4 Best Sights in Seattle, Washington

If you're in Pioneer Square on a Thursday between 11 am and 3 pm, this museum occupying the bottom floor of the Seattle Fire Department's headquarters includes eight historic rigs from Seattle dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as artifacts (vintage helmets and uniforms, hose nozzles, and other equipment) and photos, logs, and newspaper clippings recording historic fires.

What started as the Experience Music Project first expanded to include science fiction and fantasy, then took on all of pop culture. The 140,000-square-foot complex is a controversial architectural statement; architect Frank Gehry drew inspiration from electric guitars to achieve the building's curvy metallic design. It's a fitting backdrop for rock memorabilia from the likes of Bob Dylan and the grunge-scene heavies.

The 35-foot tower of guitars (and other instruments) traces the instrument's history in America and includes 20 guitars from music legends. A permanent exhibit provides a primer on the evolution of Seattle's music scene. Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses features rare and unseen artifacts and photography from the band, their crews, and families. The interactive space has 12 ministudio rooms where you can jam with friends on real or MIDI-compatible instruments. You can also channel your inner rock star in front of a virtual audience in the On Stage exhibit, complete with smoke, hot lights, and screaming fans.

In the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame and related exhibits, you'll find iconic artifacts from sci-fi literature, film, television, and art, including an Imperial Dalek from Doctor Who, the command chair from the classic television series Star Trek, and Neo's coat from The Matrix Reloaded.

In a renovated church in the Maple Leaf neighborhood, the only puppet center in the Northwest highlights the renowned marionettes of the Carter family, professional puppeteers trained by masters from Italy, Romania, and China. For their talent, they have received a Fulbright Award and a UNIMA/USA Citation of Excellence, the highest award in American puppet theater. New museum exhibits are curated each fall and may focus on a particular tradition, technique, or historic period. Past exhibits have included Puppetry from Around the World and Cheering up the Great Depression: Puppetry & the WPA.

More arcade than museum, this space puts a collector's life's work in play: more than 50 pinball games line up on the two floors, all included in the price of admission. The games rotate out frequently, and the collection includes machines as old as 1934 right up to recent releases. Entrance includes unlimited games, so take a break to chat with the staff, who can point out interesting features like the cigarette holders on the older machines. Children under 7 not permitted to play.