The Seattle Center is a large complex that encompasses the Space Needle, Experience Music Project, Pacific Science Center, Key Arena, Children's Museum, Fun Forest Amusement Park and several theaters. Each of these entities is separate and requires its own admission fee. For events going on at the Key Arena and other current happenings, check out Seattle Center . We were lucky to find free daily parking just outside the Pacific Science Center, and we visited here first.
Admission to the Pacific Science Center can be for exhibits only, IMAX only, or both. See Pacific Science Center for pricing and schedule of IMAX features. This 6 acre indoor and outdoor facility can keep you busy for hours as you experiment with the interactive exhibits. Some of my favorites are the water powered exhibits which are outside, music in motion, anti-gravity mirror, and the tests of senses. The IMAX theater has good, steep rowed seating, but the 3D goggle headsets supplied are terribly uncomfortable and I could only see out of one of my lenses.
Next we walked over to the Space Needle and paid $12 each to ascend via elevator the 605 foot tower in 41 seconds. Instead you can also pay $18 to ascend both during the day and again the same night. Space Needle has a thorough account of its history and features. The view from the observation deck is magnificent especially of the side with the downtown buildings and Mt. Rainier in the background. There are good viewing telescopes as well as helpful map photos that point out the sights below. Reservations at the revolving SkyLine restaurant on top will also give you complimentary access to the Space Needle observation deck. The restaurant completes a revolution every 47 minutes and runs on a 1/2 horsepower motor. The elevator down as could be expected opens into the gift shop.
The other major sight in this center is the Experience Music Project but we heard it was not worth the $20 admission fee. The CityPass for $35 will give you access to both the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center along with 4 other designated sights.