My son and I visited the Pacific Science Center several weeks ago. Due to my son's illness, we had brought along a machine, which tests for germs--a Germ Reader. During our visit we had met quite a few workers there, but one in particular stood out to us. This guy was impressed with our germ tester machine. He made my son comfortable and walked with us, as we tested surfaces there. Some time later we had guests from out of town. Upon returning to the Pacific Science Center yesterday with our guests, this same guy recognized my son and me. He greeted us with a warm welcome again. Then he asked me, "Should we test?" He was like our personal tour guide. We tested, and the reader came back with "low germs". I told him he was doing a good job, and he replied, that his team was doing a good job. The place was clean and tidy as before. I think this guy's name is Adrian with the janitorial staff. Thank you so much, Adrian and team. We really enjoyed our time at the Pacific Science Center! Our guests loved the Butterfly Exhibit! read more

We have a year long membership. We have a lot of fun. My kids are elementary age. If you are a one time visitor you can plan to spend three or four hours here. They have great shows of topics like illusions, vibrations and our personal favorite, combustion. They are great for ages pre-k to 4th or 5th grade. I recommend getting to the small theater area 10-15 minutes prior to the show to get a good seat. The laser shows are fun as well. You can sit in a movie theater type chair or lay on the floor and see more of the show. I recommend laying down. Again, being a bit early helps the chances of getting a great view. There are many other things to do. I alway underestimate how much time it takes and how much fun they have. If you have curious children this is a great way to spend a day. read more

Pacific Science Center - A moment of the laser show. It really can't be appreciated in a photo. - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It was smaller inside than expected, but still was fun. Lots of spots for learning and exploring! Spent a few hours in there. Only draw back is I thought they might have AC on a hot day, they did not. We planned to be there early at least before the heat came rolling in. Love that a playground isn't too far of a walk from here. I would come back again one day. read more

Huge, the perfect way to spend a day! Science, amazing interactive displays, fantastic art. The children were fascinated with the way the dinosaurs actually moved.. The butterfly house was toasty warm and butterflys were all around, delightfully landing next to us. The planetarium was riveting! We can't wait to come back! read more

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I was exploring Seattle and it was quite a cold and windy and rainy day, so I popped into the science center to spend some time. This is definitely a great place especially for children to explore science activities! They have many different interactive exhibits that is fun for adults too, a really cute dinosaur info area, and my favorite part was the butterfly exhibit! Butterflies with come very close, and they feature exhibits on the different life stages of the butterfly. They also have an imax theater, planetarium, and laser show, none of which I went to but could be great to revisit. Overall a nice and informative place to kill some time! read more

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After spending 15 minutes physically struggling to get my toddlers shirt back on, while sweating enormously and obviously flustered, an employee had the great idea to come up to me and tell me she had to put her shirt back on. I offered for him to try it but he was unwilling to try. The only way to get her to put it on at the point would have been to physically harm her so I guess I'll have to do that next time so I don't get parent shamed. I thought this was a good place for children but apparently not. read more

I've come here several times now and have enjoyed each unique visit! In the summer, they have 21+ only evenings where adults can enjoy food/drink and explore the exhibits and planetarium. The people who work (or volunteer?) here are awesome and super passionate about the place. I always admire and respect folks who are into science. Highly recommend for kids and adults to enjoy, explore and learn! read more

We we're so excited to come back to the PSC but right from the start we we're very very disappointed. The parking on the website said $15, then $25 on the sign but then we could only pay by phone at it was $35. Then the elevator in the garage was broken, the main front entrance was closed and made us walk all the way up and around with my handicapped husband. When we finally got inside , there is so many exhibits gone completely and many empty rooms empty and blocked off. It's now an overstimulated children's museum not a science center. The only good parts were the butterflies, planetarium , documentary movies and the new spider exhibit. The temporary price of $10 is ok. But the future price of almost $30 per person is WAY TOO MUCH and we won't be back. And that's sad to say because we use to be members and visit every other month read more

This is one of the option from Seattle City pass. Located in downtown Seattle. Same plaza as the space needle and museum of pop. There are two floors. My kids enjoyed it and so did I. There's lots to do. :) read more

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If you are visiting Seattle, this is the best place you can take your kids of all ages! This clean and great space has endless hands on opportunities for all ages! There is learning and fun for everyone. We took a 6 year old boy and 11 year old girl. Pack a lunch as they do not have a food court, but offer plenty of space to picnic. Restrooms are very clean. The laser show during the day was really good. We went back for The Beatles laser show that evening and it was amazing! The whole area around the center is clean and well maintained. There is a great playground near the Center too. read more

