Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture

Made a special trip to the Burke Museum while the Rare Air exhibit was on display. I went with a friend on a Sunday. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that free parking was available on a Sunday, so that was a great bonus! I was greeted by Sophie, who is currently a Receptionist at the Burke. She is personable and knowledgeable about the current exhibits on display. She made me feel welcomed and even more excited about my visit. The Rare Air Exhibit is happening from now through March 31, 2025. I highly recommend attending if you are a bird, bee, or bat lover. The art is fantastic and the displays are filled with a ton of fun knowledge. It was great to re-experience the permanent displays at the Burke, as well as to see what the scientists and staff are working on there too! Overall, the admission is worth it! Go support this institution and the work that they do. You won’t regret it.

Fantastic museum. The first floor features Arts and Cultures, the second floor is dedicated to Biology, and the third floor focuses on Paleontology and Archaeology. My favorite part of this museum is that, no matter which floor you're on, you can see workspaces and, at times, people working on their projects within those spaces. The Biology floor has a dissection area (prep lab) where you can watch people working on animals. I’m always surprised to see many children there watching. The preparation of animals can be quite graphic, but I think it’s a good way to learn about this aspect of the life cycle. The museum's organization is also impressive. Each workspace has a whiteboard containing information about what you're observing. During my recent visit, I saw an employee working on the remains of a Pachycephalosaurus. He also had a mini lego display of his workspace—super cute and creative.

Awsome well done museum of natural history and I love how they show the prehistoric side of Seattle and Washington state. Its 3 levels. Lots to see . They got kid areas. Elevator , washrooms, food place , gift shop, parking , and they give discount if you have a public transportation ticket. Lots of indigenous artifacts , its nearby bus stops and U-district station. You can get tickets at the door ...staff friendly and they have scientists doing live work on site too .

Wow what a beautiful museum and fun interactive museum great for all ages. My favorite part was the many active science labs with work archeologists and biologists. This reminds me of the Museum of Natural History in NYC, wow UW well done!

A wonderful and informative museum with displays put together very well! A few of the exhibits were interactive as well, I quite enjoyed this museum. Admission is free for all University of Washington students.

The museum was top-notch, well laid out and easy to navigate. High interest exhibits and it is amazing to see that it has working labs so patrons can see the work and time that goes into it. I took my 5 year old with me and he was fascinated by many of the exhibits and specimens. Staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Bathrooms were clean. We visited during Dino Fest which was fun but I honestly need to learn to not attend things during events as they are too crowded. Parking was also an absolute nightmare, the lot was full near the museum. It is adjacent to UW's campus and housing, which made other parking options unavailable. We parked a half mile away and walked, it took me 30 minutes to find a place to park. I thought it was maybe graduation weekend but Dino Fest was a week earlier. So I'd advise checking campus events before attending. We also bought tickets in advance which was good because the event was full when we got there.

One of the Coolest places in Seattle, children, families, and future paleontologists would love it. Lowkey we should incorporate more museums that should include fossils, animals, prehistoric artifacts, early humans, primates, paleontology, etc.

A great space for kids and families who love science and biology! We went for the fossils and stayed for the kids activities. Special exhibit displays kept the topics and concepts shifting from floor to floor, and kept things interesting for even the youngest museum-goers.

A fun little museum next to the University of Washington's Seattle campus. It's free entry for all students! I would definitely recommend visiting at least once, if not more, especially if you are a student. I know most people think these types of museums are for children but I found it to be quite fun still :) It has 3 floors full of cool artifacts and historical information. When I went, there was even a live dissection of a ball Python going on (Saturday morning). That is just so cool. Sometimes there's other special events going on as well, so check out their website for the most up to date information. All the staff are very kind and knowledgeable. There is a large paid parking lot and it's also very close to the university district light rail.

