We’re firm believers that everyone should have opportunities to experience the attractions they are interested in visiting, no matter what and knowing what to expect can help you have a great time. That’s why we wanted to share a special list with you of great attractions in Seattle with accessible and sensory-friendly environments so that everyone can feel welcome.
Accessibility features that benefit those with disabilities can also improve the experience for everyone, like wider walkways, clear signage, or mobility rentals. These make attractions more welcoming to older adults, families with young children, and people with temporary injuries.
Sensory-friendly environments allow visitors to experience a museum or attraction just as others would, but with reduced distractions and stimulation that could be overwhelming and create stress. Examples include attendance times with smaller crowds or changes to lighting and music settings.
Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI)
Visit the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) to uncover the past and present and see how that spirit shaped the city. MOHAI is committed to being accessible to all visitors. Our facility is fully ADA accessible, and wheelchairs and walkers are available to check out at the Admissions desk on a first-come, first-served basis. For guests with sensory needs, you can find a downloadable (and printable) guide online that includes a sensory map and tips.
MOHAI’s inspiring exhibits let you explore the Pacific Northwest’s fascinating story with a deep dive into maritime history, groundbreaking inventions, and social movements. See how it transformed from a land rich in Native cultures to the thriving business and tourist hub it is today. Don’t miss the Kid-Struction Zone exhibit that lets young visitors learn through hands-on fun. Check out MOHAI’s calendar for special events like workshops and other activities that help to bring Seattle’s history to life beyond the exhibit itself. Find tickets online and visit today.
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a stunning aviation-themed air and space museum that’s the perfect place to spend a few hours with the young and old alike if you’ve ever dreamed of flying, becoming a pilot, or are curious about the science and history of flight. The Museum of Flight strives to accommodate the needs of all its visitors and is fully ADA compliant, wheelchair accessible and provides tours for the blind.
The Museum also offers regularly scheduled “Sensory Days.” These are free access opportunities before the Museum opens (and sometimes after it closes) for visitors with sensory needs. Visit the accessibility information page for more details and you can check out the social narrative guide to help you know what to expect when you visit.
This museum boasts an incredible collection of aircraft, including galleries of hanging and floor-parked WWI and WWII aircraft. There’s a spaceflight collection that is not to be missed that displays an Apollo Command Module, a Saturn V Moon rocket engine, Sputnik I Soviet engineering model, a full-scale Boeing Lunar Rover Vehicle engineering test mockup, and a full-scale Space Shuttle Trainer. Outside, under the covered Aviation Pavilion, you’ll find rare and unique commercial and military aircraft from the 1930s to the present. You’ll see the first Boeing 747, a Boeing 787, and the West Coast’s only Concorde! Also, the first jet mode Air Force One, the first 727 and 737, and an air cargo exhibit. Don’t miss the interactive kids’ play area, the Flight Zone, and further spark their imagination for all things flight. The Museum of Flight is conveniently located just south of Seattle in Tukwila, WA. Plan your visit today and book a tour for a custom experience.
Pacific Science Center
The Pacific Science Center is committed to fostering a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive space for all. In 2023, they established their Sensory Lounge to provide a calm space for guests to decompress, regroup, and engage their brains in new ways. PacSci also offers a free, monthly “Exploration for All”, in which PacSci is closed to the general public and only open to individuals or families with sensory sensitivities. During these visits, guests will be able to experience exhibits outside of the public hours without heavy crowds, with softened general lighting and with decreased noise level and visual stimulation.
Also, free sensory kits are available to all visitors at Guest Services. Learn more about PacSci’s accessible offerings on the accessibility information page on their website.
Rediscover the wonder of science with your family at Pacific Science Center (PacSci). This historic science and technology center has been educating and entertaining the community for over 60 years, ever since it first opened as part of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. With its commitment to educating generations of visitors about the scientific process, PacSci offers hands-on exhibits that spark curiosity. There is something for everyone at PacSci, so get your tickets now!
Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is a KultureCity Certified Sensory Inclusive Venue. This means that they have received training to help provide an inclusive and seamless experience for all guests, including those with sensory needs. The Aquarium has also worked to ensure accessibility for all visitors, including wheelchair accessibility, nursing mothers, and other services, including interpreters and sighted tour guides for no extra cost. The Aquarium does require a minimum of two weeks’ notice for this request.
The Seattle Aquarium is the perfect place to start a day of animal and aquatic-themed fun. From the moment you step inside, it’s clear that caring for and conserving the Puget Sound marine life and habitat is core to the Aquarium’s mission. On Pier 59, discover the Life on the Edge touch habitats, where you can get up close and personal with the many fascinating creatures that dwell in the tide pools of Washington state’s outer coast and inland sea. You can also get a snapshot of what lies beneath the surface of the Puget Sound in front of the 120-thousand gallon Windows on Washington Waters habitat. When you reach Pier 60, you’ll experience the Underwater Dome, a one-of-a-kind undersea dome with a 360 degree view into a 400-thousand gallon habitat filled with hundreds of Puget Sound fish! Walk outside and you’ll see mesmerizing marine mammals like sea otters and harbor seals, as well as coastal birds. Be sure to check out the schedule of daily activities like feedings and expert presentations for additional opportunities to learn more and explore!
The Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion expansion opens on August 29, 2024! You’ll be able to discover the wonders of a reef ecosystem in the Coral Triangle – a region in the Indo-Pacific so rich in biodiversity that it’s been called “the Amazon of the ocean!” You can be among the first to experience this one-of-a-kind, world-class, immersive experience with the largest tropical reef habitat in the Pacific Northwest. Get your tickets and plan your visit today.
Woodland Park Zoo
Visiting award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is the perfect way to spend the day in Seattle. For visitors with accessibility needs or sensitivity concerns, the Woodland Park Zoo does an excellent job of providing resources and information to help with planning and also what to expect when you visit. Their goal is to ensure that the Zoo is for everyone. Visit https://www.zoo.org/access for guides, maps, and additional assistance, such as mobility rentals.
Over 800 animals and 250 species call Woodland Park Zoo home: African lions, zebras, orangutans, warty pigs, Malayan tigers, red pandas, Humboldt penguins, and so many more, including some of the world’s most critically endangered. Don’t forget to save time and money – buy your tickets early online!
Visit each attraction’s website to stay current on accessibility and sensory-friendly accommodations. Be sure to also look around town as new options are introduced.