The PSC disappoints despite its size. Much of the space feels empty, with exhibits that are overly simplistic and lack depth, appealing mostly to very young children. Older kids and adults will likely find little to engage with, and the educational value is surprisingly low for such a renowned venue. For a tech-forward city like Seattle, the exhibits feel dated and uninspired. Even smaller museums in places like Guatemala manage to offer richer content with fewer resources. The price doesn't match the experience, and while the planetarium and IMAX are decent, they feel disconnected from the rest. It's a missed opportunity for what could be a leading science center. And parking is $40 most wkds!!! Not worth your time / money. Response to RR comment: If cash flow is an issue, cost-cutting might be a good place to start. For instance, does a VP really need to respond to Yelp comments? With some of the world's largest enterprises in town, funding shouldn't be a challenge. If it is, it points to weaknesses in two critical areas: 1) persuading patrons to contribute and 2) effectively allocating resources. You could also consider renting unused patio space to Starbucks. Additionally, invite companies like Microsoft, Amazon, REI, Costco, and Expedia to create their own exhibitions, with their own resources and volunteers/employees. You can allow them to sell their products in-store i.e. xbox, Minecraft, laptops, games, etc I'd be happy to help audit your financials and brainstorm more ideas. read more

As a child, I absolutely LOVED going to PSC. Now that I have school-aged kids, it's been nostalgic for me to return. However, since they have reopened, there's honestly not much to do anymore. The have the butterfly exhibit, and the laser shows and IMAX, but most of the other stuff is underwhelming, and not enough to keep the kids interested for long. Many areas were roped off. We've been back twice now and at least at the moment, it's pretty "meh". I can stay that staff has been very helpful and friendly, though. I hope they get new exhibits soon. read more

My first time to the science center was during the once a month Happy hour. My husband and I went for date night. By the looks of the crowd, the majority of the crowd had the same idea. Doors open at 5:30. parking across the is free at 6:00, so we only paid for 30 minutes. The menu included Meatball pasta. Street tacos, vegan salad, mixed drinks, beer, and non alcoholic berry lemonade. They accept cash and venmo. We enjoyed all the interactive exhibits, butterfly room, science shows and laser shows. Definitely recommend this happy hour to see the museum with a 21+ age crowd only. read more

Pacific Science Center - IMAX - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This is a science museum that I visited while visiting Seattle. The place is very large and features all of the typical fields of science (space, dinosaurs, physics, chemistry, etc.). However, as an adult, I found the place somewhat disappointing. The exhibits are fairly dated and appear to have remained the same since the 1990s at the latest. This place is really suited for small children, who are more easily entertained. read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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First off we were greeted by the very friendly Emily Weber who promoted all the wonderful exhibits there! We got info about the laser light show and butterfly exhibit and other attractions! You can really spend hours there! Emily was friendly and really enjoyed helping us, she is such a kind and cordial person! read more

Pacific Science Center - Laser Gaga light show! - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We enjoyed our visit to the Pacific Science Center, but it was a bit uneven. The laser jukebox show was amazing - 5 stars! The butterfly exhibit was lovely - also 5 stars - but was hard to find. The brain cave was a very cool exhibit that we really enjoyed, and the sensory lounge was very peaceful for someone like me who gets easily stressed in crowds - 5 stars for both of these. The Planetarium is geared toward little kids and didn't compare well to other planetariums I've visited - 3 stars. Signage was notably absent or confusing - 2 stars. We had to ask at the information desk to find the butterfly exhibit, and never saw any signs for the tidepool exhibit. Worth a visit as an exploratory space for children. read more

Don't park in their parking garage, took my family there and apparently was a few minutes late getting back to my car. Paid $30 to park there, which was already pretty pricey, a month later I get a fine in the mail for $92. Triple the price I paid for being a few minutes late. read more

Went to their BLACKPINK and SZA Laser Dome show! Had so much fun and really enjoyed the experience! Definitely be aware of flashing lights and louder music. Lots of space to lay down or sit to watch the show read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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So happy it opened up again. Kids always enjoy coming here and soaking in the experience. You can choose to park onsite, or just find street parking around the area. There are usually some spots around within 5 minutes walking to Seattle Center. The activities with the water and physics is fun, but some of them seem broken. We caught a science show about combustion and it was really fun and educational. Down to the dino rooms was another blast. Who doesn't like dinosaurs? The toddler play area and the interactive exhibits in the next two rooms are super awesome as well. The little one got a kick out of the AR station. Last but not least the butterfly exhibit, super super cool to see so many beautiful butterflies up close. read more

