The most underrated attractions in Seattle according to locals

Seattle is a prominent city that attracts tourists looking to visit the city’s most-known places, and attractions. However, in order to really get to know Seattle and enjoy your stay even more you might be interested in exploring the lesser-known locations, museums, and attractions. There are numerous hidden gems that only locals are familiar with that are sometimes worth visiting a lot more than the popular ones. Thus, if you’re up for exploring the underrated attractions in Seattle here are what some of the best movers in Seattle recommend.

Seattle’s most underrated museums

Museum of Museums

If you ever find yourself in Boylston Avenue, movers Bothell WA recommend you stop by the Museum of Museums (MoM). This interesting place opened in 2020, and it is one of the most underrated attractions in Seattle. MoM is a contemporary art museum that is spread over three floors and is always hosting multiple exhibitions for visitors to explore. Each part of the museum is an art project by itself, including the incredibly decorated bathrooms.

In addition to the regular program, MoM organizes pop-up events on Weekends, and they are often led by local artists and small creators. What makes this museum special is the representation of local artists, as well as the engagement of the visitors in exhibitions.

Connections Museum Seattle

The Museum of Connections is a place where you can learn all about the history of communication and vintage telephones. This museum features a fascinating collection of telecommunication devices. They range from modern ones, including things like the replica of the phone Alexander Bell used for his legendary words “Mr. Watson, come here! I need you!”. There are multiple interesting devices, such as the contemporary phone booth, and old telecommunication relics. Additionally, a lot of these devices still work!

Burke Museum Ichthyology Collection

If you’re wondering what this museum is about, ichthyology is the study of fish, which is what Burke’s Museum is based upon. This museum features an extensive collection of more than 11 million species of fish from around the world. The design of the museum is very unique, with individual species being in a glass container, which is then stacked upon one another.

Therefore, the place looks like a scientist’s lab from a movie. There are some of the most interesting fish known to mankind, primarily from the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. Additionally, Burke’s Museum stores dinosaur and mammal fossils. All around, according to West Seattle movers, this is one of the most unique and underrated attractions in Seattle to explore during your stay.

Seattle pinball museum

The Seattle Pinball Museum is a Seattle museum that a lot of tourists and newcomers overlook but movers Issaquah WA tend to recommend. It is committed to preserving and showcasing the history of pinball machines. This is a very interesting attraction for people of all ages. The museum owns a big collection of over 50 vintage and modern pinball machines. Some of the oldest ones are from the 1930s! You can try some of the classics, such as the 1932 Ballyhoo and 1947 Humpty Dumpty,  or play pinball on modern machines, such as The Twilight Zone or The Addams Family.

Visitors of the museum can actually play pinball on the machines instead of just observing. Additionally, the museum also offers guided tours and educational programs for the whole family. The museum is great fun because it allows visitors to play the pinball machines, presenting them with a hands-on experience of the history of pinball!

Explore beautiful Seattle gardens that locals love

Enjoy peace and quiet at the Kubota Garden

Kubota Garden is a beautiful tribute to the Japanese tradition and a perfect gateway place in the heart of Seattle. In 1907, Fujito Kubota left his home in Japan and moved to Seattle. He was a gardener and a landscaper who wanted to bring traditional Japanese gardens to the U.S. While using Japanese design techniques he created a beautiful sanctuary with water, bridges, plants, and stones. After his passing in 1973, his descendants inherited Kubota Garden. Today it is owned and maintained by the city of Seattle. If you’re looking for a way to travel to Japan without leaving Seattle, Kubota Garden is the place to visit!

Madrona Beach

When you’re looking to get away from the city to relax, local movers Shoreline WA advise checking out Madrona Beach. This is a public beach located on the shores of Lake Washington in the heart of the Madrona neighborhood. This beautiful beach offers picturesque views of the lake and the nearby mountains, as well as relaxing green spaces. During warm summer days, you swim in the lake or picnic in the park.

Additionally, there are also restroom facilities and showers available so you can comfortably spend your day here. If you’re not up for swimming, there are other recreational activities such as kayaking, fishing, and running or hiking. Madrona Beach is open for visiting throughout the whole year and admission is free.

Neukom Vivarium

The Neukom Vivarium was funded by  John Neukom a philanthropist and Seattle businessman, and that is how it got its unique name. It is a part of the larger Olympic Sculpture Park, which features gripping contemporary sculptures and other outdoor art installations.

The Neukom Vivarium is a remarkable, climate-controlled glass structure located within the Olympic Sculpture Park. The Seattle Art Museum operates and owns this Park and Neukom Vivarium, as well. It is a project that artist Mark Dion and architect Alan Maskin of Olson Kundig Architects designed and opened in 2007.

The Neukom vivarium is a small, self-contained ecosystem that has a wide variety of different plants and insects, and other living organisms. Most of them are native to the Pacific Northwest territory. The goal is to help visitors observe and learn about the natural interaction between species in a controlled ecosystem.

