Seattle's reputation as one of America's wettest cities isn't necessarily justified. With yearly rainfall of slightly more than three feet, the Emerald City is actually bested by more than forty American cities, including New York City, where nearly four feet of rain falls on average each year. But while New York City cloudbursts have their fair share of torrential rains, rain in Seattle tends to take the form of drawn-out drizzles.
Luckily, Seattle residents and visitors touring the city as part of a grand tour of the American Northwest can still enjoy many rewarding indoor activities on Seattle's less than perfect days. Topping my list of indoor recommendations is a visit to one of Seattle's many world-class museums. Here's a quick look at three of the city's most appealing attractions:
1. Seattle's Museum of Flight is the West Coast's most impressive air and space museum. Besides over fifty full-size aircraft, some flying tight formation in the museum's Great Gallery, a new exhibit called Space: Exploring the New Frontier is definitely worth a look. Opened on June 10, 2007, the Space exhibit tracks the history of space exploration from Robert Goddard's first pioneering rockets to the Apollo lunar landings, the Space Shuttle and robot spacecraft on the Moon, Mars and other planets. Open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
2. If popular music floats your boat, head to the 240-million dollar Experience Music Project. Conceived in part by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, the EMP is a absolutely unique, interactive music museum that tells the often tumultuous and defiant history of American popular music. Located close to the Seattle Center and Space Needle, the Experience Music Project is open daily during the summer from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
3. Another one-of-a-kind attraction in Seattle is the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Given that immigrants from the Pacific Rim regions played such a crucial role in developing the Pacific Northwest, the museum is focused on preserving and promoting Asian Pacific American culture, history, and art. The museum also reminds us with a permanent exhibit of the internment camps used to intern Japanese Americans during World War II.
While Seattle isn't America's wettest city, there are sure to be plenty of gray days on the city's horizons. Luckily, there are many wonderful museums that can both educate and entertain visitors on one of Seattle's rainy days.
