We were visiting from out of town and decided to purchase tickets for the Beyonce later show. We arrived 5 minutes after but when we checked in, we weren't told that the show had started and we wouldn't be admitted. The ticket person gave us our tickets and resumed his conversation he was having. It took us another 10 minutes to try and find the theatre because there weren't any signs or directions. By the time we found it, the doors were locked. Thanks, but no thanks. read more

I think It was more for smaller kids. My kids thought it was okay. Some parts were better than others. We had a good time overall. I feel some parts need to be updated. read more

I always catch the latest IMAX movie here, because their Boeing IMAX Theater is always very clean, the chairs are very comfy, and the screen is absolutely stunning. When I was younger, I used to always spend my weekends at the Science Center, checking out all the exhibits and the butterfly house. I love the Pacific Science Center because it's perfect for all ages, and the technology they invest is amazing, like their double projector for the planetarium. They also always have fun exhibits that, though they're usually geared towards kids, are interesting for everyone. I love how this place makes learning all sciences very fun for all ages, and I will always support this organization. read more

See all

While visiting a friend in Seattle, we decided to check out the Tutankhamen exhibit they had showing at the science center. We also got admission to the center, so we looked around a bit as well. First, the exhibit had quite a few interested artifacts from the tombs, but it also had plenty of information about the dig itself. I will say I was a tad bit disappointed, since I didn't really know what they were going to have, but the exhibit was well laid out and really helped you get an idea of how the history behind the burial as well as the excavation, so not being able to see particular items wasn't a big deal. The rest of the center had various interactive exhibits, and it's clear that it's geared more for kids, though most science centers are. So, if you've got kids, I'd say this place is a solid four, otherwise there may not be enough here to keep your attention. read more

July 2013 Overall experience was pleasant. Sincerely geared more for kiddies and parents, in my opinion based on our experience. Exhibits were entertaining. If it was not for the City Pass, we probably would not be here. We are glad for the experience. However, we will not return unless we have some kiddies with us. :) read more

**PART OF CITYPASS** This is more a 3.5 review, but an awesome place to take children!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean I still had fun as an adult...lots of hands-on things!! Also lots of bathrooms. Be sure to go outside as well and there are a couple more fun little activities that you can do like shooting water at targets and stuff. read more

This place was super fun and very informative! I cant wait to go back with my children! there are so many cool things to see, do and learn! I was very happy with the experience. :) I do with that the had a better map and maybe more people available for customer service and better navigation, it got a little confusing at some points. read more

Not the value it used to be. What used to be a $72 family membership just 6 years ago is now $140. The annual membership has gone up by $20 per year for the last 2 years with nothing new offered to provide value. We rejoined at $121 just a year ago and this year it is $139 with no aded benefit. The exhibits are getting old and the movie prices and the cafe prices have skyrocketed. $3 for a cookie! Popcorn used to be $5.50 (small) and now its $7. Why? Inflation is not that high in this country. The Amazon effect (high cost of living) has caught up to the Science Center. How often does your other cost go up by 20% per year? We will not be renewing and will be voting with our money. read more

I have to admit, half of the fun for an adult couple visiting the Pacific Science Center is the 1960's style architecture. It's absolutely wonderful and treat to wander around -- even if it is showing wear in many places, concrete just wasn't built to last. We visited this past summer (pre Harry Potter exhibit that everyone is talking about) as part of the City Pass and found it to be very enjoyable and a really good spot if we had children (we're both scientists, so we think science rules). Big highlights were the butterfly garden -- very well done, easily accessible, great signage and enough butterflies that you were sure to have a hitchhiker a couple of times during your walk. There was an interesting carnival exhibit while we were there that did a great job of making things both fun and interesting for kids and adults. The other major highlight, at least for us was the exhibits in the center courtyard -- the elevated bike, granite sphere, etc. All are fun to play with and well presented. It was an enjoyable time and certainly worth a visit if you're nerds or have kids who you'd like to grow up and be nerds. read more