Pacific Science Center - Toddler Play Area - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is great for younger kids. My kiddos are 7 and 10 and there wasn't a lot for the older age range. Parents not watching what the little kiddos are doing, resulting in frustrated kids that waited in line as well as parents. The planetarium experience is a must for any age! Unfortunately this time around it was sold out. Wish they offered more show times! A lot of the exhibits have been removed or are not operational which was disappointing. Especially because you pay the same price. They had a place for littles to just experience and play. Wish they had such a space for older kiddos so they can experience without the hassle of little ones cutting in front. There is not sufficient seating available for adults so there is a lot of standing for adults. If you have younger littles this place is great, if you have older ones stick to IMAX and laser showes. read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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If you have a partner who loves science, you're bound to visit some science centers whenever you travel. We've been to our fair share. Some have been amazing, and some have been duds. Unfortunately, this one was a dud. It is very specifically science activities meant for kids. They have live butterfly exhibit, where you go into a little sanctuary and some are flying around you, so that wasn't bad. The only thing that was pretty cool was the laser show. For matinees, it's $5 but since we bought the museum and show tickets online beforehand, we got jipped and paid $10 (on top of the museum admission, which isn't cheap at $26 a pop). The laser show features a different artist's music for each show, synced up to lasers. The one we saw was for the Beatles. They didn't play most of the popular songs, but it was still fun. Just make sure you arrive 15 minutes prior to the show to get seats. If I lived in the area, I would probably go from time to time just for the laser shows. But otherwise, this ''museum" was very underwhelming. Unless you have little kids, you can skip this. read more

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My 10 year old grandson and I were there all day, he had such a great time I had to pry him away. He loved all of it, but especially the tinker place. He figured out how to wire several circuits. He flew helicopter papers over a vent, and built long mazes on the magnetic wall to run balls through. We played a game of chess with big pieces in the garden. Saw butterflies as big as birds. Saw the constellations in the planetarium. Fabulous day! Great for all ages. read more

I recently visited the museum with my family and wanted to share some feedback about our experience. Overall, we were impressed with the exhibitions; my daughter particularly enjoyed them.Specially the butterfly area. However we noticed the bathrooms were not well-maintained there was a significant amount of spilled hand soap covering the sink area, and unfortunately, the pervasive smell of urine was very unpleasant. Is a incredible place for learning and exploration, and I look forward to revisiting in the future. read more

This museum was ok. There were different buildings that housed different exhibits. Some of the exhibits seemed old or outdated but perhaps I have a skewed perception of a what a science museum should look like since we've been to Cal Academy of Science in SF which is amazing. There a pretty cool toddler area with a water play area and a touch and feel marine animals although you could only touch stuff in the shallow areas but the shallow areas had nothing to touch except a sea star. The employee had to constantly tell kids not to reach into the deeper area which is where all the sea creatures were. One exhibit that is cool is the butterfly area. It is humid in there since it mimics the rainforest but it is thrilling to see all the butterflies flying about. There is a one exhibit about virtual reality but that seemed to attract the older kids. A couple of heads up: -bathroom is across the courtyard (it has interesting facts about bodily functions) -there's a refillable water station outside the bathroom -cafeteria is more of a grab and go type of food - sandwiches, yogurt, soup, Mac n' cheese - use the CityPass if possible to check out the sites of Seattle (definitely worth it!) read more

Out of town experience: worth the visit. We spent 4 hours. Not busy on a Thursday and summer. Only negative no food worth it inside the venue, besides hotdogs on the concession stand of the imax theater. read more

Pacific Science Center - Butterfly garden. Great lots of different butterflies. - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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As a grown ass adult(mentally), I still love coming here. They just have cool shit. It's definitely doesn't seem as big as when I was a kid, but it's still really cool. There's a butterfly exhibit. There's a laser dome where they rotate out the genre and artists so there has to be music that appeals to your taste, I'm trying to go to the BTS one. I just don't get it when people say there's nothing to do in Seattle because of the rain, are they planning to just hide for 80% of their life because of a little rain? Plenty of indoor things to still do. It's not like we have to worry about hurricanes, tornados, or alligators. Tell me about your experience if you've been here or is going to after reading this review:) read more

buildings 1 & 2 excellent. takes a lot of time to take in so many exhibits. we are senior citizens all with multiple advanced degrees and we had a terrific time. thanks read more

