We visited the National Nordic Museum for a candlelight violin performance featuring The Beatles, and it turned out to be a really special experience. The museum itself is very modern--clean lines, open spaces, and thoughtfully designed throughout. There's a good mix of Nordic artwork and exhibits, and even just walking around the space feels intentional and well curated. The highlight for us was the performance. The candlelight setup created a really warm, immersive atmosphere, and hearing familiar Beatles music in that setting gave it a completely different feel. It's one of those experiences that's hard to fully capture in photos, but definitely stands out in person. Between the architecture, the exhibits, and the events they host, it's more than just a typical museum visit. Would absolutely recommend checking it out, especially if you can catch a performance like this. read more

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It is about three stars for the value vs the take back education. The museum basically is local history tie to Nordic countries. We can see many Nordic art and cultural from Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Greenland, Finland, and Denmark. I cannot believe there were many migrants from those countries to North America. There is similar land riches in fishing and the Lumbering. These are the similar cultures when they move to this area. The art is just ok but the history is good for the local includes the Boeing company. The similarities did play well here for the local with similar shipyard and lumber companies from the history. read more

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Cool museum with Interesting history. We got in free with the Seattle Library program, otherwise it $20 for adults. Must pay to park in their parking lot, otherwise you need to find street parking. Staff very helpful . read more

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. read more

National Nordic Museum - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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! read more

National Nordic Museum - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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. read more

National Nordic Museum - Salmon bread - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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. read more

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Nice museum but not a good value. After recovering from sticker shock, we really enjoyed the exhibits and learned a great deal about Nordic history and the role of the norse in building the USA. They do have some discounts so be sure to probe any of those for which you may qualify. The cafeteria smelled good but did not get a chance to try it. A fun way to spend a half-day. read more

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. read more

National Nordic Museum - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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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 read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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Beautiful winter gathering tonight with a wide selection of arts, crafts, and Nordic treats. The cookies for sale were not too sweet and you could taste hints of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and clove. If you ever tried the Italian brand Mulino Bianco, the consistency was like that. I also tried a fresh jam cake that was slightly firm and moist and the jam notes were really subtle. The booths were cozy and ranged from Glog, to artisan salami, and truffles. I liked the made in Norway sweaters and I used to have a hand made one with the classic clasps. There was a vendor with a beanie and leather apron that looked like an old fashioned toy maker in Europe. The speakers were playing holiday songs and it was a departure from cheesy Mariah Carey pop consumeristic markets. What was missing was fake snow and you would feel like you were in a Hallmark made for tv Christmas movie. Really fun experience for a family and the live music and museum atmosphere was really lovely. I love Ballard! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

National Nordic Museum - Thomas Dambo troll statue - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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. read more

National Nordic Museum - Chai Tea at the Nordic Museum cafe - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a beautifully designed and curated museum at the corner of Market St & 28th in Ballard. Don't miss the magic of Ginny Ruffner's newer installation "Project Aurora". It's programmed with AI and never repeats! The in-house cafe - Cafe Hagen Freya - closes at 5pm, so we didn't have a chance to try it, but its stiff plastic chairs and lack of charm didn't beckon. (Try the Kiss Cafe down the street for a tasty bite - in a comfortable space - before or after your museum visit.) read more