New to the area, we visited the Pacific Science Center on the kids school spring break the first week of April. The Star Wars exhibit was going on and we were not going to miss that! To beat the crazy-long line, we purchased a family membership. If you have a membership, you enter through a different (shorter) queue. We pretty much planned on purchasing the membership anyway, but that certainly incentive. At the same time, we purchased our tickets to go through the special exhibit. This was within 15 minutes of opening and our slot was 1.5 later. The Star Wars exhibit was selling out every day during that time. I know because the Pacific Science Center on twitter would announce every day when the exhibit sold out. We enjoyed wandering through the exhibits and participating in the hands-on projects and interactive bits of the museum. We generally enjoyed our time. Because of how many people were there to see Star Wars, the rest of the museum was packed as well. We'll return and visit the museum when it is hopefully less busy. The Star Wars exhibit was fun. My kids were really disappointed that they did not get to participate more in the interactive components. There were just too many people and not enough were polite enough to limit their own children's time, or even watch their children while in the exhibit. read more

Stopped in on an afternoon of our honeymoon, unsure what to expect. We decided to only buy a ticket for the 'normal' exhibits - no IMAX or traveling exhibits because we only had 1.5 hours before the center closed. We loved checking our adult-selves at the door and looking at the world from younger eyes for a while - re-learning about science in a hands on way. However, many of the exhibits and displays are outdated and could use a major facelift. Definitely stop by the bug & butterfly exhibits - the naked mole rats are fun to watch! read more

Old and rundown, and not much to see. I could see how it would be great for kids though. The one plus was that they sometimes get pretty cool traveling exhibits (like the harry potter one) read more

We started with the imax theater. It features the national parks and some of the history. It was a great show. I was not aware of all the parks in the US. Place was jammed with kids . We could have spent the day there . The butterfly collection was neat. The kids will have a great time . The entry fee is a little high read more

See all

This center is pretty big and has so much to do for all ages. So, keep some time to explore all the areas you want to see. Also, plan your time so that you can go the the various shows and exhibits. read more

Should've checked the reviews before we came. Definitely a kid's museum. Not for kids 13+ They had an insect exhibit, dinosaur exhibit, and virtual reality? Laser some was closed. read more

This science center is for young children. If your child is over 8 years old, he or she will probably be very bored. Not a place for adults to go. Disappointed as it was better when I visited 20 years ago. 0 read more

This place makes me so happy. It has a bunch of great hands-on stuff for kids and adults alike! The outdoors water works provide great fun and the gift shop has a bunch of really cool stuff. Only problem has to deal with the exhibits. They've stayed the same for years with only few updates or changes. Not saying that they should change entire exhibits, but they could at least add onto them. Maybe bring in something new so it's not just the same "Giant dinosaur robots" or "Bugs in tanks." The butterfly dome is fantastic though. The little window where you get to see chrysalis' is really interesting. Other than that, the cafe can be pricey, but if you just need somewhere to take your kids on a weekend, this is a great place for them to get out of the house. read more

This is a fantastic place to take your children. It has great indoor/outdoor space, food available, science center for learning, and has great exhibits that come into Seattle (for example the King Tut 2012 exhibit). We attending the King Tut exhibit today and had a great time. You'll need about 90-120 minutes to get through it all, but highly recommend paying the additional fee for the audio tour that is self-guided. It is an expensive exhibit, but do realize that this is the last time that it will be seen. Great Britain will be giving the pieces back to Egypt and will not probably be on a tour like this again. I do have to say Pacific Science Center does a great job with the exhibits it brings in overall. The cons - 1) It is expensive, however to see this history so close and hear about the stories is amazing. 2) Very crowded, if you have the chance to go during the week, I'd highly recommend it as the weekends are very packed. Also, call ahead or book online and get reservations! read more