We were able to score a parking spot ($4/hr) in front of this musuem. Enjoyed reading about the Northwest Native art, cultural pieces, and evolution of life depicted in the sample artifacts. What's cooler were the scientists sitting behind large glass windows excavating fossils right in front of our eyes and dissecting an animal (otter) as well. Free Thursday at the beginning of the month. There were some large tables & chairs at the entrance for people to sit and rest or eat. There is a dining space if you wanted to dine there as well. I took a photo of the menu. The giftshop was alright. There is also a Starbucks Coffee mobile truck nearby. Note - All gender bathrooms at this location

A great museum located in the U District and is a short walk from the light rail. The museum is clean and has friendly staff. The multiple floors of this museum has such a variety of artifacts to see. Each artifact was well explained and there are working labs that you can view. After seeing the museum, top off the experience with a bite from Off the Rez. It makes the whole trip complete.

I have lived in seattle a long time and had no idea we had a good dinosaur exhibit locally! I expect knowledge of this getting out is due to their recent remodel right around the pandemic. It's a small museum, but definitely worthwhile. I think their ticket prices are appropriate to the size. We had a few favorite parts: 1. The dinosaurs! My 3yo was thrilled 2. Watching scientists work on site! I love how they have offices set up so that as scientists work on fossils and biological specimens you can watch on. Very cool 3. Acknowledgement of native washington tribes, and true stories behind how their land was stolen. It's a hard history to acknowledge and many historical places skirt around the truth

Exciting and fresh! The specimens on the second floor were thrilling! The variety of species and curation of evolution was remarkable. Seeing the research labs was cool! it made the experience even more interesting. If you like coffee, check out the Off the Rez coffee shop! One of the best cappuccinos I've had in the US.

I would highly recommend going here as a resident or a tourist. It gives you a small snippet about the Indigenous Nations in Washington and Seattle. Provides context for the city. There is also a Cafe that is partially Native owned. I also would recommend taking public transportation because parking is short and expensive.

This museum is located on the scenic campus of the University of Washington. I was really impressed with the layout of the museum. It's narrower than most, but manages to fit a decent amount of information and exhibits inside. Expect to see about two different exhibits on each of the museum's 3 floors. I learned that the museum was updated in 2019 which was apparent since the whole building seemed not only modern, but sleek. I learned a few things about the natural history of Seattle, but also it's native people. My favorite part of the museum were the windows that showed visitors a glimpse at what research looks like behind glass windows. There's a lot of fossils and specimens of different creatures to view. I was able to walk around and get about 1.5 hours of entertainment.

I was in the area for my annual Cherry Blossom trip (yay for it being open to the public again!) and was looking for some other things to do in order to make the trip worth it. I love me a good museum and the Life in One Cubic Foot special exhibit sounded like something right up my alley. I love the fact that there are working research labs all over the building and you can actually see what they're doing! Most of the labs have a sign telling you what they're doing and many of the projects have social media accounts. Spread out over three floors, there's a lot of science to go around here. You start off with a lot of indigenous people art (a lot of which is local), work your way around to biology where there's a lot of persevered/taxidermied specimens, and end up with archaeology and paleontology. All of the exhibits do a good job of related things back to current times and it made for an entertaining morning. A little overpriced in my opinion, but it was still a nice experience.

Interesting exhibits and great to see scientists, etc working on bones, specimens and research when they are there. The collection is pretty interesting, you can easily spend 1-2 hours looking around. Great local and regional exhibits and specimens. The life in one cubic foot exhibit is very interesting. Some interactive things for kids throughout the museum as well. It's priced fairly, ages 18+ are adult prices, discounts for veterans, free for UW students. The museum is over 3 floors but there are elevators around so it is very accessible for all. No food, drink, or backpacks in the museum and lockers are available for free to store things in while you are walking around.

To less to show, ticket price so expensive, hopefully more glass from more artist. Huge building but feeling empty