Visitors to the park can explore the vivarium and learn about its unique ecosystem through guided tours and educational programs. The park is free and open to the public year-round. All around, it is one of the most underrated attractions in Seattle that local movers from Seattle recommend you visit!

The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden

If you ever want to explore the nearby area of Seattle, The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden is a botanical garden to visit. It is located in Federal Way, which is around 20 miles from Seattle. This garden spreads over 22 acres of land and features a collection of over 700 rhododendron species and hybrids. Additionally, there are many other unique and rare plants, as well.

The goal of the garden is to conserve and showcase rhododendron species and additional rare and endangered flora from all around the world. It has several different sections which feature different landscapes and plants. Some of the most beautiful ones include a Himalayan garden, an alpine garden, and a woodland garden. The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden also has its own research facility which focuses on studying rare and endangered plant species.

The center wants to conserve genetic diversity while educating visitors about the importance of plant preservation. The garden, therefore, offers a lot of educational programs and events. You can opt for guided tours, or participate in numerous fun workshops. This a great place for the whole family to enjoy the beautiful outdoor spaces, and it is open thought-out the whole year.

The Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens

The Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens is Seattle’s public garden. It is a great place to visit to escape big crowds and get a breath of fresh air. This botanical garden covers around 7 acres of land. It is home to a variety of plant species from around the world. Additionally, The Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens also features a diverse collection of trees, as well as numerous unique water elements, including a koi pond and a stream.

The garden was installed in 1917 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was named in honor of Carl S. English Jr., who was one of the employees of the Corps of Engineers who played an important part in the development of the gardens. As local movers Everett WA know, guests to the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens can enjoy a relaxing walk along the garden’s paths and explore its numerous plants.

The garden is free of admission and it is open for visitors year-round. You can go on guided tours that are available for groups since it is the best way to learn more about the gardens. The garden also hosts unique events throughout the year for visitors to enjoy.

Visit the unusual places

Take a picture with the Gum Wall

One of the most unusual and underrated attractions in Seattle is the infamous Gum Wall in Post Alley. This weird, and some might say disgusting, attraction is exactly what it sounds like. This wall has become famous since people have been sticking gums to it since the early 1990s. It is now a unique place in Seattle that locals recommend visiting. You’ll be surprised to see how many hearts and smiley face emojis can be made using the gum. It can also be a fun way to leave your own mark in the city after visiting or moving to the area!

Shop at the Ballyhoo Curiosity Shop

Ballyhoo Curiosity Shop is a unique store in Seattle that is unlike anything you visited. The shop doesn’t sell ordinary items, but rather it specializes in selling oddities, curiosities, and antiques from all over the world. As soon as you walk in you will see a taxidermy two-headed calf, vintage medical equipment, and rare books. The store has a wide range of items that cater to collectors, artists, and everyone else who likes unusual stuff. The atmosphere in the store is creepy and rusty, there aren’t any windows, and the lights are dimmed.

Ballyhoo Curiosity Shop has been open since 1992. Because of its location in the Pike Place Market, a popular tourist destination in Seattle, it is easy to find while you’re in the city. The shop has gained a reputation for its one-of-a-kind items, but don’t be hesitant to visit as the staff is really friendly and welcoming. Locals recommend checking it out if you’re ever in the area and enjoy discovering strange and distinctive entities.

The Seattle Underground

The Seattle Underground is a network of tunnels and passageways beneath the Pioneer Square neighborhood in downtown Seattle. It was made in the late 19th century after a huge part of the Seattle central business district burnt in a devastating fire. Afterward, there were problems with flooding and the sewage system. While the officials were rebuilding the city, they made a decision to raise the street level. This means that a new level was built on top of the buildings that already existed.

These tunnels still exist and throughout history, Seattle underground was used for a variety of purposes. After it was rediscovered in the 1960s, the city wanted to preserve it. This is how it became a tourist attraction. You can now go on Bill Speidel’s tour and explore the extraordinary underground.

Additional underrated attractions in Seattle according to locals

If you’re looking for more unusual and underlooked places to visit in the city, here are some of the bonus options that locals enjoy:

• Kurt Cobain’s old house,
• Twin Peaks’ famous cafe,
• Giant Shoe Museum,
• The Fremont Troll,
• Georgetown Castle,
• Hat’n’boots,
• Fantagraphics,
• Rubber Chicken Museum.

There are so many underrated attractions in Seattle that it’s difficult to only choose a few. Luckily, after you move you here you will have enough time to explore the city through and through!

References:

http://museumofcommunications.org

https://www.museumofmuseums.com

https://ballardlocks.org/carl-s-english-garden.html

http://undergroundtour.com/

https://art21.org/read/mark-dion-neukom-vivarium/

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