Wing Luke Asian Museum
Despite much persecution over the years, Asians, primarily Chinese and Japanese, have played an integral role in developing the Northwest, and today the connection of this region with the far side of the Pacific has opened up both economic and cultural doors. The exhibits at this small museum, located in the heart of Seattle's International District and named for the first Asian American to hold public office in the Northwest, explore the roles various Asian cultures have played in the settlement and development of the region. Many of the museum's special exhibits are meant to help explain Asian customs to non-Asians. If you're walking around Chinatown, this place will give you a better appreciation of the neighborhood, but the exhibits tend to have a narrow range of appeal.

Northwest Seaport/Maritime Heritage Center
Although this marine heritage center at the south end of Lake Union is currently little more than a shipyard for the restoration of four historic ships, it has grand plans for the future. If you're a fan of tall ships and the age of sailing, you can pay a visit to the 1897 schooner Wawona, which is currently under restoration. Also being restored are a 1904 lightship, an 1889 tugboat, and a 1933 salmon troller. Throughout the year, there are folk-music concerts ($10 adults, $7 seniors and children) on the deck of the Wawona (call for details), and on the second Friday of each month, there's a free Chantey Sing from 8 to 10pm.Nearby, at Chandler's Cove, you'll find the gift shop and the few small exhibits of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, 901 Fairview Ave. N. (tel. 206/624-3028; www.pugetmaritime.org). The shop and exhibits are open daily from noon to 5pm.

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
There is something oddly fascinating about locks. No, not the locks on doors -- the locks that raise and lower boats. Locks don't provide panoramic views and aren't nearly as dramatic as waterfalls, but for some strange reason, a lot of people are intrigued by the concept of two side-by-side bodies of water on two different levels. Consequently, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in the Ballard neighborhood are among the most popular attractions in the city. These locks, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, consist of a small lock and a large lock. The latter accommodates barges, commercial fishing vessels, and the like, while the small lock stays busy shuttling small private boats (including sea kayaks) between the saltwater of Puget Sound and the freshwater of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which connects to both Lake Union and Lake Washington. It's a slow process locking boats back and forth, but none of the onlookers seem to mind, and people onshore and those on the boats often strike up conversations.When the gates of the lock are closed, it's possible to continue to the far side of the ship canal to the fish ladders and fish-viewing windows that provide opportunities for salmon viewing during the summer months. The chance to see salmon in a fish ladder is as much of a draw as the locks themselves, and in the past the fish runs have also attracted hungry sea lions that at times become regular salmon-swallowing pests.Also here at the locks, you can stroll the grounds of the Carl S. English, Jr., Botanical Gardens, a city park filled with rare and unusual shrubs and trees. There are free tours of the grounds Monday through Friday at 1 and 3pm, Saturday and Sunday at 11am and 1 and 3pm.The locks are located a 10- to 15-minute drive north of downtown. Follow Elliott Avenue north along the waterfront from downtown Seattle; after crossing the Ballard Bridge, drive west on NW Market Street.

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