National Nordic Museum - Ginny Ruffner's Project Aurora. - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Long ago, i went to one of the older locations of the National Nordic Museum with my Nordic friends. They continue the same spirit in this new location. The museum is two floors, long and narrow. The entry at one narrow end holds the reception desk, collecting admission, a gift shop and a coffee-snack bar too. Of course there is no admission fee for the shops. A year membership is very reasonable, and the museum is an important stop worth the admission for visitors, and especially visitors with Nordic heritage. Our Portland Norse Hall jokes everyone has Nordic heritage because of Viking conquests! The Nordic Museum includes Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Greenland, that large area including its islands, in its cultural focus. The permanent exhibit includes an exploration with interactive kiosks, video, large graphics and artifacts, old and new, on what makes up Nordic culture and values. I have to say we need to have that same discussion of US of America culture and values, a lot of people seem confused on that! That exhibit is well worth the admission in itself, for adults and children of any cultural background. The exhibits include all the hand made things needed for survival in Nordic countries surviving off the sea, and in many cases staying warm in cold. The exhibit is up to date on the Scandinavian modern design movement including some iconic furniture pieces. Nokia & Ericsson need to drop an exhibit in on their innovations in the mobile communication world. They have an art and rotating exhibit space, long and narrow, about 25x135 feet. I came specifically for a sound and video installation there by Jónsi, lead singer and composer for Sigur Ros. It is entitled FLÓÐ, meaning sea. A long narrow strip of video runs on the ceiling the length of the space while an multi-channel soundtrack plays in a pitch black room. You can find more at https://nordicmuseum.org/exhibitions/jnsi Parking is on the street away from the dense Ballard central business district and more toward the working port. The Seattle-Tacoma sprawl has many fine and worthwhile museums. I think this one would appeal to young school-age children. For those younger, there is a play area too. The National Nordic Museum takes root in far Ballard, sprouting a tall tree providing shade for all to contemplate their cultural values, wherever in the world, as expressed by their ancestors. Human values. read more

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Pleasantly surprised at the Nordic Museum. Small but mighty. One of the best gift shops at a museum I've ever seen with wares for sale that aligned with some of the artifacts in the museum and represented the Nordic culture. We spent about 90 minutes at the museum. Great story telling combined with artifacts. They do have some smaller boats and some very old artifacts. Some interactive aspects as well. More geared towards adults. Wouldn't find very appealing for children overall. Great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Reasonable parking out back. read more

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This is definitely a MUST go museum when visiting Seattle!! The collection curated here represents all Scandinavian countries and they did a beautiful job of telling the tale of each country and all still intertwining them all together as well. At this visit they had a really cool immersive installation that involves you wandering into a misty dark room and their are lights and music that are playing on sequence and it was mesmerizing. Give yourselves at least 2-3 hours to really see the museum end all that it has to offer and then go down to their cafe for some Scandinavian yummies and drinks. I loved that their gift shop offered items hand made by Scandinavians who live both abroad and who live locally in Washington too. I hope to be back here again when I'm back in town! read more

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Visited on a Wednesday around noon, first stopping at their cafe and having an amazing breakfast/lunch before exploring. There was an immersive exhibition on the climate crisis with the singer from Sigur Rós, and the permanent galleries were great! I loved the first floor introduction to Nordic cultural practices and values, as well as the video with interviews of Nordic people! I learned a lot, especially about the Sami people, which I knew very little about already. The gift store is amazing! From books, ceramics, Marrimeko tops and socks, and so much more! read more

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We have attended the Nordic twice now: once for the world class exhibit of paper cutting art and once for the auction to benefit Conservation Northwest. The Nordic is a gem! read more

Beautiful mueseum. But there wasn't information about the pillaging and r@ping that the Vikings did. I was a little let down and hoping for more of an action packed exhibit after just seeing season 1 of the Vikings.. read more

Really lovely museum with very informative displays. I liked the nature room at the top of the stairs best! I don't know that I'd go back again for a while but it was definitely worth a visit as a Seattleite and someone interested in the culture of the Nordic countries. I'd recommend it! read more

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Beautiful building. Coffee shop with tables and chairs. We came to see Frankie the troll which is outside the museum and only saw the exhibits in the lobby but very beautiful pieces. read more

National Nordic Museum - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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A minimalist museum with minimalist designs. A bore for maximalists and a "been there done that" for minimalists. Although the museum is barely a destination, there are a few noteworthy pieces including the Jónsi FLÓÐ. read more

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FACINATING AND INFORMTIVE. This museum is chock full of artifacts and information from the Viking times up to the present-day Netherlands. We were there because there is one of the five giant wooden trolls by Thomas Danbo. You can see the troll outside the museum for free. I highly recommend you spring for admission to the museum, and there are many fascinating Viking items and information. Did you know that the Vikings discovered North America one thousand years before Columbus? This used to be a theory, but apparently, they now have proof! Obviously, they weren't impressed, and they all went back to the Netherlands. Go figure. Anyway, it was fun to see some of the tools and long boats that the Vikings used. There is also some modern-day information about life in the Netherlands today. So, see the Danbo Troll, and drop into the Nordic Museum. You will not regret it. So, As far as I'm concerned, ALL museums and libraries deserve five stars. There are not enough of them, and they must not fade away from neglect. So go to a museum today! Excelsior read more

