20 Best Sights in Seattle, Washington

An outdoor branch of the Seattle Art Museum is a favorite destination for picnics, strolls, and quiet contemplation. Nestled at the edge of Belltown with views of Elliott Bay, the gently sloping green space features native plants, chairs overlooking the water, and walking paths that wind past larger-than-life public artwork. On sunny days, the park frames an astounding panorama of the Olympic Mountains, but even the grayest afternoon casts a favorable light on the site's sculptures. The grounds are home to works by such artists as Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois, and Alexander Calder, whose bright-red steel Eagle sculpture is a local favorite (and a nod to the bald eagles that sometimes soar above). Echo, a 46-foot-tall elongated girl’s face by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, is a beautiful and bold presence on the waterfront.

The hub of Seattle's 26-branch library system is a stunning jewel of a building that stands out against the concrete jungle of Downtown. Designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Ramus, this 11-story structure houses more than a million books, a language center, terrific areas for kids and teens, hundreds of computers, an auditorium, a "mixing chamber" floor of information desks, and a café. The building's floor plan is anything but simple; stand outside the beveled glass-and-metal facade of the building and you can see the library's floors zigzagging upward. Tours are self-guided via a laminated sheet you can pick up at the information desk; there's also a number you can call on your cell phone for an audio tour. The reading room on the 10th floor has unbeatable views of the city and the water. Readings and free film screenings happen on a regular basis.

This gallery presents thought-provoking shows by contemporary artists that often often bend or defy tradition. The star attraction of the permanent collection is Light Reign by James Turrell, an elliptical chamber sitting separate from the main building that allows visitors to contemplate the sky through a large hole in its ceiling. It's a quiet, meditative experience in the midst of the university hubbub. The Henry's location—steps away from the Burke Museum and Red Square—and its free admission make it an easy stop while exploring the UW campus. The café, open even when the gallery is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, is a peaceful spot for a coffee and a bite to eat.

First emerging as an online art space to uplift Black arts, culture, and community, Arte Noir now lives in a permanent home in the C.D. Part gallery, part shop, and part community gathering space, Arte Noir showcases thought-provoking visual arts from Black C.D. artists, alongside a small shop selling jewelry, books, and home goods from Black artists that honors the C.D.'s roots and fight against its gentrification.

Soaring 18-foot ceilings, classic brick arches, and antique wood floors make a dramatic backdrop for monthly rotating exhibits with a contemporary bent. Part of a multitasking, 6,000-square-foot studio space, the gallery features a roster of local, national, and international artists and photographers. AXIS hosts new shows with entertainment during First Thursday Art Walk.

Heading west on Cherry Street in the Central District, you'll see a 17-foot-tall mural of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the side of Fat's Chicken & Waffles restaurant. Pacific Northwest artist James Crespinel painted the mural on the eastern face of the building in 1995 and touched up his faded work two decades later while the community gathered to watch.

A city landmark that offers a little something for history buffs, architecture fans, and public-art lovers alike, this 1914 library was the first to be funded entirely by the city. It also houses one of the largest collections of African American literature and history on the West Coast, including a dynamic collection of Black and social justice-focused childrens books. Local artists Marita Dingus and Vivian Linder created sculptures and three-dimensional relief panels for the branch, which can be seen in the spacious corridor connecting the two buildings. Paintings of former slaves and abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth by artist Eddie Ray Walker are also on display. Don't miss the recently restored Soul Pole, a totem pole depicting African American history, located outside on the grassy area on the corner of 23rd Avenue and East Yesler Way.

Founded in 1886, First African Methodist Episcopal is the state's oldest church founded by African Americans. The community's nexus has operated out of this historic building since 1912. FAME's gospel choirs are among the city's best, and discussions with intellectuals, authors, artists, and the community are regularly scheduled.

One of the Seattle art scene's heaviest hitters has digs as impressive as the works it shows: a century-old building with high ceilings and 7,000 square feet of exhibition space. Works by internationally acclaimed Northwest masters Kenneth Callahan, Mark Tobey, Alden Mason, and George Tsutakawa are on permanent display, alongside rotating exhibitions.

In addition to its beloved permanent collection—predominantly 19th- and 20th-century pastoral paintings—the Frye hosts eclectic and often avant-garde exhibits, putting this elegant museum on par with the Henry in the University District. No matter what's going on in the stark, brightly lit back galleries, it always seems to blend well with the permanent collection, which is rotated regularly. Thanks to the legacy of Charles and Emma Frye, the museum is always free, including parking, and its café MariPili at Cafe Frieda serves Galician-inspired sandwiches, salads, and soups.

Gallery 110 is a collaborative space that works with a collective of 30 contemporary artists (primarily Northwest-based), showing pieces in its small space that are energetic, challenging, and fresh. On-site exhibitions change monthly, with new exhibits typically launching during the First Thursday Art Walk.

Adjacent to the Northwest African American Museum, Jimi Hendrix Park pays homage to one of the Central District's most famous sons. The 2½-acre park features walking paths, landscaping, interpretative signs about Hendrix's legacy, and a colorful 100-foot-long outdoor public art piece called the Shadow Wave Wall. The sculpture, which consists of undulating sections of gray and purple metal with cut-out designs, has a huge mural of the musical icon engraved at the center.  A short walk from the park, the under-construction Judkins Park Station also features two large-scale public artworks of a teen Jimi Hendrix.

A tiny yet delightful free museum illustrating Seattle's role in the 1897–98 Klondike Gold Rush, this gem is located inside a historic redbrick building with wooden floors and soaring ceilings. Walls are lined with photos of gold miners, explorers, and the hopeful families who followed them. Interactive components include ranger talks and gold panning demonstrations.

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.

Gospel-music fans are drawn to the home of the state's largest Black congregation. The church's first gatherings began in 1889; back then, its prayer meetings were held in homes and in a store. The church, a designated official Seattle landmark, was incorporated in 1903, and after a number of moves, settled in its current simple but sturdy brick building. Eighteen stained-glass windows, each with an original design that honors a key Black figure, glow within the sanctuary. Beneath the bell tower, James Washington's sculpture The Oracle of Truth, a gray boulder carved with the image of a lamb, is dedicated to children struggling to find truth.

This aptly-named beach is a perfect spot to find some quiet among the energy of the city. Dip your feet in the refreshing water, skip some rocks across Elliot Bay, and take a seat on the fallen driftwood, where you can enjoy a snack and the sights of ferries and sailboats passing by.

This community-funded gallery embraces the ethos that art is for the people. It's a central initiative in Seattle's local art scene. Slip Gallery's frequently shifting exhibits are eclectic, modern, and thought-provoking, featuring timely art often tied to political, climate, and social justice themes. From drag shows and community art days to Belltown Art Walk and a magazine launch, Slip occasionally hosts events in this creative space.

This elegant gallery will give you a real look at the best contemporary work of Northwest Coast and Alaska tribal members (and artists from these regions working in the Native style). Three floors exhibit wood carvings, paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces from the likes of Robert Davidson, Joe David, Preston Singeltary, Susan Point, and Rick Bartow.

A tranquil spot to take a break in the middle of the city or eat a takeout snack, this small garden with a few cafe tables surrounds a 22-foot artificial waterfall that cascades over large granite stones.

The newly opened Waterfront Park—a 20-acre space stretching from Belltown to Pioneer Square—was completed in the summer of 2025, bringing a sense of unity and community to Downtown Seattle's formerly fragmented waterfront. Bike lanes, playgrounds, and native plants are all part of the new Waterfront Park, which provides a community space along the piers for events, social gatherings, walking along the water, and simply catching the sunset over the Olympic Mountains and Elliott Bay.