Of all the places I visited while on my six-day trip to Seattle, I was actually closest to The Burke Museum. It was only a couple of blocks and sits squarely in the University District. Formally known as The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, this museum was established in 1899 as the Washington State Museum and actually finds its roots as a high school naturalist club all the way back in 1879. The Burke Museum is the oldest museum in Washington and has more than 16 million artifacts including the world's largest collection of spread bird wings. The museum temporarily closed in 2018 before re-opening in Oct. 2019 in its current location. The re-opening includes all new exhibits. The museum is on 3 floors. The first floor includes Contemporary Culture with an exhibit "Culture is Living" and "Northwest Native Art." The second floor Biology with an "Amazing Life" exhibit. The third floor includes Paleontology with "Fossils Uncovered" (which seems to be the most popular exhibit) and Archaeology with "Our Material World." There's also a special exhibit gallery on the second floor that currently includes "Cruisin' Around Washington." Because of the pandemic, the museum is still limiting crowds and you have to reserve admission at a particular time. All galleries, restrooms, and museum spaces are designed according to ADA specifications (as a wheelchair user myself, I'll attest to them meeting them). Burke also offers, on a first-come, first-serve basis - wheelchairs, fidget bands, folding cane seats, and visors/noise-reducing ear muffs. Service animals are allowed. Companion animals are not. Caregivers also receive free admission. Additional accommodations may be available - they prefer 10 days notice when possible. (I gave no notice and was fine). Admission is free on the 1st Thursday of the month. Burke also offers free or discounted admissions to EBT/Snap Cardholders, University of Washington staff, students, faculty, and retirees, AAA Members (with ID card), Military Personnel and families (with ID), Microsoft Prime Passport Holders, and Seattle Public Library Summer Action Participants (free admission for 2 with a completed activity book). They also participate in multiple reciprocal admission programs. Seattle's first Native food truck, Off the Rez, also serves the museum. As the museum is actually on the University of Washington campus, parking is generally UW parking rates as follows: Weekdays 6 am - 4 pm , $4/hr or $17 all-day; $6 flat fee after 4 pm $6 flat fee on Saturdays until 12 pm, except C1-C6 Central Plaza Garage, where the flat fee is $12 FREE after 12 pm on Saturdays and all day Sundays The Burke Museum is a very cool museum. It's family and disability friendly and certainly worth a visit. I'd probably call it more academic in nature - I'm not sure how much I'd call it "fun" but it's educational, informative, and engaging.

The newly remodeled and reopen (as of October 2019) Burke Museum is a fantastic dinosaur haven. Enjoy the window-full space with learning opportunities at each step. Classrooms, work spaces and displays of all things prehistoric. It can get crowded with class field trips and teachers/chaperones who don't reign in their wild and loud children, but the space itself is quite fantastic. Some areas of the museum are still being curated and completed, but the presentation is thoughtful, clean and easy to navigate.

So...the museum is closed for major renovations and is scheduled for completion in October 2019. Once it reopens in the fall, it will be a revolutionary museum where visitors can literally see through the walls and discover all that's been hiding behind them. Then why post a review... Reciprocal benefits until the new museum opens. This has been one of the most useful museum passes that we have ever purchased. The card allows admission to over 700 museums, science centers, art galleries, historic homes and cultural centers both in the US and abroad. Some of the museums that we have visited via the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM) include, but are definitely not limited to, the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, Canada, the High Museum and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia, the Richard Driehaus Museum in Chicago, and the Beauregard-Keyes House and Presbytere in New Orleans. The ROAM (Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums) has also been useful. Favorite museums include the Atlanta History Center and Swan House in Atlanta, the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Sculpture Garden, and the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. The ASTC Travel passport has also allowed us to visit the Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem and the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto are also great science centers on this card. And of course, the annual pass will give you unlimited early access to the New Burke and a chance to meet the curators at the annual Members' Behind-the-Scenes Night once it reopens. Special thanks to Melisa in the museum membership office. It has been a great membership for our family and a nice gift for our friends.

Had a field trip with my son's school to the Burke Museum today. This is a brand new museum with amazing dinosaurs fossils and you can actually see geologists working in their open offices! This is super educational and fun place for elementary kids or. Anyone interested in cultural and geology displays. The fossils exam activities they have for kids were excellent!

A fairly small museum with a significant number of exhibits. Beautiful exterior architecture, modern interiors. A variety of anthropology and paleontology. Fun for kids and families.

