Sensory-Friendly Seattle
courtesy Woodland Park Zoo
A growing number of the city’s attractions and businesses offer programs and features geared toward the needs of visitors who are sensitive to different types of sensory input, such as crowds, strobing lights, loud noises, and strong aromas. While these sensitivities often relate to neurodivergence, they can also be present for people with other conditions, like PTSD or early onset dementia. Here’s a sampling of welcoming spaces in Seattle for those with sensory needs.
SEA AIRPORT
has a sensory room on the train level of the A gates, with a variety of seating options (like a compression chair or a nook with rearrangeable felted sitting pillows), a starry sky, and other interactive elements.
portseattle.org
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
presents sensory story times and assistive technology and tools, including noise-canceling earmuffs.
spl.org
SEATTLE THEATRE GROUP
which operates the Paramount, Neptune, and Moore theaters and partners with The 5th Avenue Theatre—stages sensory-friendly performances, and Broadway at The Paramount shows are reviewed by a team that includes an autistic teen, an autism therapist, and a psychologist.
stgpresents.org
MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE
hosts sensory-friendly events, featuring lowered light and sound levels, for those with different sensory needs. MOPOP has also created sensory rating sheets that indicate different levels of stimulation to expect in each exhibit during the museum’s regular hours.
mopop.org
SEATTLE CHILDREN’S PLAYGARDEN
is a fantastic acre-wide space in the Central District for children of all abilities. Trained staff can offer support, and designated quiet spaces provide opportunities for calm and rest.
seattleplaygarden.org
SEATTLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE
stages sensory-friendly performances as well as all-inclusive access shows that combine hearing, vision, and sensory accommodations for families with mixed needs.
sct.org
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA
which hosts pro women’s basketball and men’s and women’s hockey games, features a sensory room, and attendees can check out complimentary bags with headphones, fidget tools, feelings thermometer cards, and IDs that allow arena staff to recognize individuals with an accessibility need.
climatepledgearena.com
WOODLAND PARK ZOO
has created an extensive accessibility guide, with tips about noisy and quiet areas and times, as well as a map highlighting such things as where to go to get the wiggles out or for shade and shelter. Visitors can borrow fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones, and weighted lap blankets. Zoomazium, the indoor play area for children up to age 8, hosts sensory-friendly Fridays. And the Rose Garden adjacent to the zoo features a sensory area designed for touch and exploration.
zoo.org
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