If you work traditional hours during the week, you may have noticed that most Seattle museums close at 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. This often means that you end up battling the weekend crowds if you want to enjoy a museum visit. Well, we have good news: Seattle Art Museum will now have evening hours one day a week, offering a post-work museum option for the 9-5 crowd.
Read on for more details!
Seattle Art Museum announced new extended hours in an Instagram post this month. From now on, SAM will be open until 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays every week. The museum presents the change as an invitation for those who typically aren’t able to visit on weekdays due to work, saying in the post:
The galleries are the perfect place to unwind after a long workday, whether you’re seeking relaxation or need energy to finish the week strong. So turn off that computer, clock out, and take yourself to the art.”
SAM currently has some exciting exhibits to check out, and now you can avoid the weekend crowd. We recommend going to see Ai, Rebel: The Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei before it leaves SAM after September 7. You’ll see some of the iconic Chinese artist’s most famous and provocative works. Just be sure to get your timed tickets before you go. See more current Seattle museum exhibitions here.
The best part is that since the new evening hours fall on a Thursday, you can make the most of Free First Thursday. Every month, Seattle Art Museum and several other museums in the city offer free admission on the first Thursday. See all the free museum admission hacks in Seattle here.
If you’re looking for more Seattle museums with evening hours, the Frye Art Museum (which has free admission!), the National Nordic Museum in Ballard, and the Museum of History & Industry in South Lake Union all stay open until 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays. Also, Henry Art Gallery on the University of Washington campus is open until 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays and always has free admission.