Unspecified/General

In the heart of the Seattle Center cultural campus directly beneath the iconic Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center is one of the most heavily visited science museums on the West Coast and a defining piece of mid-century modernist architecture in the Pacific Northwest. The complex opened in April 1962 as the United States Science Pavilion of the Century 21 Exposition (the Seattle World's Fair), designed by the celebrated Seattle-born architect Minoru Yamasaki (later best known for the original World Trade Center in New York). The complex's striking architecture is itself one of the museum's defining features. The five interconnected buildings surround a central courtyard dominated by five tall white slender arches that have become a Seattle architectural icon, rising 110 feet above a series of reflecting pools and fountains and reflecting Yamasaki's signature Gothic-modern aesthetic. The arches are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The science centre's permanent galleries cover an extensive range of scientific topics through the deliberately hands-on, family-friendly approach that has defined science museums since the early 1960s. The Tropical Butterfly House, an indoor garden housing hundreds of free-flying butterflies from around the world, is one of the most photographed and popular exhibits. A particular favourite is the chance to occasionally see butterflies emerge from chrysalises in the dedicated emergence-station displays. The Tinker Tank gallery is a making and engineering space, while the Insect Village features live colonies of leafcutter ants, bees and other invertebrates. The Body Works gallery covers anatomy and physiology, with interactive stations covering everything from heart rate to balance and motor skills. The complex includes two large-screen IMAX theatres, the Boeing IMAX Theater and the PACCAR IMAX Theater, showing both educational documentaries and contemporary feature films. A separate Willard Smith Planetarium hosts daily astronomy presentations under a fifty-foot domed projection screen. Reasonable admission, with combined tickets covering general admission and the IMAX films available at a substantial saving.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: 200 Second Avenue North, Seattle, WA, United States

Telephone: 206-443-2001

Website: pacificsciencecenter.org

Opening Date: 21/04/1962