What's not to love about Seattle when you get the best of worlds--modern architecture and a large tech industry on one hand and on the other mountains and evergreen forests and thousands of acres of parkland. A city nestled on Puget Sound and a view of Downtown Seattle from Queen Anne Hill, with the Space Needle on the left and Mount Rainier on the right, is a testament to the city's booming economy and penchant for preserving nature. If you'd want to have a taste of both worlds then visit Seattle with the Seattle Travel Guide and Offline Map.
1. The Space Needle
One of the most iconic landmarks of the Pacific Northwest, the Space Needle was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair. It was once considered the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River and it 605 feet or 184 meters high. It ws built to withstand winds up to 200 miles per hour and earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitudes. It offers a great view of the city from up above on its observation deck and even boasts a rotating restaurant.
2. Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture is a nonprofit museum, dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. The 140,000-square-foot building houses exhibits that cover pop culture, from the art of fantasy, horror cinema, and video games to science fiction literature and costumes from screen and stage. Interactive activities included in galleries like Sound Lab and On Stage where visitors can explore hands-on the tools of rock and roll through instruments, and perform music before a virtual audience.
3. Gas Works Park
What was the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant is now a famous public park on the North shore of Lake Union. Gas Works park contains remnants of the sole remaining coal gasification plant in the United States. The plant operated from 1906 to 1956 and was bought by the City of Seattle for park purposes in 1962. Gas Works Park also features an artificial kite-flying hill with an elaborately sculptured sundial built into its summit.
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