I would absolutely love this museum if parking wasn't so traumatizing..... maybe I've been out of the habit of difficult parking for too long..... but it wasn't good. The Burke website states that there is parking available on site - that is technically true.... though what it doesn't say is that anyone, including students and university staff can park there..... so if you arrive after 8:30 in the morning, your best bet is the public parkade at the Henry Art Gallery about a 10 minute walk away. Even that isn't so easy..... there is ONE entrance where you can access the actual public parking, the other levels are unmarked reserved parking..... you will know if you are in the wrong place because there is no indication of how to pay for parking (and of COURSE its not free!) If you are lucky enough to find a legal place to park your car, you will need to pay the fees on line using the code for the garage..... in summary: Next time we will take the bus. The MUSEUM however was 10 star. We went for a school field-trip and were treated incredibly well. It was easy to book, good communication about questions (though we didn't think to ask about parking) and VERY affordable for a public school. The field trip was primarily self-guided in small groups around the museum and the kids LOVED it. We basically had the space to ourselves until a 2nd group arrived - and even then, it was not overrun by children. We will definitely continue to support the Burke museum.... and public transit.

Love this place !!! And they are so nice. I found a fossil and they had me come down and they took a look at it to determine what it was. Great bunch of guys It wasn't a fossil at all it was a tree root lmao we all had a good laugh thanks guys :) they were so kind. Thank you !!

Nice museum for a university with a focus on local natural history, although I will agree with other reviewers that the new museum does also include many more global exhibits as well. I used to to stop by the old museum's coffee shop on the way to classes at UW, and the new museum is quite an upgrade (cafe is still good). The exhibits are well done, although for $19 (adults) it seems a bit pricey. One thing that is unique is that there are windows that allow visitors watch museum researches and employees at work. Tip - there is currently free admission through early October thanks to generous donor(s).

We visited the Burke Museum as a celebration field trip after finishing our Wonders of the Prehistoric World (Blossom & Root) science unit. My kiddos are 12, 9 and 8 years old and they really enjoyed the prehistoric exhibits! You do have to pay for parking. I really wouldn't bother with street parking since they have such a pretty large parking lot available for visitors. It was our first time using the pay by phone option and it was pretty easy to figure out. I believe there are also pay machines nearby, so that is an option as well. The museum also has a Café. We didn't eat here, but it is available if anyone who needs a snack during their visit. You can see a huge Mammoth skeleton from the parking lot, which my kids were very excited to see! We visited while restrictions for COVID-19 were in place. They had arrows on the floor to help guide everyone through "one way" and of course, masks were required. Eating and drinking was restricted to the Café and an area near the entrance. They also required 6 feet social distancing and elevators were only allowed one "pod" at a time, as well as all the usual restrictions you see almost anywhere now. So it felt as safe as a place can be during this time. We spent most of our time on the top floor (where all the prehistoric fossils were), so this review is mostly for that area in particular. My kids also loved that you could see into their work areas. The Mammoth was a big hit and the plesiosaurs was huge! They really enjoyed seeing the history they were learning about coming to life for them. We also saw a dinosaur nest with eggs and the skull of a T-Rex. So there is plenty there to keep young kiddos occupied for an hour or two. We may not have had a chance to see what history was on the other floors, but everything looked amazing. You might need about 1-2 hours to see everything. We were done in about an hour. So it isn't a place you would spend all day, but a nice stroll through history for a few hours would do anybody good. Helpful note: No need to stop for the parking attendant (?) on your way into and out of the UW campus (you have to go through the UW entrance to get to the Burke Museum parking lot). I ended up stopping traffic twice on my way in and out since they are right there and it seems as though you need to stop for them (and I wasn't the only one). But they told me to drive through, so I'm not entirely sure why they are there in the first place? But just drive through and head over to the Burke Museum parking lot (first lot on your right).

I highly recommend a visit to this museum while in Seattle. What an amazing job they did preserving and displaying 100's of animal species and fossils! It's part of UW, so you can stroll through campus as part of your outing. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 only because the gift shop was lacking. It would be a good opportunity for them to make some $ selling UW or Seattle swag to visiting tourists.