This place was such a disappointment. I went to the King Tut exhibit (do not go...they have maybe 20 items that actually relate to King Tut and they do not have the funerary mask. It is also really expensive) and it was insanely overcrowded with babies screaming, kids pushing on the display cases and setting off the alarms, and strollers everywhere blocking your path. It was a nightmare. I am a grad student in Museum Studies and I was horrified at the way this museum treats its artifacts and exhibits. Every other exhibit they have is small, needs to be updated, and just looks sad. read more

Like other reviewers have stated, this seems like a fun place for kids. It was fun watching kids ooh and awe at things that fascinated us when we were kids. The butterfly exhibit was amazing. I could have spent all day in there taking pictures. The King Tut exhibit was a bit pricey and swarmed with rambunctious kids. We left and came back after the field trips were over. We really enjoyed walking thru the exhibit with the adult crowd, but we were completely disappointed that we weren't allowed to take pictures. One point of frustration....Before we left the museum during school hours, we exchanged our King Tut tickets for a specific time later in the day; we ended up making it back to the museum earlier than expected. We were told by the front desk that we had to exchange our tickets for the specific tour time that we wanted, so we spent another 15 minutes exchanging our tickets only to see a sign at the entrance to the King Tut exhibit indicating that ticket holders for any tour time could now enter. That was a bit irritating. read more

For a city at this size, I have to say I was impressed with the number of exhibits. You can tell it is a popular museum as some of the exhibits need some loving care, and updated. The location could not be better, in the center of the city and just a short walk from the famous Seattle Monorail. If you live in the area definitely check out the membership offerings. You get free tickets to the IMAX documentary and access to the special engagement exhibits. We did a dual membership for only 89 dollars a year for two people, which is fully tax deductible. Have fun!!! read more

Perfect place for kids ages 3-8 it is an amazing hands on scientific educational exploration and designed to engage kids and parents together as a family! They have a great to center and an amazing butterfly room. A touch tide pool and we were lucky to see an amazing moving dinosaur exhibit which my son went nuts over! The Imax theatre in 3d they have is an experience in itself! Not too expensive and I recommend the citypass! It is right next to the chihuly glass garden, space needle, EMP museum, kids museum and park. So there is a lot of fun all around - However, you can spend all day here just enjoying learning and letting your children play and learn about life, space and so much more!!! Definitely a great stop in seattle, plus 3 and under are free and the prices aren't horrendous, either! read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Meh. This place has some high points and some low points, averaging out to "ok". HIGH: IMAX, special exhibits such as Terra Cotta Warriors, Planetarium, and butterfly exhibit (just don't look up at all the dead butterflies laying on the netting above). LOW: broken, worn, out-of-date looking exhibits, disjointed layout, dank and dreary areas, blah and expensive snack area. I have been to the Pacific Science Center multiple times with my kids and it never leaves us with an inspired feeling that one should take away after discovering so many scientific wonders. We never feel ahhhhmazed like we did when roaming the Perot Museum in Dallas. Hopefully the monies can be raised to make the Pacific Science Center a more inspirational and high-caliber experience for the citizens and visitors of this city. Seattle is far from meh. Our museums should follow suit. read more

I bought an Art of the Brick ticket online, which was about $30 since it automatically included a general admission ticket, but it was worth it! The art work was amazing! I got a good laugh from a woman telling her kid that Whistler's Mother was just a sculpture of a nun. I decided to purchase a membership, and the man who set me up was great! When he found out that I had already bought a ticket, he gave me a credit of the difference between a non-member price ticket, and a member price ticket to be applied to my membership. I wandered around, and found myself inside the Butterfly exhibit. It was humid for the butterflies that were flying all over the place. It was fun watching them land on people. You just had to watch where you walking so you don't accidentally step on one. When you exit, an employee has to inspect you, so that they don't escape. I can't wait for the Sherlock Holmes exhibit. read more

Felt price was more than value received in terms of exhibit. Waste for adults (they should probably have minimal price for adults). Staff closed key exhibits and experiences (e.g. butterfly exhibit, VR) 10 minutes before actual close which was disappointing read more

