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During your Seattle vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Nordic Heritage Museum
Housed in a former school building, this is primarily a neighborhood museum that focuses on the experiences of Scandinavian immigrants in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. However, it also mounts exhibits of Scandinavian and Scandinavian-inspired art, and these temporary exhibits are what make this little museum worth seeking out for those who aren't of Scandinavian heritage. The Dream of America exhibit on the first floor does an excellent job of explaining why Scandinavians began immigrating to the United States and how they ended up settling in Ballard. Up on the third floor, each of the Nordic countries gets a display room of its own. In mid-July each year, the museum sponsors the Tivoli/Viking Days festival, which includes booths serving Nordic foods.
Experience Music Project (EMP)
The brainchild of Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen and designed by architect Frank Gehry, who is known for pushing the envelope of architectural design, this rock 'n' roll museum is a massive multicolored blob at the foot of the Space Needle. Originally planned as a memorial to Seattle native Jimi Hendrix, the museum grew to encompass not only Hendrix, but all of the Northwest rock scene (from "Louie Louie" to grunge) and the general history of American popular music.The most popular exhibits here (after the Jimi Hendrix room) are the interactive rooms. In one room you can play guitars, drums, keyboards, or even DJ turntables. In another, you can experience what it's like to be onstage performing in front of adoring fans. Another exhibit focuses on the history of guitars and includes some of the first electric guitars, which date from the early 1930s.Regularly scheduled concerts are held in the museum's main hall, known as the Sky Church. To help you get the most out of your visit (and at $20 per ticket, you certainly expect plenty), every visitor is issued a Museum Exhibit Guide (MEG), a hand-held electronic player filled with recorded audio clips explaining the various exhibits. Give yourself plenty of time to explore this unusual museum.
Henry Art Gallery
The focus of the Henry Art Gallery, located on the west side of the UW campus, is on contemporary art with retrospectives of individual artists, as well as exhibits focusing on specific themes or media. The museum benefits from large, well-lit gallery spaces illuminated by pyramidal and cubic skylights that can be seen near the main entrance. Photography and video are both well represented, and for the most part, the exhibits are the most avant-garde in the Seattle area. The museum's latest cutting-edge installation is Skyspace, by James Turrell, who uses light to create his artwork. The Skyspace is a small room with an oval opening in the ceiling to frame the sky. At night, the outside of the glass Skyspace is illuminated by an ever-changing light show. The museum also has a cafe and a small sculpture courtyard. Parking is often available at the Central Parking Garage, at NE 41st Street and 15th Avenue NE. Expect the unexpected here -- and prepare to be challenged in your concept of what constitutes art.
The Westin Seattle
Nearby Airport: * Seattle-Tacoma International Airport - 15 Miles Nearby Cities: * Shoreline - 10 Miles * Edmonds - 12 Miles * Tukwila - 12 Miles * Burien - 15 Miles * Kirkland - 15 Miles * Renton - 15 Miles * Bellevue - 15 Miles * Lynnwood - 15 Miles * Federal Way - 18 Miles * Everett - 20 Miles * Redmond - 20 Miles * Mukilteo - 30 Miles * Tacoma - 30 Miles * Olympia - 42 ...
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel Seattle
Located between 4th and 5th Avenues and University Street. The Fairmont Olympic Hotel's main entrance is on University Street. The hotel is located in the heart of Seattle's financial, retail, arts & entertainment districts, just minutes from the Convention Centre and Pike Place ...
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