Deal alert for Seattle families: The Pacific Science Center is back open — and offering deep discounted admission through Nov. 20. Adults pay just $10 and kids $7, making it one of the most affordable days out at Seattle Center right now. Regular surge pricing returns Nov. 21.
PacSci reopened Oct. 23 after a seven-week closure to refresh exhibits, reconfigure the space, and do some routine maintenance. The biggest change that you’ll notice right away: the the beloved courtyard is now fully public (no more talking thru the finicky speaker at the ticket booth). The gates were installed back in 1993, and PacSci’s goal is to have them completely removed by the end of May 2026 in time for the World Cup.
For the first time since 1993, PacSci’s gates are open — inviting families to wander the courtyard freely. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
Families can roam right in through the open gates, explore the landmark 1962 World’s Fair buildings, and check out the brand-new traveling exhibit, “Spiders: From Fear to Fascination.” If you’ve got kids who love creepy crawlies — or parents who need some convincing — this exhibit is surprisingly fun, hands-on, and educational. Here’s everything to know before you go, including what’s changed, what’s new, and what’s (sadly) gone for good.
The Spider Exhibit: Hands-On Highlights for Kids
After buying tickets, your first stop is to see the spiders in Exhibits West, the same building as the laser dome. It’s a traveling exhibit from Australia, on view through April 19, 2026. The special exhibit is included with your ticket.
Why spiders?
“People are really afraid of spiders,” marketing director Julie O’Mara said. “We wanted to showcase an exhibit that can help debunk the myths about spiders and why they’re so scary and educate people on how wonderful they are.”
The entrance sets the tone — immersive, interactive, and surprisingly fun for all ages. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
Spiders have been around for a long time, long before dinosaurs. You’ll learn all about these arachnids, from their mating rituals to global spider distribution.
When you enter the exhibit, the first interactive experience is an augmented reality floor projection. The virtual spiders scatter as you step across the floor. The point is, they’re more afraid of us than we are of them.
The marquee stars are the living specimens: 13 spiders, one scorpion, and one centipede. Get close up with the most misunderstood spiders (the brown recluse and the southern black widow) and a spider that eats fish (aptly named the fishing spider). The Indian ornamental tarantula is a camouflage extraordinaire and takes some sleuthing to spot.
Two of the exhibit’s most misunderstood residents — the brown recluse and southern black widow — safely on display with clear educational signage. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
The thing is, spiders are kind of tiny and hard to see, so luckily, there are great hands-on features in the exhibit. Here are our top three:
- Play a “Hungry Hungry Hippos” type game, where instead of hippos, you’re using different spider jaws to snag rubber balls. The fangs are either arranged as pincers or daggers. How good a spider would you be?
- Color in a spider, scan it, and watch your spider crawl across the big screen.
- Woo a female peacock spider with a dance-off. Warning: if she isn’t impressed by your moves, she may attack and eat her suitor.
After learning about spiders, we walked across the courtyard, and I overheard someone say, “Oh, there’s a spider!” A real, wild spider dangled from the ceiling above us. You’ll leave with a new appreciation for these eight-legged wonders.
Meet the stars of the show: real spiders and other critters on display, from fishing spiders to tarantulas. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
Big Changes at PacSci
The PacSci building was originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair, and it was meant to be a temporary exhibit space. The buildings are showing their age, the pools in the courtyard are leaking, and some sections are intentionally drained. (A $40 million renovation is needed to restore the pools — ouch!)
With the courtyard now open to the public, PacSci now has three entrances, plus two more for the IMAX theaters. The main entry is now directly opposite the Seattle Center side. The Denny entrance, which closed during the pandemic, will reopen “sometime in the future.”
“We want people to come in and explore the courtyard because it’s a wonderful space,” said O’Mara. “We’re always in line with our mission to be accessible, and I think removing the gates is a big step.”
You’re encouraged to go in the main entry to buy tickets, and there’s an attendant stationed at the other doors to check for hand stamps. The Grossology restroom, whose doors open to the courtyard, is now open to the public. PacSci has hired additional security, but if you’re like me and want peace of mind, use the restrooms inside the main entry.
Behind the ticketing desk, look below, and you’ll see the ever-popular maker and innovation lab. It’s moved downstairs.
The beloved butterfly house is still in Exhibits East, as is the Brainy Bodies exhibit that debuted earlier this year. Big Moves, next to Brainy Bodies, is made up of existing exhibits cobbled together and updated, and some brand-new pieces built during the closure. The tubes that suck in scarves alone will keep your kids entertained for a decent chunk of time.
A peek into the refreshed Maker and Innovation Lab, now relocated downstairs and buzzing with hands-on creativity. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
What’s Gone (RIP Toddlers’ Play Area and Tide Pool)
In the Exhibits East building, the tots’ play area is mostly decimated and replaced with a stage. A sad day for toddlers, but a relief for parents wringing out soggy kids at the water table.
The tide pool, once home to sea stars, anemones, and Crabigail the hermit crab, is also gone. The exhibit reached the end of its operational life, and all the critters have been rehomed to the MaST Center in Des Moines.
The biggest change in PacSci’s exhibits is that the dinosaurs have gone mostly extinct. The geriatric animatronic dinosaurs were created for an 1989 exhibit. Two exceptions: Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus are now stationed behind the ticketing desk, but they no longer move. Tyrannosaurus wears a Beanie Baby-style tag — he’s a collector’s item!
The building that housed the dinosaurs and the old live science stage is sealed off with plywood painted to match the walls. No word yet on what will take its place. “It is under development,” O’Mara said. “More to come.”
If You Go: Hours, Parking, Transit, Tickets
- Location: The Pacific Science Center is located next to the Space Needle at the Seattle Center. Enter through the open gate at Seattle Center and walk across the courtyard to the main entrance to buy tickets. The Denny Way entrance is closed.
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
- Cost: $10 adults, $7 kids through Nov. 20. Surge pricing returns Nov. 21, which means the tickets are cheaper when it’s slower. Adults $21-30, youth 3-17 $18-20, children under 3 are free.
- Parking: The closest garages are the 5th Avenue Garage, the Mercer Street Garage, and the Theater Commons ADA Parking Lot.
- Public Transit: Seattle Metro Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 13, 24 and D Line all drop off at PacSci’s entrance. The Monorail also gets you right around the corner — catch it at Westlake Center, also conveniently a stop on the Light Rail. PacSci and King County Metro have partnered up to offer one free fare on select modes of transport for adult visitors. Follow the steps here to access the offer.