I was pleasantly surprised by the new remodel of this museum. The last time I was here has to be about a decade ago, but the way its designed now really helps give you an appreciation for the art and science of doing things like discovering and digging up fossils (a bucketlist item for me as a child), learning about ancient cultures and civilizations, climate change over the years etc. Large windows let you see scientists do their daily work, which was pretty cool, and the exhibits, facts and storytelling were thought provoking. It definitely puts a lot of things into perspective coming face to face with forces and creatures so big and small and the intricate balance between them all. Despite ice ages, volcano eruptions, temperature changes etc, here we are, and hopefully continue to be... One thing I was a bit sad about was how small the exhibit was honoring First Nations people and culture - it felt like almost an afterthought vs something that used to be focal and highlighted at this museum in the past. Maybe they will make better use of the first floor to further expand this exhibit in the future? Another note: the design and layout is nice but if you happen to come on a first Thursday, that place can be jam packed, super noisy because of how the acoustics travel (nice there is a little rest/quiet area on one of the floors to recharge), and because of the location of the staircases, hallways by the labs can be quite bottlenecked and chaotic... but dont let it discourage you from discovering what the place has to offer.

Solid museum, I learned a lot. Came on their first free thursdays around 6pm, there was still a decent amount of parking. My favorite part was the staff section on their cultural tattoos. It's a special exhibit so check it out.

The Burke Museum is aesthetically pleasing. It is artfully laid out and the architecture is nice to look at. On my visit with my aunt to the museum in January 2020 there were a number of people with sketchpads drawing/sketching different things in the museum. Fun to see what they chose to draw. For the exhibits, a lot was covered though not with much detail and not with much in relation to Seattle or the Pacific Northwest. Some of the wording used in the exhibits rubbed me the wrong way, it came across as too forceful in trying to push a particular view or idea rather than striking an informative tone. I'm glad I went, it is useful to remember that some people use this style of writing in communication. In recent years a number of museums previously dedicated to the Pacific Northwest and the greater Seattle area have been converted to a more global approach. This means the museums cover less about the area, the people of the area, and the history of the area. Instead the museums cover things that may or may not be applicable to the area in which they are located. The Burke Museum is one of those museums. Bring back more local history and culture and this would have been a better experience.

This is a first class facility providing a wonderfully educational and fun experience. I highly recommend visiting the Burke.

Hesitantly, I give three stars. The facility and the displays and exhibits (presentation) are all high end and class. New to town I picked up a seattle library card, which gave me access to museums. I figured it was a way to keep me educated. Parking was a challenge. There are a few spots directly in front of the museum and after looping back through only to find more people with blinks on indicating they are taking the spot even if there wasn't anyone in the vehicle. There's a lot directly off campus for $5 that I would recommend. Again the facility is beautiful and impressive. There are a ton of students in labs or classrooms dedicated for archeology or art preservation and others. I don't know what I was expecting. I found the information on indigenous people and their culture fascinating. They did a great job displaying and including all of the nations. I'm always fascinated by the many languages and cultures that are in this world. There is audio playing overhead so you can hear and experience the language. The other main areas was dedicated to dinosaurs. I could be mistaken however I came away from the museum thinking that was good however the information on display (dinosaurs) was from another area on the globe and not from the Seattle area. It would have been more interesting if the entire museum was dedicated to the history and preservation of the greater Seattle area so I could have learned more about the area, it's people (like the indigenous peoples exhibit), and how we've learned from mistakes of the past in order that we may preserve the land for future generations.

This place is good for kids especially the dinosaur sections. They can get to touch and feel the fossil models and seems like there are few activities that kids can do. Down stairs has cool artifacts from Natives and Asia. It is very small museum and it is more like a place for research. It only took me 30 mins to look around. Free on 1st Thursday of the month. No private parking space here so I had to do the street parking out side of campus. Visiting once is enough with paying $10 for such a small museum. At least, I now can say that I have been there.

