Frequently Asked Questions

A: We are located in the Armory on the Seattle Center Campus.  If you look to the skyline and see the Space Needle, we are just 150 steps from the base.

A: For children from birth to 10 years old, SCM strives to foster literacy, art, language, numeracy and communication skills.

A: SCM is dedicated to demonstrating a strong spirit of collaboration. SCM has had great relationships with the early learning community in the Puget Sound. We are looking forward to reestablishing and strengthening our relationships with those in the early learning community, as well as creating new relationships with other organizations within our region.

A: SCM is located in the Armory at Seattle Center making it an easy travel destination!

Seattle Center Monorail arrives at the Armory approximately every 10 minutes as it travels from Westlake Center, which a stop along the Sound Transit Light Rail 1 Line. The Monorail also accepts ORCA cards!

Many Bus Routes also service the Seattle Center! The Metro routes include  1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 13, 24, 29, 31 and 33. Visit the King County Metro Trip Planner to plan your travel to Seattle Center!

If you choose to drive, Seattle Center offers a variety of parking options. There is also street parking available around the grounds.

A: The length of your visit depends on your little one. Some kids find themselves absorbed for hours, while others like to keep moving! Your admission price is for all day, and you have in and out privileges. Take a break for lunch or a stroll around International Fountain or experience the Artists at Play playground  and then return to the museum for more play!

A: No, and there are two reasons why. First, we are an educational facility, and our goal is for the caregiver and child to explore the Museum programming and facilities together. Second, as a family fun destination, for everyone’s safety and enjoyment children must be with an adult caregiver at all times during their visit.

Our exhibits are open to kids of all ages but are designed for kids 10 and under. We do ask our guests to help us keep Orca Cove a safe place for our littlest visitors by walking and giving priority to children under 3 years of age.

A: Yes; you can bring food into the museum as long as it stays packed away. When your group is ready to eat we ask that you either utilize our snack area in-between the Front Desk and the Corner Workshop or exit the museum and enjoy your food either in the Market Place upstairs our outside on the Seattle Center grounds. Don’t worry – your admission is good for the day! Just stop by the front desk on your way out.

We do allow water, in a spill-proof container, to be the museum and exhibit areas.

A: Pets and emotional support animals are not permitted in the Museum. However, service animals trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities are welcome. Service animals must remain under the control of their handler at all times.

A: The Seattle Children’s Museum invites everyone to engage in playful, creative, hands-on exploration and discovery to encourage active, lifelong learning.

We welcome all children and their adults, of all abilities, ages, ethnicities, genders, immigration statuses, races, religions, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses. We are committed to ensuring all guests have a positive and safe experience. We expect our staff and guests to act responsibly and be kind and considerate of others as we share this space. 

Mutual Respect: 

We value and respect our diverse visitors and staff and expect the same from our guests.  

The Seattle Children’s Museum does not tolerate rude, inappropriate, or unwelcome behavior toward other guests or employees, whether verbal, physical, or visual. Use or display of obscene or abusive language is prohibited. If you notice any of this type of behavior, please notify staff.  

Museum staff reserves the right to refuse admission, revoke membership, and/or remove any person without refund for any reason. This includes violating these Visitor Policies or exhibiting unsafe, inappropriate or disruptive behavior, or behavior likely to cause damage.  

Adult Supervision:  

Adult guests are responsible for the supervision of their children at all times. No children are allowed in the Museum without an adult.  

Allowed Items: 

You may bring the following to the Museum:  

• Water or drinks in lidded (preferably spill-proof) containers  
• Food, as long as it stays packed away  
• Service animals 

You may not bring the following to the Museum:  

• Drinks in unlidded or easy-to-spill containers 
• Pets and emotional support animals 
• Firearms or weapons of any kind 

The Museum reserves the right to add, withdraw, or otherwise modify these policies as it deems necessary at any time. Please contact Museum staff with any questions, needs, or concerns.  

A:
SCM Members: Free
WA Residents (Ages 1-65): $16 
Non-WA Residents (Ages 1-65): $18
Under 1: Free

A:
Association of Children’s Museums (ACM): 50% off for up to six (6) people
Seniors (65+): $2 off for WA & Non-WA residents
Military Gold Star: free admission for the family
Military Blue Star: Free admission for active-duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserves, and their families starting on Armed Forces Day and running through Labor Day
Museums for All: $5 per person with EBT, CHIP, Provider One, WIC, or Apple Health
Northwest Association of Youth Museums (NWAYM): 25% off up to four (4) people

Please note all specialty discounts outside of those listed above issued prior to our re-opening in 2022 are no-longer eligible for use. 

A: All specialty discounts and coupons issued prior to the museum’s re-opening in 2022 are no longer eligible for use. Please visit https://seattlechildrensmuseum.org/visit for information on our year-round discounts for groups such as Museums For All, Northwest Association of Youth Museums (NWAYM), Association of Children’s Museum (ACM), and Military Gold Star. SCM also participates in the Museum Pass program with the Seattle Public Library.

A: “Museums for all” is a nationwide initiative that aims to ensure that every family and child has access to a high quality museum experience. Families with EBT, CHIP, WIC, Provider One, or Apple Health are able to access SCM offerings at discounted rates. Proof of qualification is required at the time of admission purchase.

A: We offer flexible plans designed to fit your unique family size:

• Family Membership: Starts at 1 Adult + 1 Child. You can add up to 3 additional family members for $50 each!

• Family Flex (Best Value): This upgrade gets you the flexibility of an unnamed guest (like a nanny or grandparent) and gives you reciprocal discounted admission to our local NWAYM organizations and ACM museums nationwide.