Always a hit, and especially now, with the rotation of exhibits into a whole new world of the human body. Get sneezed on, learn about why our sense of smell can illicit memories, see the dinosaurs and participate in 30-minute shows about SuperCold (liquid nitrogen) and Combustion, among others. A butterfly dome allows guests to walk through a glass greenhouse of sorts, filled with real, live butterflies, flitting around, landing next to you and sometimes ON you! Outside, one can explore water and how it can be used to manipulate and move objects; run in a hamster wheel to demonstrate creating energy from water, and more. The planetarium offers shows for everyone, even a shortened preschool one with stories to interest even the youngest in your midst. The IMAX theater offers an excellent array of documentaries; and traveling exhibits gain renowned attention at the PSC. read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Came to a Tame Impala laser dome show here. I can confirm that you don't need weed to enjoy this show. :) Do bring snacks, blankets and pillows. read more

This place is very cool, and has a large variety of stuff you can do, staff are nice, and yeah, visit if you are in the area!

Complete waste of money. Before Covid this was by far one of our favorite places to go. Considering it cost nearly $100 for two adults and our 3 and 7 year old, we don't go often. Husband took the day off and we planned to go a couple weeks in advance. After driving nearly two hours, paying $16 for parking and $95 for tickets, we were insanely disappointed to see that there was hardly anything open. The things that were open weren't working properly and we saw the whole place in about an hour. If everything is closed or broken, tickets should be discounted. What a joke. Go to hands on in Olympia. It's cheaper and actually fun. I want my money back!! read more

My two kids report the following. 9 yr old boy-Wasn't much to do, a few things were fun. 7 yr old girl- If there wasn't Camp only areas it would of been fun. Let other people come, it's not really fair. I want my money back! read more

Pacific Science Center - Camp only area. - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER IS AWESOME! It's a kids' museum but it provides tons of fun for anyone curious. I could have taken several days just to visit this museum and the kids would not have been bored. After about 3 hours in the same floor as the giant suspended moon and the butterfly pavilion, I realized that there were other rooms and other floors, as well as the IMAX theater to see! The food court, named "The Armory" is across the plaza, so once hunger hits, you can just pop over there for a bit to eat and pop back in. Oh sorry, that would only work if you bought the membership. Well, if you kids and this is not too far from you, I highly recommend buying membership. Entertaining and educational! read more

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Coming here as a kid was a joy on a field trip. The PSC is rundown and it could be due to being closed for two years during Covid. The staff were nice and were there to interact and answer questions. For two adults and one toddler the price was just over $70 bucks, and I did not think it was worth it. My kiddo had more fun at fountain at the Seattle center and that was free. We don't really have a reason to come back here in the future... read more

I remember coming here as a kid I loved it thought it was a ton of fun I haven't been there in forever

Absolutely love the science center, since i was a child i've had fond memories of coming here on field trips. My favorite exhibits are the tropical butterfly house and the dinosaur exhibit. I think that it's really cool that they offer laser shows and that there's a planetarium. And the IMAX theaters have a lot of feature films and documentary that they cycle through. I think this is a great thing to have near the Seattle center. read more

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You can apply for a scholarship for reduced entry for your family. We always enjoy the butterfly enclosure but it's scary to have those things flying freely around you. The exhibits are mostly educational so that is good. We saw a lazer show also. Def a fun time for a few hours with the kids. read more

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Loved coming here. Every year things seem to just get worse. Too many people, not enough parking, food, water, restrooms just the basic necessities for such a large crowd. Came here in 7/29/23 beautiful day and just did not have the best time. One hotdog stand had hot dogs for $8 (not bad) bottle water for $3 (not bad considering other vendors sold bottled water @ $4) when it was time to pay the only tip options were 18% 22% or custom, I thought that was interesting felt pressured into giving a high tip for someone to hand me a hot dod.. lol same things to see and too many people walking around. Traffic was bad, next time take the light rail. read more

Relatively large and great for kids of all ages, located in the Seattle Center next to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. They have so many exhibitions that you can practically spend a day inside the Science Center. They have the butterfly exhibit in the spring, dinosaur fossils, VR and so many interactive experiences to try that are collaborative and engaging, while being fun and educational. read more

Pacific Science Center - Museums Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place for me was my childhood! My grandma would take me here at least 5 times every summer for about 7 years! I loved this place as a kid, but once COVID hit it was closed. Since the reopening I recently went for the first time in like 5 years, and I was very happy to see a lot of younger kids having fun! I will say it is definitely more run down, not so much in the quality of what the offer, but it's just not as popular which makes me very sad:( I hope any one who is visiting Seattle considers taking a trip here, it is quite literally fun for the entire family!! I know that as the times change so do the interests that kids have, but this place is an incredible day trip, and you will leave learning so many new things no matter what age. Overall I love this place it's great for all ages, and will guarantee all visitors a fun day or even just a couple hours! read more