My partner and I came from Portland with our ten year old son and we loved it. I viewed the King Tutankhamun exhibit last time around and it was about the same this time. Some of the pieces may have been more gargantuan and the lighting was fantastic. Again it was super crowded in some areas but the facilities were prepared and did there best to handle the pressing crowds. Our son newly ten years did his best to get through the show without falling asleep. I like how more shows are increasingly including a spate of children's entertainment intermingled to help us all through. I have one tip for other parents: let the kids take pictures. I noticed other children with cameras were enjoying the show more than my napping son so I let him take mine. It woke him right up and he was very involved for the rest of the show. After the sleepy cave of Egyptian wonders the waterworks exhibit was refreshing and allowed us to go into the incredible butterfly room. read more

We have a membership that was given to us as a gift. My 4 year old loves coming here. The butterfly house is amazing. I love going in there and so does he. He loves seeing all the different butterfly's. Yes, it is a little old and there are things that need to be updated but I think people need to remember that a lot of museums depend on ticket prices, donations etc to add new attractions. On the weeeknds it gets busy but that is to be expected. They also usually have special people come in to teach which is cool. Can't speak for IMAX because I have yet to see anything there. It's on my to do list. read more

Really dated exhibits. Lots of exhibits don't work which makes kids uninterested. Many of the exhibits weren't very scientific. Theories about science were presented as fact. The exhibitors need to go back to 7th grade and study the difference between fact and theory (scientific method). Thank God we used our Citypass and saved a couple bucks. The butterfly exhibit was the best part, but the "Butterfly Police" took the fun out of it. They were very strict about not going near the butterflies. We've been to plenty of butterfly exhibits where you can touch the butterflies and take pictures of the butterflies landed on you. Then it was practically a pat down to get out of the exhibit. Lighten up butterfly police. The tour included a free IMAX ticket to your choice of movies. Do not choose the Lemurs of Madagascar!!! Talk about propaganda. I was surprised they didn't pass a basket around at the end of it to collect money for the Lemurs. Love the part about the Lemurs floating over to Madagascar "millions" of years ago. Give me a break. read more

We came here in late February with the Seattle City Pass. We were just in time for the National Parks Adventure 3D IMAX movie. It was the best part of our visit here, I would see it several more times. That is how beautiful we thought it was. Which is why I don't understand any bad reviews of this place, it is totally non profit, they rely on donations. All people care about these days is the money they pay and that they weren't happy because it's a little bit outdated. Who cares? We learned a lot about dinosaurs, the human body, music, bugs, butterflies, the naked mole rats were so cool, and lots of things. I put my husband in a hurricane simulator and it was so funny! They have a cute play area for children! Definitely see the National Parks Adventure movie! So beautiful! read more

See all

Visited Seattle with my grandchildren (ages 9 & 11) and we had a great time here. Saw a great exhibits. The Xian Warriors were beautifully curated. The kids loved the outside water play area, as well as the dinosaur exhibit, and the butterfly house. The area where the science center is is filled with other museums (my granddaughter was mesmerized by the Chihuly museum) as well as the space needle. Parking was easy and inexpensive. My only criticism is the cafe, unattractive and only junk food. read more

As the 107th reviewer, I am sure this one will be the most relevant. With two small children, I have been here many times and with grandparents who have purchased an annual membership, it has been a refuge on rainy days. This place is in need of a serious facelift. Yes, the children enjoy the semi-working exhibits, and it is fun to see today's children enjoying 1970's technology. The butterfly exhibit is a nice respite on a gray, rainy day as it is a lot cheaper than flying to Hawaii and some of the plantings in the exhibit are pretty cool too. I wish there was more interactive exhibits other than pushing a button. I know there is no money for a renovation so it is what it is, a nice place to run around when it rains. read more

