I gave a lecture here today on the geology of Mars. Beautiful place and friendly staff. The…read moreauditorium is also large and great for lectures.

Went to the Ariana Grande show a few weeks ago! There's a live DJ, and she encouraged us to sing,…read morecheer, do whatever and have fun. There's were not a ton of people at my show, most of us were leaned back and relaxed on seats though halfway through the show a few people went to lie on the ground under the dome. Loved the song choices of the DJ, and the accompanying lasers were really fun! And for the price, it's overall a great way to spend an evening!

My wife, friend, and I all went to the Taylor Swift laser show the night before Christmas which was…read morevery amazing. The staff were all helpful and the price was great for such great entertainment and work which beyond exceeded our expectations.

Cool place, especially for kids. Lots of interactive activities…read more Lots of school kids on a Friday. We found street parking a couple of blocks away, so cheaper than parking in the garage.

WARNING: For those interested in watching movies at the Pacific Science Center in IMAX, PacSci no…read morelonger owns the larger Boeing IMAX screen. All movies are now shown in the much smaller and much more uncomfortable side theater. We totally got bamboozled for Project Hail Mary, not knowing that the PACCAR Boeing IMAX theater was sold and closed right before this movie was released, which caused the movie to get pushed into the smaller theater. We had no idea this smaller theater even existed in the first place until we lined up outside for the film. I don't believe (but am not 100% sure) they ever showed new feature films in the smaller theater in the past, so I believe it's somewhat disingenuous and very misleading behavior. It's a completely nonobvious change. Plug "Boeing IMAX theater" in any search engine, all that comes up is this smaller PACCAR IMAX as the top result. The small theater is really weird. There's only a tiny outdoor concession stand and the bathrooms aren't even inside the building, requiring a trek outside then down some stairs to reach. There's no assigned seating, same with the larger theater. We got to the movie 45 minutes before showtime and there were around 40 to 50 people already in line ahead of us. Luckily the theater is large enough that we still got some decent seating, although the seats here are cramped together and pretty uncomfortable. Overall I was very disappointed in this movie experience. I will definitely not be returning to watch movies at PacSci. I wouldn't have purchased tickets in the first place if I had realized the movie wasn't being shown on the 59.4 x 80 ft screen.

My wife and I visited the USS Turner Joy this past Saturday about an hour and a half before closing…read morethinking we'd have time to explore the ship. Boy, was that wrong. That time went by in what felt like 5 minutes. The self guided tour is extensive and there's a lot to see. It was wonderful being free to explore and sit in the officer's mess and just look around and imagine the history that was discussed there and walking through the engine room imagining listening to the whir of the machinery while the ship was underway and looking at where these brave sailors slept and imagining what their day was like. I got to speak to a docent that was a gunner and he shared his knowledge and some great stories. It was truly an honor to meet him! We plan on returning, earlier next time, to properly explore this wonderful ship and piece of history. Very highly recommended!

The ship and the tour were fantastic, but the experience in the gift shop was extremely…read moredisappointing. The manager with short hair was incredibly rude and unprofessional from the moment we walked in. She was snippy with customers, showed zero friendliness, and acted like she didn't want to be there. She loudly complained to her staff about needing to leave early and made the whole environment uncomfortable. When we were standing in line--well out of the way--she abruptly told us to "get out of the way" so she could move the golf cart, even though we were already several feet back. Inside the shop, she threw items onto the counter when we asked to look at them, and when we decided to purchase something, she snatched it out of our hand. The ship itself is great and the tour was wonderful, but the gift shop manager is seriously hurting the experience. She needs retraining--or replacement--because her attitude is unacceptable for a public-facing role.

Beautifica 360 Out…read moreof This World, In the Best Way Some people call this a giant screensaver. Those people are missing the point. If you don't enjoy art, go watch Hollywood slop. The visuals and music are on another level. My wife and I were completely absorbed from start to finish. The message it carries feels relevant right now, and the whole experience gives you a real mental break from the noise of daily life. One practical tip: spring for the VIP seating. The difference in your sightline is worth it. Highly recommend.

This is the coolest experience ever!! Highly recommend! I did the Pink Floyd show solo and LOVED…read moreit! Hardly anyone there, it's very different than the laser shows of the late 80s/early 90s. This is like a 3-D movie experience in a planetarium where you feel like you are traveling in space! It's incredible. The Pink Floyd show was as trippy as you'd expect. Loved it so much I returned to see and experience the Queen show as a date night with hubby. He LOVED this!! The seats are reclined and comfortable, but not quite as reclined as the modern movie theaters. The Queen show was great, but the music wasn't from the Best Of Queen so I only recognized about 3 songs. Hubby loved being exposed to new music he didn't recognize from Queen. I'm excited to return again and see more shows! Lovely campus, the Planetarium is inside their Science area where large plants grow, similar to a solarium. It's gorgeous! Excellent date spot that is private, cozy, and beautiful scenery and cheaper than the movies. Can't wait to go back!

