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Seattle art museum

Seattle Art Museum

1300 First Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
206.654.3100 & TTY 206.654.3137

Located downtown, one block from Pike Place Market, global art collections, temporary installations, and exhibitions from around the world bridge cultures and centuries.

Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

Bing Map

HOURS

MONDAY
CLOSED
TUESDAY
CLOSED
WEDNESDAY 10 am – 5 pm
THURSDAY
10 am – 5 pm
FRIDAY 10 am – 5 pm
SATURDAY
​10 am – 5 pm
SUNDAY
10 am – 5 pm​​​​

Tickets

Get tickets in advance and save! Ticket prices increase $3 if you wait until the day of your visit, so plan ahead and purchase online to get the best price! Tickets are released the first Thursday of the month on a rolling basis.

Admission includes access to all exhibitions currently on view at the museum.

 
Advance Day of
SAM MEMBERS
FREE FREE
ADULTS
$29.99
$32.99
SENIORS (65+)
$24.99 $27.99
MILITARY (WITH ID) $24.99 $27.99
STUDENTS (WITH ID)
$19.99 $22.99
TEENS (15–19) $19.99 $22.99
CHILDREN (14 & UNDER)
FREE FREE
Get Tickets  Become A Member

Seattle C3® – sightseeing made easy
One simple purchase saves up to 31% on admission to your choice of three top Seattle attractions, including Seattle Art Museum! Purchase Seattle C3® online for instant, paperless mobile ticket delivery.

Free & Discounted Tickets

SAM wants everyone to experience the art in our galleries and we offer many ways to visit the museum for free or at a reduced rate. Learn more about discount programs available at SAM.

Holidays

OPEN

MON MAY 27 2024
MEMORIAL DAY

MON SEP 2 2024
LABOR DAY

CLOSED

THU NOV 28 2024
THANKSGIVING

TUE DEC 24 2024
CHRISTMAS EVE

WED DEC 25 2024
CHRISTMAS DAY

Parking

Parking vouchers are required to receive discounted rates and can be picked up at the ticketing desk before you return to your vehicle.

Russell Investment Center Garage

Discounted Saturday-Sunday only
Up to four hours of parking for $8

Located under the museum, the garage entrance is on Union Street between First and Second Avenues. This is an ADA-accessible garage with an elevator that will deposit you around the corner from the museum’s main entrance or inside the museum. When exiting the garage insert your voucher after your ticket for the discount to apply. 

3rd and Stewart Garage

Discounted Wednesday-Sunday
Up to four hours for $10
Over four hours, all hours revert to full price

The garage is located four blocks from SAM, on Stewart Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.

Drop-off areas for visitors are available near the Seattle Art Museum. See Accessibility for more information.


Directions

The museum entrance is located on 1st Ave and Union St.

View the Seattle Art Museum in relation to the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Seattle Asian Art Museum on this map.

By Car

Heading north: I-5 to Seneca St exit (#165), west on Seneca St to 1st Ave, and turn right (north) on 1st Ave. SAM will be on your right between Union and University Streets.

Heading south: I-5 to Union St exit (#165B), west (toward Puget Sound) on Union St to 1st Ave. SAM will be on your left between Union and University Streets.

From I-90: Heading west, merge onto I-5 North; take Madison St exit (#2C). Turn left on Madison and right on 1st Ave. SAM will be on your right between Union and University Streets.

By Public Transit

Visit the Metro website for a complete guide to Seattle's transit system and a map of nearby bus stops.

Sound Transit Link Light Rail University Street Station exits onto 2nd Ave, one block east of SAM's entrances.

By Bike

See the SDOT interactive bike map for all levels of riders. Multiple bike racks are available on-street and public racks can be accessed by ramp or elevator on Union between 1st and 2nd Avenue on the first parking level of the Russell Investment Center Garage.

By Ferry

Boats from West Seattle, Bremerton, and Bainbridge, Blake, Vashon, and Vancouver Islands disembark within walking distance from SAM.

Hotels

Planning a visit to Seattle? Take advantage of special offers from our hotel partners.

Learn More

SAM Shop & Gallery

At SAM Shop, you can purchase books, locally made jewelry, textiles, ceramics, Native carvings, a​nd children’s toys. And SAM Gallery presents a stellar selection of original art from contemporary Northwest artists for rent or purchase.​​​​​​​ Open Wednesday–Sunday, 10 am–5 pm, during museum hours.

SAM members receive a 10% discount at SAM Shop​!

Learn More​​​

MARKET SEATTLE

A tray of fresh, delicious oysters on a bed of ice, flanked by a tiny bottle of hot sauce and a slice of lemon


Take a stroll through the culinary bounty of the sea at MARKET Fishmonger & Eatery’s newest location at the Seattle Art Museum. Pull up a chair and enjoy a dozen oysters paired with beer, wine, and frozen drinks, or take an order of Dungeness crab, lobster rolls, or fish and chips to go. Whether you’ve worked up an appetite wandering through the museum’s impressive galleries or you’re looking for a late-night bite while exploring downtown Seattle, MARKET Seattle will lure you in.

