discounts for the store, cafe, and events so it seemed like a fun way to support them.

    Ginny Ruffner's Project Aurora.

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    Ask the Community - National Nordic Museum

    Do they hold a Midsommarfest?

    For a first time visit, how long is a good amount of time to see all the things? Trying to plan the day accordingly. TIA

    I'd schedule 90 minutes for a first visit. There's a lot to take in, but 60-90 minutes will allow you to get a good overview. Don't forget to set aside some time to explore the gift shop.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - National Nordic Museum

    I just love reliving my ancestors' journey from Denmark to Ballard at the Nordic Heritage Museum

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    The Laser Dome

    The Laser Dome

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    Went to the Ariana Grande show a few weeks ago! There's a live DJ, and she encouraged us to sing,…read morecheer, do whatever and have fun. There's were not a ton of people at my show, most of us were leaned back and relaxed on seats though halfway through the show a few people went to lie on the ground under the dome. Loved the song choices of the DJ, and the accompanying lasers were really fun! And for the price, it's overall a great way to spend an evening!

    Went to see the Odesza Laser show! Its definitely a lot of…read morefun, a family friendly event, and in an area where you can explore much more as well. We walked right in, no line. The staff was very courteous and helpful. When you enter the dome is really cool, you can lay down or sit on chairs. We laid down but by the thirty minute mark your body starts to ache a little. Also the show was not directly overhead rather slightly forward facing (most of the time) so you should think about bringing a pillow! Right when the show started the lasers were pretty sub par, but by the middle they added more lasers from different directions and smoke which really elevated the visuals to the next step. The music started off wayyy too loud, my ears adjusted over time but afterwards it was hard to hear ppl next to me. There's really no need for it to be that loud when we're so close to the speakers and we're not competing with audience cheers. Was a fun hour spent! But I think there is much more room for improvement.

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    Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington

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    My review is of the language classes they offer here. I took three classes a few years ago, using a…read moredifferent instructor each time. They were all native speakers and taught the language well enough that I still retain a lot of it a few years later. If you're looking to learn Japanese, this is the place to go.

    I discovered the JCCCW when on my bus commute to work, I spied their sign hanging on Rainier…read moreAvenue, near Weller Street: "Japanese Language Classes Available." My daughter is interested in the Japanese culture. The classes they offer range from young child to youth to adult and each age level has its own skill levels so that a teenager just learning Japanese is not put in class with a 5 year old starting Japanese Language Class. Not only does the JCCCW offer Japanese Language Class, they have a lending library and a museum of Japanese culture. In addition, they host many activities related to Japanese culture and participate in the Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival held in the spring at the Seattle Center. Unfortunately, the people who run the JCCCW seem to live in their own world and do not always use technology to a beneficial result. They also consider, well whatever it is they consider, and fail to consider their students or their students' families in their decisions, when they choose to announce things, and how they choose to communicate. This is a drawback. Frankly, they seem very technological inept and are not helpful or reasonable under the anonymity of using the internet, even when they sign their name. However, when working with them in person or on the phone, they tend to be very nice and helpful. Worth a visit to learn more about Japanese history, and worth the classes if you wish to learn the Japanese language.

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    One of the classrooms available to rent
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    Museum of Pop Culture

    Museum of Pop Culture

    4.0
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    Museum of Pop Culture took me a decade to finally go. Waited too long…read more Back when Frank Gehry was still around, I lived next to Linda's Tavern, the last place Kurt Cobain was seen. Wild to be here now and the Cobain exhibit is gone after all these years, and so has Frank (RIP); architectural genius. The building still hits. The architecture alone is worth it. Sci-fi, horror, and fantasy exhibits carry the experience. At this point, I'd come back for the rotating shows, Rebels & Icons on the 15th, and the upstairs Lounge Bar. Low key hidden, solid pop art food/drinks, complimentary chips with their own seasoning, and great service. The museum should separate this bar on Yelp, I want to review this separately.(hint) That combo makes the membership make sense.

    This is a great place for pop culture enthusiasts, guitar lovers and people who love to play with…read moremusic instruments and song composing. Because this place has a wonderful collection of legendary guitars and guitarists. One the second floor there a huge sound lab with booths of different instruments and individual rooms to do sound engineering. The game room section had several stations to try out different home made games. Other than these major features, there are few more artifacts from music, sports and movie world are scattered around the place. In the lower floor, there's a nice cafe. There's also a makeshift gift shop with limited pop culture products. We came to the museum around noon. Our tickets were part of CityPass. We spend about half an hour here. Overall it was an underwhelming experience for me.

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    "I'll be back!"
    "I'll be back!"
    Gaming area
    Gaming area
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    Pixel sculpture at Indie Game Revolution video game exhibition at the Museum of Pop Culture
    Bakke Coffee Museum

    Bakke Coffee Museum

    5.0
    (4 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    I had a wonderful experience at the Bakke Coffee Museum. From the moment I walked in, everyone was…read morewelcoming and generous with their time. Tonya greeted me with a fresh brewed cup of coffee. Lars showed me an espresso machine from the 1930s that he was restoring and explained how it worked. Abby gave me a tour of the museum. I was the only person on the tour, which gave me the opportunity to learn a lot and ask questions. One of the things I found most interesting was learning about Gold Shield Coffee, one of Seattle's earliest coffee brands. Gold Shield shaped Seattle's coffee history long before Starbucks. The brand dates back to the Klondike Gold Rush, and an unopened can was on display. I don't think I'd want to drink it today. The exhibits were fascinating, and the staff made the visit memorable through their kindness, knowledge, and willingness to share their time. I highly recommend a visit.

    Found this poking around maps to find museums in the area. If you like coffee then going here is an…read moreabsolute must!!! They offer free guided tours, so of course I signed up for that. When we walked in they knew who we were and immediately offered to make us coffee on the spot. I'm not one to pass up coffee, so I asked for a latte and it was delicious. She even did latte art! I drank it while we walked around a bit. She was very passionate about the machines, their development throughout history, and the science behind them. Their machines are beautiful and most have very informational and easy to read posters. She talked about how they like to try to actually restore and use them to replicate how coffee was made in the past, which I think is so cool. I was there with my student, so she even offered to take us to the basement where they store the machines that they don't have room to display. They truly are above and beyond here! We learned so much about the history of coffee making, roasting, and grinding. They also have a small parking lot right outside with very close street parking as well.

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    Bakke Coffee Museum
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    National Nordic Museum - museums - Updated June 2026

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