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This place is awesome, and I wish I realized it before so I could have taken friends and family to visit! We saw a real wagon, Viking pieces and cool videos of Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden & Norway. They also had Santa Claus as well as local artists selling their work (mostly Scandinavian themed) as well as a local art shop and a cafe (I would have gotten something if they had vegan options but didn't see any). My husband said their coffee was good! I also loved the ambiance and accordion players in the museum. The vibe was chill and relaxed! The Nordic museum is also free right now, so def check it out! read more

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One of the absolute best museums to learn about the Nordic heritage Some of the exhibits like the citizenship of immigrants, the profession that they emigrated for and the successes are worth knowing and appreciating. Reminded me of past innovations that originated from the Nordics like the first phones from Nokia, Bluetooth and of course Angry Birds and Clash of Clans Friendly staff, a quaint museum store and a very decent cafe. Easy street parking. Check it out read more

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Out of all the impulse buys I make, this might be one of the stranger ones. I was in the area when I saw this pop up on the map. I'm in the area and I have the time, so, why not? $20 for adults, CDC card or negative test required. They have several temporary exhibits, when I went it included some very fancy paperwork art that was a Nordic-Chinese collaboration. There was also a M(other) Tongues exhibit that was just meh. Small garden area outside with a boat and a traditional steam room (that you can't see inside of). Many permanent exhibits with a lot of things arranged in a timeline. They have some very surprisingly old artifacts which were absolutely lovely. I also learned a lot about how Seattle ties into the Nordic culture and how people immigrated over here. Turns out we have a pretty large immigrate population here (which would explain that giant Leif Erikson statue I saw earlier at the marina)! Overall a great place to spend some time and learn some things. They also have a café (which smelled amazing!) and a gift shop with some really cute items! read more

Norwegian history and culture was not covered in my schooling growing up. The Vikings were covered very briefly, though Viking is not synonymous with Nordic nor Norwegian. Vikings were a brief portion of the Nordic countries' history, something this museum covers well. I am a quarter Norwegian on my mom's side and growing up family and ancestry were a main focus, as was nature. The culture I learned through living my life, though how that was the same or different than Norway today and in the past I did not know. So my grandparents, and parents, would bring us (my sister and I) to this museum (formerly a Heritage Museum) to learn about our heritage. Finding a museum that covers Norwegian culture and life well is hard to find. I have learned that since childhood and made a more recent visit here in May 2018 with my parents and one of my Norwegian-Icelandic friends. It was fun to visit and see how similar my growing up was to some of Norwegian culture. It is something that has not been lost in my family, just interwoven deeper into how we live. An enjoyable place to visit with family and friends and reflect on our lives and the lives of our ancestors. read more

So lovely! What a beautiful and well curated museum - both the building iself and the collection are worth visiting. Staff is so friendly and helpful too. read more

It's taken me a long time to get around to visiting the National Nordic Museum, a reminder to appreciate the gems in your own backyard. On a whim I asked a friend to meet for our regular get together at Freya, the museum's cafe, and frankly my visit would have been satisfying sitting in the one comfy leather chair in the corner of the cafe, sipping my seaweed latte and chatting. The building is bright, open and airy, which was lovely for the typical overcast and drizzling day. I will definitely try some of their other edible specialties in the future. But on to the main attraction: a sound/light/smell exhibit created by Jonsi of the Icelandic rock band Sigur Ros. Wow! The soundscape in the darkened exhibit hall, punctuated by a thin, pulsating strip of light suspended above us, and smoky wisps of sent definitively conjured images of being in the bottom of a wooden ship at sea in a storm. For me at least! We stayed in the exhibit for about 26 minutes in order to experience the full cycle. Since we both had other things to get to, we put a pin in seeing the rest of the museum, but visited the delightful gift shop on the way out, slathering our self's in an earthy, tobacco scented solid perfume created by Fischer, who contributed smell to the Jonsi exhibit. Then back out into the rain... read more