Payment Options: Choose between a one-time Annual Payment or a budget-friendly Monthly Payment Plan (requires a 12-month commitment).

Visit our membership page to review our options and purchase your membership!

A: Memberships can be purchased online, over the phone, or in-person at the Seattle Children’s Museum front desk. Please note, that Memberships are active immediately upon purchase and good for a year of play.

A: To help lessen our paper waste, SCM has launched Digital Membership Cards with PassPlay. The primary member will receive an email within 72 hours of purchase with Digital Card installation instructions.

Until you receive your card, you can always provide your first and last name to SCM Museum Staff to be looked up in our system.

A: Absolutely! If you’d like to request a Physical Membership Card for an Annual Membership, please fill out the Membership Card Request form here. Physical Membership Cards will be ready for pick up at Seattle Children’s Museum’s front desk within 5 business days.

A: For Digital Membership Cards, please check your spam folder if you haven’t received the registration email within 72 hours. If the email cannot be located, request a new one here.

For Physical Membership Cards, we print in batches and aim to have cards ready within 5 days. Check-in with the front desk on your next visit for the status of your card request.

A: Occasionally, Seattle Children’s Museum hosts Museum Takeover Events with a different ticket price that your Membership will not cover. Your Membership, will however, earn you a discount for these Takeover events.

A: Guest passes were retired from memberships in April of 2026. Families with an active Bonus or Choice level memberships are still able to use any guest passes they have available. Upon Museum entry, let the front desk know you’d like to redeem your guest pass(es) and our staff will assist.

Guest passes have been replaced with a more consistent benefit on the Family Memberships with the 25% off admission for up to two guests on every visit.

A: It’s easy! Simply select your preferred membership level and follow the same checkout process as a standard membership. Just be sure to check the “This is a gift” box during registration to enter the recipient’s details.

Please note: Gift memberships are activated immediately upon purchase. The buyer is responsible for informing the recipient, and we offer printable gift slips to help you celebrate the surprise!

Want to let them choose their own level? The Museum also offers digital gift cards which can be used toward memberships, programs, or anything else SCM offers.

A: Museums for All (MFA) families receive 75% off annual plans. MFA discounts can only be applied when purchasing a membership in person.

Museums For All is a Nationally recognized program aimed at increasing museum-access to all families regardless of their background. Those receiving benefits from SNAP, EBT, WIC, CHIP, Provider One, Apple Health, or similar are eligible for this program, earning discounted museum admission and registration to museum programs and hundreds of institutions across the United States.

Please note: MFA discounts can only be applied to annual memberships and cannot be used toward monthly payment plans.

A: Visit our membership page!

A: We offer flexible plans designed to fit your unique family size:

• Family Membership: Starts at 1 Adult + 1 Child. You can add up to 3 additional family members for $50 each!

• Family Flex (Best Value): This upgrade gets you the flexibility of an unnamed guest (like a nanny or grandparent) and gives you reciprocal discounted admission to our local NWAYM organizations and ACM museums nationwide.

Payment Options: Choose between a one-time Annual Payment or a budget-friendly Monthly Payment Plan (requires a 12-month commitment).

Visit our membership page to review our options and purchase your membership!

A: Now more than ever, kids and families need a wonderful place to play, learn, and spend time together and it’s only possible with help from individuals, businesses and community institutions. Visit our website today to donate! And please ask your employer if they will match your charitable gifts.

Your generosity will be fully tax deductible to the extent of the law and will sustain the Seattle Children’s Museum and ensure great museum experiences for children today and into the future.

A: SCM offers gift memberships! When purchasing a membership online check the box that says “This membership is a gift.” and complete the order. Gifted Memberships are active immediately and the recipient will receive an email from SCM about their membership along with any gift messaging you included within 1 week of purchase.

We do not currently offer gift cards/certificates.

Seattle Children’s Museum’s full Gift Acceptance Policy may be viewed HERE.

A: Seattle Children’s Museum’s Donor Privacy Policy may be viewed HERE.

A: Your health and safety are a top priority.

We use the following cleaning procedures so that we can safely welcome you into the museum: 

• All public areas of the Museum are cleaned and disinfected regularly. 
• All spaces are deep cleaned after the Museum closes with an electrostatic spray disinfectant killing viruses and bacteria. 
• All exhibit props/toys are on rotation to ensure deep cleaning and maintenance. 
• All restrooms are cleaned regularly throughout the day and deep cleaned each night. 
• All cleaning and disinfecting products and usage meet CDC guidelines. 
• SCM offers Mask up Mornings on Sundays where masks are required until noon (12pm) for all visitors ages 3 years and older, providing dedicated time with additional health precautions for families with immunocompromised members. Masks always available to visitors upon request at the front desk. 

A: Seattle Children’s Museum holds Mask Up Mornings one day a week from opening until Noon to accommodate for children and families who may not yet be fully vaccinated against infectious diseases, COVID, or the seasonal flu. We want to ensure everyone has a safe space to play and explore, especially those who may be immunocompromised.

A: Mask Up Mornings are held on Sundays from open until Noon.

A: To ensure safety at all times, we ask that guests read SCM’s Code of Conduct and abide by all included policies during their visit.

• Place toys that have been in a child’s mouth in a Mouthed Toy Bin, which will then be cleaned and sanitized by museum staff. Mouthed Toy Bins are available throughout the museum. 
• Wash your hands with soap and water regularly. 
• Please notify staff right away if an area or object needs attention.  
• We welcome all families to visit when they are healthy and ready to play. For the safety of other visitors and Museum staff, we ask you to keep your child home if they are not well.