Pacific Science Center

The Pacific Science Center is a hands-on science museum at 200 Second Avenue North in the Seattle Center campus in Seattle, Washington. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, it is recognised by the white arches of its Space Needle-era architecture and the reflecting pools in its courtyard. Inside, exhibits cover subjects such as dinosaurs, insects, the human body, the physics of motion and Pacific Northwest ecology. The Tropical Butterfly House lets visitors walk among free-flying butterflies in a warm, humid room, and the Insect Village displays live and preserved insects. The centre also operates an IMAX theatre and a planetarium, with separate admission for shows. Hands-on stations invite visitors to experiment with light, sound and mechanics, and a typical visit takes two to three hours. The centre is aimed at families with children and school groups, so weekday mornings in term time can be busy with school groups, while weekends and rainy days draw many families. Admission costs roughly $24 to $27 (USD) for adults, with extra charges for IMAX and planetarium shows. Rainy weekday mornings and early afternoons are often calmer. The centre is a five-minute walk from the Seattle Center Monorail station and is served by Metro buses. Seattle Center's other attractions, including the Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture and the International Fountain, are within walking distance, so many visitors combine several in one day. Photography is generally permitted in the exhibit halls, although some special exhibits and shows have restrictions. A cafe and gift shop are on site.