The Library’s Museum Pass program is expanding!
Museum Pass offers Library cardholders free admission to participating museums and cultural organizations. As of last week, Seattle Parks and Recreation has joined Museum Pass to provide free admission to the Seattle Japanese Garden, located in the Washington Park Arboretum, and the Volunteer Park Conservatory.
The passes are good for access on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Visit www.spl.org/MuseumPass to reserve passes to all 15 of our partner sites, which include Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Art Museum, Northwest African American Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Wing Luke Museum, and other treasured Seattle destinations.
You can reserve one pass per calendar month, and new passes are available every day after 12 p.m.
Seattle Japanese Garden
Opened in 1960, the Seattle Japanese Garden is a renowned 3.5 acre, Japanese-style stroll garden that attracts over 100,000 visitors annually. Featuring a winding path around a central pond, the garden was designed by renowned landscape designer Juki Iida.
The garden includes both traditional Japanese plant materials and Pacific Northwest natives, as well as granite rocks selected by Iida. The path and benches invite you to wander and contemplate the varied features, including stones, water, lanterns, bridges, and buildings.
Free daily guided tours are available at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and at 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month. Paid admission is $6-$10, and the garden is free on the first Thursday of every month.
Volunteer Park Conservatory
Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood’s spectacular Volunteer Park, the Conservatory is a Victorian-style, iron and glass greenhouse that opened in 1912. The living botany museum includes a combination of tropical and desert plants and environments, with sections for palms, ferns, bromeliads and cacti.
Because the plant collections feature tropical and sub-tropical species, and the air is balmy and humid, the Conservatory is known as an especially welcome stop on a cold Seattle day. But it’s always a good time to visit and browse the colorful plants and seasonal displays.
The Conservatory is free admission on the first Thursday of every month, and offers free youth admission on Saturdays (with a paying adult). Regular admission is $4-$6.
Make time to visit other attractions at Volunteer Park, including the Seattle Asian Art Museum (also part of the Museum Pass), the water tower, the great lawn, and the Black Sun sculpture by Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi.
We are grateful to Seattle Parks & Recreation for partnering with us on Museum Pass, as well as our other partners!
– Elisa M. Communications
Photos courtesy of Seattle Parks & Recreation