It's a cute little museum! Not too expensive for admission, which is nice. It doesn't take too long to get through either, which is kind of nice depending on what you're looking for. There's definitely some interesting exhibits for sure! I would say it's worth a trip! read more

My wife and I visited Nordic Museum to view the Vikings exhibit. Museum admission is free on the first Thursday of every month. This only includes the core exhibits. Any featured/special exhibits are $5 per person, which the Vikings fell under. Discover is an accepted form of payment. Paid parking can be found in the parking lot. The parking lot is absolutely ridiculous and it's nearly impossible to park. The parking spots are so tight that passengers need to get out of the car before the car is actually parked. There are several VIP parking spots for battery powered cars. Most of these spots stood empty during our visit. The parking meter accepts credit cards. My wife and I enjoyed our self-guided tour throughout the whole museum, including the Vikings exhibit. The museum store was uninteresting to both of us. Museums are important in order to collect, preserve, interpret, and display items of artistic, cultural, or scientific significance for the education of the public. My wife and I had a great day stepping back into history. read more

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The National Museum is in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. There's a bus that stops right in front of it. There are some cool shops around the bus stop. There's a lot of information in this museum, they say cover 12000 years of Nordic history! read more

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Awesome museum. I took my mom here during one of her yearly visits and she nearly teared up after viewing the artifacts in the history exhibit. If you are of Nordic descent, you owe it to yourself to visit. It's one of the last vestiges of Norwegian influence in Ballard. read more

This museum has been on my to do list for a long time, I had plans to visit that were canceled by covid, and ended up very disappointed. However, I made it back almost immediately after the recent changes in rules allowing for a small amount of people be allowed back in a museum at a time. It was a bit of a pain to have to book online and reserve a time slot, but easy enough and plenty of spots were available for a same day visit. It was slightly confusing to figure out that you needed to enter from the door on the street rather than the parking lot, but other than these simple annoyances everything was great. Staff was friendly and helpful. They were cleaning and sanitizing the whole time I was there. Even bathroom stalls were closed for social distancing. The time slotted ticket allows for a 2 hour visit, I allowed 3 hours until closing and still found I did not have enough time to see everything I wanted. This museum is two floors, including a cafe (which I didn't even have time to read the menu) and a gift store with cool things to browse. There is a lot of stuff to read and look at and a few video clips to watch. It was practically empty for a large portion of the time I was there and I felt like we had the whole place to ourselves, but this changed closer to closing time. All of the interactive machines were currently turned off, but this gives me something extra to explore on my next visit. I'm happy to have had the pleasure to enjoy a museum again, and this one for the first time. I learned a lot of interesting things about the Nordic countries and it's helped me figure out I really want to go to Sweden and Denmark one day (I've already been to Norway and Iceland). read more

What an awesome museum! I visited the Nordic Museum in Ballard, which really transported me to the Nordic region, from the moment I stepped inside. The Nordic Museum is such a gem for the Seattle area. As mentioned the Nordic Museum is located in Ballard and is accessible by public transit with a bus stop right in front of the museum. The building is very new and modern, with high ceilings and large windows and is bright. It's very much that of Scandinavian design and style. The Nordic Museum is very easy to follow. The building is two stories with bridges that look into the main hall and lobby. On the first floor features items from the different Nordic countries, introducing you to the Nordic area and the make-up of it. Once upstairs the rooms are broken down into different time periods, with the first room showcasing the history of the Nordic region, the second room displaying the history of Nordic Americans and the third room displaying the importance of the fundamental principles that have established the policies of the Nordic area and its impact on the world. After the upper level exhibits you go back to where you started on the first floor, as there's a cafe near the small gift shop, selling all things Scandinavian! For me to get through the entire museum, it took me about two and a half hours, which made for a great half day spent. I really learned a lot about the history, culture of the Nordic area and have a greater desire to visit the area! I can't recommend it enough. You can't know Seattle's, particularly Ballard's, full history without visiting the Nordic Museum. read more

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