Seattle

Hidden gems in Seattle

Seattle’s lesser-known sites offer a mix of industrial history and eccentric urban art. This collection features the Waterfall Garden Park, built on the original site of UPS, and Oxbow Park, home to the restored 1950s 'Hat 'n' Boots' sculptures. Discover the Harry Partch Instrumentarium’s custom microtonal instruments and the 19th-century oddities of Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. From the textured Gum Wall beneath Pike Place Market to the whimsical 'Center of the Universe' sign in Fremont, these locations showcase the city's unique character.

Siobhan Doyle / CC-BY-SA

Gum Wall

The Gum Wall is a brick wall situated beneath Pike Place Market in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States.

Joe Mabel / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Waterfall Garden

Waterfall Garden Park, also called UPS Park and UPS Waterfall Park, is a private 60-by-80-foot pocket park in Seattle, Washington, created…

Joe Mabel / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop is a store founded in 1899, on the Central Waterfront of Seattle, Washington, United States.

HorsePunchKid / CC BY-SA 3.0

Harry Partch Instrumentarium

Houses a collection of custom-built, microtonal musical instruments designed by American composer Harry Partch. The collection includes unique creations like the Cloud-Chamber Bowls and the Marimba Eroica, specifically tuned to a 43-tone scale.

Joe Mabel / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Center of the Universe sign

A whimsical directional sign located in the Fremont neighborhood. It points toward various global destinations and serves as a local landmark officially designating the intersection as the center of the universe by the Fremont Arts Council.

Joe Mabel / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Oxbow Park

Located in the Georgetown neighborhood, this park features the 'Hat 'n' Boots,' a pair of colossal 1950s-era roadside sculptures. Originally part of a Western-themed gas station, these restored landmarks are iconic examples of mid-century novelty architecture.