Seattle Tours and City Information

ENGAGE the culture...

Seattle offers locals and visitors a host of exciting and varied cultural activities. (How else do you think we tolerate all the rain?) Unique museums, galleries, and public art celebrate the spirit, history, industry, and people of the city and the Northwest, including the many racial and ethnic communities that contribute to a rich cultural landscape. An array of live music - classical, jazz, opera, blues and alternative - is played on the street and in clubs, churches, and in major concert venues. Nationally recognized theater productions are often matched by local plays staged by small and cutting-edge theater companies. Seattleites are avid readers and spend many hours browsing in bookstores and libraries and attending readings by award winning local authors. Independent and specialized bookstores can still be found around the city and Rem Koolhaas' downtown Seattle Public Library is a "must see" for any visiting librarian. Seattle is one of the most educated cities in the United States and is home to several universities and community colleges. Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, and the University of Washington include notable campus architecture and library collections; all are within easy reach from the downtown area. See the conference wiki for details about Seattle attractions, museums, libraries, and more.

EXTEND your experience...

Extend your experience geographically to the North, South, East, and West - or experientially to another culture. For a change of scene from city life, travel north to the beautiful islands of Puget Sound, where bookshops and breathtaking scenery are found beyond the next bend in the road. Or go west to the temperate rain forests of the Olympic National Park and its verdant valleys and ancient cedars. To the east of the city and beyond, nationally recognized vintners await to tempt you with their award-winning wines. If you are headed south, visit the Museum of Flight. Or take a train to nearby Tacoma and its amazing Museum of Glass. Weather permitting, venture further south to Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument or majestic Mt. Rainier. You don’t need to go far to learn more about the indigenous peoples of the region. Begin with the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture (on the University of Washington Campus) and the Seattle Art Museum's collections of Indian art and artifacts. Then pay a visit to the Daybreak Star Cultural Center and Art Gallery in West Seattle’s Discovery Park. Farther flung museums throughout the area reflect the heritage and cultures of local tribes, including the Snoqualmie and the SuQuamish,whose leader was Chief Seattle, for whom the city was named. Visit the conference wiki to find more ways to extend your visit beyond Seattle.