The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture has undergone quite a renovation. Three levels of exhibits with more to come. They added a paid parking lot where the old Burke museum stood. You are greeted by volunteers and a 66 million-year-old T.rex skull that museum volunteers discovered in Montana in 2015. Also at the entrance is Off the Rez Cafe which was quite packed at noon. I got to see museum volunteers working on pieces like a Jaguar from the Woodland Park&Zoo that had died of old age. They had the head, body and bones carved up; something that the faint of heart should avoid. Other attractions at the lobby level are the skeletons of a mastodon and a beaked whale, plus a gleaming glass monument done up in Coast Salish style. Check out the totem poles and other artifacts from Northwest tribes. Check out the 37-foot-long Kwakwaka'wakw raiding canoe that's decorated with an eagle gripping a salmon in each set of its talons. The museum shows off much more than old bones and baskets: When you head up from the lower-level lobby and classrooms, the exhibits on the first floor highlight the past and present of the indigenous people -- ranging from hand-carved canoes to snowboards and other contemporary items that reflect the themes of Northwest Coast art. The second floor focuses on the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest, with a gallery set aside for rotating exhibits. The top floor is where you'll find the T. rex and the mammoth, surrounded by the skeletons of a saber-toothed cat, a giant ground sloth and other ancient creatures. On every floor, museum-goers will be able to look through glass walls to watch experts work on specimens in climate-controlled workrooms. There'll be activities for children as well -- including a tent that's outfitted with kid-appropriate tools of the naturalist's trade, and a dress-up corner with "camouflage capes" that the little ones can wear to blend in with animal environments. Check out the new Burke and be prepared to be amazed!

We went here for Father's Day, as I am very interested in Dinosaurs and Marine life, also seeing animals you wouldn't normally see up close. My wife planned it for us to go and visit, and let me just say the Museum did not disappoint I had an absolute blast reading all the information based upon habitats and what the skeletons of different animals look like. First floor was all of the indigenous humans that lived in the different areas of Washington, displaying a loom, basket weaving tools, different carvings, dolls, etc. The clothing and language I was most interested in viewing as I am Indian, from Alaska (Tlingit). Learned a few new words in another language so that was fun! Second floor was all animals, and let me tell you, seeing different species up close and personal, you definitely get a fresh look at what predatory animals look like in a safe viewing location. Many of our backyard species were part of the displays and I was hypnotized by all of the beauty that nature is. Third Floor were the DINOSAURS! Numerous skeletons and skulls of giants that roamed our earth long ago! I was so giddy inside just gazing upon the wooly mammoth and sabertooth tigers, remembering my childhood being filled with dinosaur shows and national geographic documentaries. I highly recommend visiting this Museum if you love history, nature, and the different species that are part of our PNW. Definitely coming back to read all of the exhibits info when I get more time!

My wife and I were at the University of Washington for 13 years combined, and neither of us knew the spot really existed until we started looking for dinosaur exhibits for our kids. This museum is a delight! Upon walking in you're greeted by some friendly folks at the counter who gave great directions and some nice suggestions for things to do for the little dudes. The dinosaur exhibit was quite impressive. It was a nice synopsis about dinosaurs who had lived in the area as well as the volcanoes that were in the area. There was enough interactive stuff to keep the little guys entertained, and enough scholarly type to get the rest of us interested in learning. We are by no means scholars on the subject of dinosaurs, however there are only so many cartoon T Rex figures that will keep my attention! A couple times during the morning there was an interactive kids exhibit where they could color, draw and learn about animal fossils. It was a nice way for them to learn about the history of the area. Another nice exhibit was one that had a lot of different types of birds, as well as some binoculars for the kids to look through, a bunch of stuffed animals and a small log cabin to play around in. We lasted a couple hours, and really that's about all we can expect. There was plenty to keep all of us out of trouble and I feel like we all learn something while we were there! Mixing fun and learning, Way to go Burke museum!

UW students get in free, so if you're a student that's definitely something to take advantage of. It's a nice COVID safe place to walk around with friends and escape the rain. The exhibits are nice to look at and it's a pretty sweet child friendly place. Never too crowded in my experience, but they've got arrows on the floor to direct the flow of traffic pretty well, so it's kinda like there's a set path fir you to follow throughout the museum. It's really relaxing here and honestly, next time I might just bring my sketchbook, come alone, and stay for awhile. The staff are also always super friendly

This museum is located at university of Washington. We decided to come here because of my daughter's current obsession with dinosaurs. There isn't onsite parking so you'll have to park to a nearby parking lot but we did not have to pay for it due to the weekend. It started to rain so we had to walk in the rain to get there. That was quite annoying. The museum itself is pretty neat but very smallThe main floor has basically the dinosaur exhibit and the lower level had a big collection of artificats from different cultures. I do think the museum could offer more programs to keep kids more involved and entertained to help spark that interest. My 4 year old lost unfortunately her interest very quickly. So my stay wasn't that long. The heat in that building was pretty hot and made it very uncomfortable to be in. Toward the end I was happy to get out because I couldn't handle the temperature anymore.