The prices were a little steep for what was offered. The outdoor fountains and surrounding walkways were dated and looked a little grimy. My significant other and I were excited to see the option of a science center! Science is cool and knowledge is power! Right? Something we did not anticipate was the fact that all exhibits were (with hindsight obviously) geared towards elementary school students. A word to people wanting a leisurely visit to the PSC: wait until school is out or you will be swarmed with misbehaving children the entire time you are there. Josh and I received dirty looks from the chaperones like we were there to molest children. The staff gave sympathetic glances or "Yeah, you obviously didn't know anything about this place before you came" smug looks. read more

We've experienced poor service with the establishment 2 out of 5 visits. In December of 2010, my travel bag was stolen out of the trunk of vehicle (didn't make a formal report because it was an inconvenience to return to facility to file report). In July 2012, we booked a group rate in advance and was inconvenienced twice (actually, 3 times if you count the service at the entrance to exhibit). It would've just been easier to buy our tickets at the gate. I could go into details here, but, it would just be pointless. Just know, the staff isn't very friendly or helpful. We'd visit again just for the educational experience. read more

One of the must-see places in Seattle....they have some great exhibits (the King Tut exhibit was one I really liked)....and the Boeing IMAX theatre is simply awesome. Prime card holders get all of the above for just $5 which is a steal! :) One of the dampeners is the parking which is quite expensive....but then its downtown Seattle so that's the way it is. read more

Member be aware. When you come and expect to get right in you may be unpleasantly surprised. The "members line" is closed and so you get to wait in the line with everyone else that is buying a memberships and they take forever cause they have to input each family members name, DOB, etc. I have been in line over 30 minutes and the place isn't even that busy to warrant a 30 minute wait. Why have a members line if it's always closed when we come?!!! So frustrating read more

THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE LASER SHOW. Do not, I repeat, do not bring your kids to this. I'm not outdoorsy so I like city based activities for my family. My wife presented us with the idea of going to this. So I didn't do any research on this. I thought, "It's a light show. Should be pretty innocuous." So I went in expecting something like the Disney light show with some giraffe running or a spinning Earth. What we got was entirely different. It was like being on drugs. The laser show was a bunch of random shapes and patterns and lines moving about to some raging loud music. The chairs were old and uncomfortable so we laid down in the front as some people recommended. This show went of for an hour or more. I felt nauseous after the first 15 minutes so I tried to take a nap. Try taking a nap in a Vegas night club. It was like that. The only reason why it gets 1 star is because the bathroom is filled with all of these big cartoons that are educational about poop. Yes... poop. I found all the things about my intestines pretty interesting being the nerd that I am. read more

Worst museum ever . They should mention it's only for kids. I got a feel I entered a kindergarten school. Unable to read the contents or look at the exhibits too much of disturbance as kids were hitting all the buttons like a play station. Went to planetarium hoping to see some good space show unfortunately it was completely a live interactive session which was like a primary school science class . For this I nearly spent $100 for Uber waste of money . If you have kids it's a good playground for them but if you are a adult going alone don't waste your time and money in this. read more

Kids everywhere. Lots to do. This place does nickel and dime you with all the "additional" things to see. Movies, etc. that stuff is not included so the reasonable price covers the basic stuff. Kids still had fun. Get he city pass so the cost is cheaper and you can do multiple things in 2 days. Well worth it. Snack bad was decent and you can get a reasonable lunch their. read more

This place was awesome! We stayed there with our 2 year old for about two hours, but we could have stayed WAY longer. We just had a long trip in Seattle already, so we were all tired. So many things to do and see! They do have a re-entry stamp though, which I thought was awesome. read more

See all

I really had my hopes up for this visit and thought the kids would have a good time. They had an okay time, but were definitely too young to really enjoy it. My daughter is five and my son is three and a half and I would say that they need to be older than that to really have a good time. I would think at least seven would be good. I also feel like it hasn't changed much at all since I was a kid, things are very spread out and kinda boring. Oh well... read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all