Geeky-Cool Getaway

Virtual Reality at the Pacific Science Center Courtesy Pacific Science Center

Let curiosity be your guide at Pacific Science Center (*200 Second Ave N), one of the first US museums founded as a center of science and technology. There’s something here for every interest, whether you’re watching the latest IMAX documentary, exploring the solar system in the planetarium, investigating Saturn’s Titan moon via virtual reality, or tackling one of the Tinker Tank’s daily engineering challenges—like designing, building, and firing a rocket.

Does computer technology get your processor running? Head to Living Computers: Museum + Labs (*2245 First Ave S), where you’ll find two floors of mainframes, supercomputers, and microcomputers, along with hands-on exhibits about virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and more.

Gain an understanding of Puget Sound and the life it sustains at the Seattle Aquarium (*1483 Alaskan Way), one of the country’s largest. It’s focused on indigenous creatures; you can meet sea otters and harbor seals, touch sea urchins and cucumbers, and get up-close and personal with a giant Pacific octopus.

Channel your inner Alexander Graham Bell at Connections Museum Seattle (7000 E Marginal Way S) in Georgetown. You’ll encounter six working telephone switching machines, a large collection of early wall phones (including an exact replica of Bell’s device), and a wide range of other telecommunication equipment.

Have you ever dreamed about being a pilot? At The Museum of Flight (*9404 E Marginal Way S), climb into the cockpit of an SR-71A Blackbird, the fastest jet ever built; discover how drones work; and take an in-depth tour of the Space Shuttle Trainer Crew Compartment.

*Visit Seattle Partner.