Here’s some great news for anyone with a Seattle Public Library card: You can now use it to get into even more Seattle attractions for free. The Seattle Public Library Museum Pass program returned in the beginning of the summer after a lengthy hiatus, allowing library card holders free access to 13 museums and attractions in the city. Now the program has just added two more popular Seattle attractions, bringing the grand total to 15 locations that you can visit for free.
Read on for all the details!
Volunteer Park Conservatory
Located in Volunteer Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Volunteer Park Conservatory is a lush botanical garden housed in a Victorian-style greenhouse. You can explore the rare plant collection, a cactus house, fragrant flowers, and a gift shop. The conservatory also offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month, but using the SPL Museum Pass to reserve a visit lets you plan a free visit according to your schedule. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed Mondays).
Seattle Japanese Garden
The Seattle Japanese Garden is located within the Washington Park Arboretum and describes itself as “an oasis of tranquility in the city.” Like the Volunteer Park Conservatory and other Seattle attractions, it also participates in Free First Thursday. If you’re not able to go on that day or would like to avoid a crowd, the Museum Pass option is a convenient alternative for enjoying a free visit! Note that the Seattle Japanese Garden operates seasonally; it is closed December through February for winter maintenance. The rest of the year, you can visit Tuesday through Sunday (the garden is closed Mondays). See the full hours here.
If you don’t already own a Seattle library card, you can get started here. And once you’re ready to reserve your free visit, you can visit the library’s Museum Pass page here.