Belltown & Seattle Center

Where industry once roared, glassy condos now rise in the thin, walkable strip that is Belltown. The neighborhood gained a reputation for trend-setting nightlife (read: grunge) in the 1990s, but these days it’s more renowned for its 100-plus restaurants.

It's also near the Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle and former site of the legendary 1962 World's Fair. Today the green lawns and fountains attract, in equal measure, gawking tourists and families looking for a retreat from the bustle of downtown.

Explore Belltown & Seattle Center

Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly EMP, the "Experience Music Project") is an inspired marriage between super-modern architecture and legendary rock-and…
Olympic Sculpture Park
This ingenious feat of urban planning is an offshoot of the Seattle Art Museum and it bears the same strong eye for design and curation. There are dozens…
Chihuly Garden & Glass
Opened in 2012 and reinforcing Seattle’s position as a leading city of the arts, this exquisite exposition of the life and work of dynamic local sculptor…
Space Needle
This streamlined, modern-before-its-time tower built for the 1962 World’s Fair has been the city’s defining symbol for more than 50 years. The needle…
M
Myrtle Edwards Park
Your best bet for an uninterrupted walk or jog if you’re staying downtown is this fringe of lawn and trees along Elliott Bay that starts next to the…
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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center
The work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is celebrated at this suitably high-tech visitor center, part of a larger foundation building located…
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Pacific Science Center
This interactive museum of science and industry once housed the science pavilion of the 1962 World’s Fair. Today the center features virtual-reality…
I
International Fountain
A remnant of the 1962 World's Fair, the International Fountain was completely rebuilt in 1995. With 272 jets of water (recycled, of course) pumping in…
S
Seattle Center
The remnants of the futuristic 1962 World's Fair hosted by Seattle and subtitled Century 21 Exposition are still visible over 50 years later at the…

Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly EMP, the "Experience Music Project") is an inspired marriage between super-modern architecture and legendary rock-and…
Olympic Sculpture Park
This ingenious feat of urban planning is an offshoot of the Seattle Art Museum and it bears the same strong eye for design and curation. There are dozens…
Chihuly Garden & Glass
Opened in 2012 and reinforcing Seattle’s position as a leading city of the arts, this exquisite exposition of the life and work of dynamic local sculptor…
Space Needle
This streamlined, modern-before-its-time tower built for the 1962 World’s Fair has been the city’s defining symbol for more than 50 years. The needle…
M
Myrtle Edwards Park
Your best bet for an uninterrupted walk or jog if you’re staying downtown is this fringe of lawn and trees along Elliott Bay that starts next to the…
B
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center
The work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is celebrated at this suitably high-tech visitor center, part of a larger foundation building located…
P
Pacific Science Center
This interactive museum of science and industry once housed the science pavilion of the 1962 World’s Fair. Today the center features virtual-reality…
I
International Fountain
A remnant of the 1962 World's Fair, the International Fountain was completely rebuilt in 1995. With 272 jets of water (recycled, of course) pumping in…
S
Seattle Center
The remnants of the futuristic 1962 World's Fair hosted by Seattle and subtitled Century 21 Exposition are still visible over 50 years later at the…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Belltown & Seattle Center.

See
Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly EMP, the "Experience Music Project") is an inspired marriage between super-modern architecture and legendary rock-and…
See
Olympic Sculpture Park
This ingenious feat of urban planning is an offshoot of the Seattle Art Museum and it bears the same strong eye for design and curation. There are dozens…
See
Chihuly Garden & Glass
Opened in 2012 and reinforcing Seattle’s position as a leading city of the arts, this exquisite exposition of the life and work of dynamic local sculptor…
See
Space Needle
This streamlined, modern-before-its-time tower built for the 1962 World’s Fair has been the city’s defining symbol for more than 50 years. The needle…
See
Myrtle Edwards Park
Your best bet for an uninterrupted walk or jog if you’re staying downtown is this fringe of lawn and trees along Elliott Bay that starts next to the…
See
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center
The work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is celebrated at this suitably high-tech visitor center, part of a larger foundation building located…
See
Pacific Science Center
This interactive museum of science and industry once housed the science pavilion of the 1962 World’s Fair. Today the center features virtual-reality…
See
International Fountain
A remnant of the 1962 World's Fair, the International Fountain was completely rebuilt in 1995. With 272 jets of water (recycled, of course) pumping in…
See
Seattle Center
The remnants of the futuristic 1962 World's Fair hosted by Seattle and subtitled Century 21 Exposition are still visible over 50 years later at the…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Belltown & Seattle Center

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