WINTER HOURS

MonDAY & TueSDAY
CLOSED
WedNESDAY – THURSDAY
10:30 am – 7 pm
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
10:30 am – 8 pm
SUNDAY
10:30 am – 7 pm

 

View Menu

Tours

Upcoming public tours can be found on our calendar.

SMARTPHONE TOURS

Smartphone tours are available on your own device for free at visitsam.org/explore. Select a thematic tour or look for the phone symbol/QR code next to selected artworks and enter the number to access multimedia content and interesting perspectives.

A verbal description version of the smartphone tour is available.

For audio-only, dial 206.866.3222.

Schoo​l Tours

​​Are you ​an educator? You can find school tour information here.​

Group Visits

SAM offers reduced admission rates to groups of 10 or more. Guided and self-guided visits are available at Seattle Art Museum.

Learn More

Plan a Venue Experience

Wow your guests by hosting your next function at the Seattle Art Museum. Easily transformed to reflect your personality and vision, SAM will make your next occasion a masterpiece with its spectacular exhibitions and stunning interiors.

We offer a variety of room options, accommodating groups of 15 to 1,500 people.

ACCESSIBILITY

The Seattle Art Museum strives to be accessible for all visitors and provides a variety of support services to assist with your visit.

Learn More

Libraries

Please note the Bullitt Library and Educator Resouce Center are closed until further notice.


Visitor Guidelines

Through art, SAM fosters creativity and builds community. We continually strive to create a safe and welcoming experience across our three locations—Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and Olympic Sculpture Park—so that all visitors are able to fully engage, learn, and be inspired by the art, programs, and events. Please take a moment to review these visitor guidelines to ensure the best experience for everyone while visiting the museum.

PLEASE DO

  • Have fun! Feel free to take your time to experience the museum’s art and spaces and enjoy your visit.

  • The museum welcomes young people and their parents and caregivers. Just remember: Young people 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

  • Service animals, defined as animals trained to do work, perform tasks, or provide medically necessary support for the benefit of an individual with a disability, are welcome in the museum. Pets are not permitted.

  • Breastfeeding is allowed throughout all three locations. Bottle-feeding is allowed in the Seattle Art Museum’s Brotman Forum downtown and the Knudsen Family Room on the third floor. At the Seattle Asian Art Museum, bottle-feeding is allowed in the Fuller Garden Court.

  • Strollers of all sizes are permitted in the galleries.

  • Bags, backpacks, and baby carriers smaller than 11"x15" may be carried by hand or worn on the front of the body in the galleries. Bags larger than 11"x15" must be left at the complimentary coat check at the Seattle Art Museum or in the self-serve lockers at the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

  • Sketching and writing in the galleries is encouraged. Please use regular lead or colored pencils only; no pens, paints, or pastels are allowed in the galleries.

  • Photography is encouraged! Non-commercial photography and videography for personal use is welcome in the galleries unless otherwise indicated by a “No Photography” icon. To protect the art, no extension cords, tripods, “selfie sticks,” flashbulbs, or artificial lighting are allowed in the galleries.

  • Be mindful and considerate of the safety and experience of others. Keep doorways and hallways accessible to other visitors. No running, rough play, or disruptive behavior is allowed. Please keep voices low and silence or use headphones with cellphones while in the galleries; no incoming or outgoing calls are allowed.

  • Please be respectful and courteous of other visitors. Abusive, harassing, discriminatory, or threatening statements or behavior toward SAM staff or visitors will not be tolerated.

  • Please follow the instructions of the museum’s security officers. They are there to ensure the safety of all staff, volunteers, and visitors as well as to protect the artworks on display.

PLEASE DON'T

  • Regardless of licenses or permits, absolutely no weapons of any kind are allowed on museum property.

  • Please do not touch any of the artworks on display. Touching harms the art, so please stay at least 12 inches away from the surface of any object. Raised platforms, stanchion, or lines around certain objects are there as a guide.

  • No food or drink of any kind, including water bottles, is allowed in the galleries.

  • No smoking or vaping is allowed inside any museum property or within 25’ of any public entrance.

  • Please leave wet coats, jackets, and umbrellas in our complimentary coat check to ensure safety.

  • Shoes, tops, and bottoms must be worn while inside the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Asian Art Museum. No bathing suit attire is permitted at either location.

  • Visitors may not wear any masks, hoods, or full face paint which obscures the majority of the face or covers the head completely. Medical masks and religious coverings are allowed.

  • No lighter-than-air (helium) balloons of any kind are allowed at the Seattle Art Museum or Seattle Asian Art Museum.

  • No plant material such as flowers, branches, leaves, or other organic material is allowed in the galleries.

Health and Safety

  • Please visit at another time if you are feeling unwell, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or are experiencing flu, cold, or other respiratory infection symptoms.

  • An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public setting. Your health and safety are our priority, but SAM can’t guarantee you won’t be exposed to COVID-19 during your visit; by visiting SAM you accept this risk of exposure.

  • SAM is a mask-friendly institution. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks for their personal safety and comfort.

SAM reserves the right to refuse or revoke the admission of any visitor whose conduct violates these guidelines or otherwise jeopardizes the safety of our staff, visitors, or the art.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question? Find answers to our most frequently asked questions.

View FAQ

Member and Visitor Policies

Please review our Member and Visitor Policies here.


Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

Learn more about Equity at SAM