Seattle's Best Free Activities for a Rainy Day

Seattle experiences a great deal of rainy weather, especially during the fall, winter, and spring seasons...which is obviously most of the year. But this doesn't mean that you have to stay inside or post-pone your visit until the enviously beautiful, but regrettably short summer season. There is plenty of things to do in Seattle that limits your exposure to the rain, but keeps your interest and allows you to explore the city. Furthermore, many of these activities are free, catering to those seeking entertainment in these tough economic times when even seeing a movie can be an expensive affair.

Seattle offers residents and visitors an environment rich in arts, music, and culture; and because of the vast amount of interest in these areas, many of the places offering these experiences are free.

1) Seattle Art Museum: Like any other museum, the Seattle Art Museum has both a permanent exhibit, and a rotating exhibit. Because it is one of Seattle's main art museums, it is large, and can keep you busy for hours! While getting in on a regular basis is usually quite expensive, the Seattle Art Museum offers art-lovers on a tighter budget the opportunity to view their exhibits for free on the first Thursday of every month.

2) First Thursday: Down in Pioneer Square, the first Thursday of every month is a fun affair for people of all ages, most especially the over 21 crowd. Individuals from all ages can walk from venue to venue (art shops, bars, restaurants, etc) to view local artwork from individuals of all walks of life. Best of all, entrance to see all the artwork is 100% free!

3) Frye Art Museum: The Frye Art Museum is located in the First Hill area, and while small, boasts of the best artwork to be seen in Seattle. The permanent exhibit is a mere one room, but the paintings hanging there are gorgeous and display excellent technical merit, as well as a variety of subject matter. Furthermore, guest displays there are brilliantly chosen, and generally exhibit a high level of originality that is hard to rival. Entrance to the museum is always free, the only catch is that they're closed every Monday.

4) Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum: Another first Thursday must is the Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum, and Hall of Fame. These displays are housed together and offer visitors a chance to walk through interactive music and science fiction exhibits that are fun for both adults and children alike. These exhibits are free to the public from 5-9pm every first Thursday.

5) Pike Place Market: This market is a sort of hybrid between an indoor and outdoor market, with plenty of over-hangings to stay out of the rain. The main sections of the market are all covered, so you don't have to worry about getting wet. Vendors here range from fresh caught fish to fresh and organic vegetables and fruit. There are also a number of trinket and collectors shops that make for interesting viewing. While you may spend money purchasing items here, free samples of food are always available!

6) Downtown Waterfront: Seattle's downtown waterfront lies just beyond Pike Place Market, and boasts a gorgeous view of the water and the islands beyond. Furthermore, there are various fun shops and street vendors that provide hours of entertainment. If you're looking to spend a little cash, some of Seattle's best seafood restaurants are also found there. For this trip you'll need an umbrella to get from place to place if it's raining, but there are plenty of places to seek refuge from the rain at the many storefronts.

7) Seattle Asian Art Museum: Located in the Capitol Hill district, this museum offers art from Asia free of charge the first Thursday and Saturday of every month, and the second Thursday for Capitol Hill art walk. Exhibits include textiles, paintings, poetry, and more.

References:

Empsfm.org (2011). Visit/Ticketing.

Frye Art Museum. (2011). Frye Art Museum.

Seattle Art Museum (2010). Visitor Information.

Seattle Asian Art Museum (2010). Visitor Information.