This is a kid friendly museum where the exhibits often allow the children to touch, contribute or actively think about what is being presented. The main floor is dedicated to dinasours and fossils and their history especially as it relates to Washington state. Surprisingly, most of the artifacts come from other states. The basement is a hodge-pode of Pacific Rim cultural exhibits (Samoan, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Maouri). There are also some Mexican and Chinese cultural exhibits. Again, great for kids who have a short attention span and want just a smidge of information before moving onto the next "cool" artifact. I came on a Monday morning when school kids were touring. They were loud and having fun. Stations had been setup for them to rotate and explore. They seemed actively engaged, but it made it less fun for me as I couldn't find a quiet space where I could enjoy the exhibits in the basement. If you have kids, bring them here. Most adults have learned the information in this museum when they were in grade school, so I would save your $10 (general admission) and spend it elsewhere. Free on 1st Thursday of the month, but unless you have kids, your time is better spent elsewhere.

Soon as we walked into the Biology Exhibits, I fell in love! Best museum ever in my opinion. Reminds you of how much diversity of life there is in the world. Beautiful!

Really fun place to go, I love how some parts are interactive. The little food area has good food too.

A new building is under construction to relocate the museum, so I was a little confused about where to go for the current exhibits; signage wasn't very clear to me. I attended the museum on the first Thursday with free admission and was glad I didn't pay. It's clear that this is a museum on a university campus, because there was nothing that blew me away. Perhaps it is a more engaging place if you come with children.

This was a huge disappointment for me. I spent time as an undergrad at the UW studying Pacific NW native art and took my kids to the museum often when it was in its old iteration. I love the new exterior architecture so I was excited to see how the art and craft inhabited the space. If you are interested in the art, don't go. There isn't much. This is now a museum of natural history and pan pacific culture, primarily geared toward kids. If you know much of anything about the geology or biology of the area, you'll be ahead of what they have to offer. This was a one off. I might take kids at a later date but sad to say I won't go for myself again. And I went so often in the past...

Honestly, the new Burke is disappointing. The exhibits feel incomplete and not well curated. Very little information offered and items displayed together that make no sense being shown together. It felt puzzling. I agree with the review by Jeffrey from Edmonds. That said, the staff was quite friendly.

Looking forward to the renovation because what the Burke offers deserves so much more than its current space. I've always wanted to go to the Burke Museum after I found out it had fossils from Washington's first dinosaur. Nerdy, I know; but I enjoy looking at artifacts from different specimen, which is very telling of our history. And Burke Museum is the ideal place to do just that, especially since it's Washington's oldest museum. During my visit, I saw that the public can watch an employee excavate an old T-Rex skull, which was pretty cool! The room had a huge window display for observation and there were some informational material in the interactive room that it was in. The room seemed more fitting for kids, so they could learn about fossils and how information is collected at the museum, but still was cool to see the skull itself being worked on. The main floor of the museum though, was much smaller than I expected. In fact, I usually spend half a day at a museum but not here at the Burke, simply because there weren't that many exhibits. When I finally saw where the fossil for Washington's first dinosaur was, I almost passed by it without realizing that was it because it was placed in a small case with brief information before you enter one of the main rooms. Much of the main room had artifacts from Washington State, which was interesting to see, but it's clear that the design of the main rooms were geared towards children with the interactive displays and artwork. The basement level was spacious and much of it were displays of the different cultural groups in Washington. The cafe and bathrooms are also located on the basement level. Overall, the Burke Museum is overdue for the makeover they're in the process of now! The public can only see the limited collection that the Burke has with its small and old space its currently in. With that said, can't wait to visit the Burke again in 2019 when the renovation is scheduled to be completed.

Very little and simple if you like visiting museums. I think it's nice walking in the surroundings of the University which are beautiful. The cafeteria is cozy but has not to much to offer.