Wonderful place! Learn and grow experience…read more Staff is very nice. Kids and adults liked it as did I. Steve

There is so much to do at the Children's Museum that there is never a dull moment. Flying a plane,…read morelooking for dinosaur bones, driving a bus, learning physics, playing on the playground outside, learning about the oceans and bay, sorting packages. Honestly hours of fun and entertainment. Everything is kept in good working order and there is something for everyone. A great place to let the kid's imagination go crazy! Lots of places to climb and run around to get all the energy out. My son slept so good after his visit. There were a LOT of people, and it is usually pretty busy. If you get a family pass it is a great deal, especially if you are going to go often (honestly there is so much to do you could go every week and do something new)! It is a bit on the pricy side, but the value is definitely worth it. Only gave it 4 stars due to the cost, but again, worth it in my opinion, but still on the expensive side.

The space itself is small and feels cramped, but the presentation for the 11:00am public show was…read morewonderful! Asher, a student of astronomy and physics at the UW was articulate, knowledgeable and very easy to understand, giving layman's explanations to otherwise scientific verbiage/concepts. He shared stories as we gazed at the night sky. We were given glimpses of UV light, infrared light, radio light and more! It was truly fascinating and easily kept our attention. A variety of ages were represented from as young as four years old and up to seventy (maybe?), with everyone in between. The presentation was scientific, educational, fun and engaging; really, everything you want in such an experience.

Okay, this is gonna sound super nerdy, but I love astronomy! So when I found out Bellevue College…read morehas a planetarium where they host FREE public shows, I immediately signed up for the e-newsletter/announcements, so I could start attending these events. The e-newsletter provides information of upcoming shows, where they ask that you register for tickets through Brown Paper Tickets. And perhaps because the College offers free shows, the tickets sell out quickly. Seriously. You've been warned. In my most recent visit, I took my friend here for a show last night - where they have a different topic each month. We registered for the 7PM show, and it lasted for about 45 minutes. The space is small, so it's best to get there early for the best seats and if you're coming with others. The employee who manages the show is very friendly, and will open the floor to questions after the formal show/video, if you want to see anything on the projection dome. Once my friend and I left, there was already a line formed for the 8PM show 15 minutes before. The planetarium is located in B244. There will be signs throughout the campus, too - which comes in handy since all of the shows occur on a Saturday when no students are around to ask. You can park for free in the student parking garage, which is right across where Building B is. Overall, I LOVE that there are planetarium shows offered so close to me! And the fact that the school offers this for free is five-stars-all-the-way! I highly recommend for anyone interested in astronomy, or simply just wants to see what the stars actually look like on a clear day (something we Seattleites hardly get!).

This free discovery center across from the Children's Museum was a lot of fun, and educational…read more They have a scavenger hunt for the kids to do to help them learn more about water, and they get a prize once they finish it. They have a small free lot for parking which is nice. Staff was very friendly and helpful when the kids needed a hint about one of the questions on the scavenger hunt.

This place makes a great stop off if you happen to be next door at the Children's Museum or at some…read moreother location nearby. It might be better for older, science oriented kids, but adults will likely find it interesting as well. It's free and all they ask you do is provide some info about how many people are in your party and the zip code you are visiting from. It's a good rainy day activity and can provide some educational moments. There is an interactive scavenger hunt which involves doing 8 tasks and ends with the ability to choose a prize. The maze pen we won is pretty cool. My 10 year old nephew was easily able to complete all the tasks and seemed to enjoy doing it. Some things were like video games, which he seemed to like and maybe it will give him some ideas about career possibilities for the future. It was a good learning opportunity about the importance of saving water and learning about what happens to all the water we waste, etc. I wish I lived in Olympia and was able to trace where the water goes when I flush the toilet. It was nice that they ask you to share what you learn when you go to redeem your prize. I'm not sure if my 8 year old niece would have found it as interesting, but there are places to sit and some kitchen toys to play with if not. It looks like they also have some crafts available. Check it out if you are in the area.

Admission to the Pacific Bonsai Museum is free and there were a vast amount of bonsai trees on…read moredisplay. I loved that the exhibit is located among the Pacific Northwest trees. I enjoyed seeing the variety and reading about its history from the original owner who started the growth of the tree. This museum is next to the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters which is now vacant. Highly recommend this museum whether you are a bonsai fan or not.

Oh my godddd; easily one of the most incredible hidden gems we've found. Simply WOW…read more It's free (donation-based) and an absolutely lovely time. Some of the trees are hundreds of years old, and we learned so much about the art of bonsai while exploring the huge variety of beautiful trees on display. We spent a little over an hour wandering around and honestly could have stayed longer. A stunning, peaceful, must-visit spot for any tree lover!

If you appreciate our great military forces, you will enjoy visiting this beautiful Naval Museum…read more The history of undersea warfare is definitely on full display and proud Americans will be impressed and other visitors will be delighted. The admission is free and the volunteers are very knowledgeable.

My wife and I had the best time exploring this museum. We spent over 3 hours looking over and…read morereading the fascinating displays. There's tons to see and learn and knowledgeable docents to add their personal knowledge and life experience. The parking is plentiful and free and admission is free, but why not sign the visitor book and then donate a few bucks to this great place to help keep things going. Very highly recommended!