01/07/16: The Burke Museum is a great place to visit if you're in Seattle. The museum is family friendly. There are dinosaur exhibits that the kids always love and plenty of exhibits on world culture, as well as the cultures of the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. A nice small compact cultural museum with not only animal exhibits from dinosaur and Mastodon bones to modern bird plumage and animal skulls but also cultural exhibits of peoples clothing, lifestyles, history. Museum laid out nicely with Natural History upstairs and cultures downstairs. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. Patronize the gift shop as doing so helps to fund the museum. If you are looking for a trip that won't take all day, but really interesting to see visit the Burke museum. *Open Daily10 Am - 5 Pm 10 AM - 8 PM on the firstThursday of the month *Admission General: $10 Senior (65+): $8 Student (with student ID): $7.50 Youth (5-18, 0-4yrs FREE): $7.50 FREE first Thursday of each month *Coats + Bags Coat racks and a staffed bag check are available on the main floor.  *The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture is a natural history museum in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. Established in 1899 as the Washington State Museum, it traces its origins to a high school naturalist club formed in 1879.

Entrance fee is free for 0-4yrs, $7.50 for 5-18 years or students with a valid student ID and $10 for everyone else. There is a Burke membership that you can buy into so make sure to inquire before you purchase your entrance tickets. Also, parking costs $3 per hour or $15 for the entire day. It takes about 2 hours to go through the entire museum. I highly recommend this museum for all adults and children that love natural history. There are dinosaur fossils and ice age treasures galore. Lots of information on the original people of WA state as well as from other Pacific nation natives. My children are ages 5 and 10 and they loved every bit of it. There is something for everyone. In the summer time it gets pretty muggy inside the museum. It is not air conditioned so i recommend wearing light and loose fitted attire. There are a couple fans in the building but it doesn't do much. Also, there is a cafe on floor 1 if you're in need of a refreshing beverage. Overall, i really enjoyed this museum.

On 04/07/2018 , we were at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, it was our first time, the reception people were very friendly. I really enjoyed this tour, knowing the history of the fossils of the dinosaurs that were on the face of the earth millions years ago, as it was also very interesting to know a little more about Native Americans and other cultures of the World.

Incredible. My 9 year old loved this museum which made me love it too. We met a sweet older couple in the cafe so we roamed together as a foursome. Curator has done an incredible job appealing to three generations all at once. Bravo

One of the worst natural history museums I've ever been to. Brand new and yet the planners knew nothing about basic museum design. The first exhibit room you see is full of cultural items from around the world. No maps displayed so you don't know where the items were created. I have 20/20 vision and the printing on the signs is so small it can hardly be read. No dates on the signs and no description of what you are looking at except such as "needle", " spindle", "arrow". There were some glass cases in other rooms that had for instant four native baskets but only three signs. In the animal area, they had a sign for a grizzly bear on a small beige animal the size of a dog. The place is a joke. The entire exhibition area has no planning or reasoning to its flow. Save your $23 and have a nice lunch somewhere.

If you are coming here to learn about the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, then you will have a great time and easily spend an hour or more looking through their exhibit. I saw so many cool artifacts, models, and excerpts about life as a Native. They have pieces from all over the world. If you are coming here to show kids fossils and dinosaur skeletons, you will be bored after 20 minutes. I'm excited for the expansion to be constructed so they can set up more exhibit space. Parking is a mess, since you have to pay at a different location from where you park, and both are located quite a ways from the museum. At least that's how it is when there is a campus event, which is most days.

The old museum was much better, cosier - and was paid for. This is an ugly box that looks like it was sided with used pallet boards. The interior lay-out is cold and ridiculous - the whole visible portion of the museum seems to be pushed to a hallway to one side of the building with lots of steps. Displays seem to be confusing and and inside feeling is cold and inhospitable. 20+ $ entry fee seems excessive.

This used to be a nice family friendly museum before the renovation. Not anymore - new Burke is not worth taking kids to. The cultural heritage museum, with native and Asian exhibits, is nowhere to be found. Similarly the kid puzzle and toy play area is missing. There are very few interactive displays, with most things behind glass. And while the biological section is informative, seeing a giant room full of dead animal carcuses thawing and being worked on is just gross. The new museum is a mess, and frankly it's boring.

I am feeling underwhelmed having just gone through the entire new Burke museum. It feels detached, remote. Animals and skeletons mounted or behind glass. Displays telling old stories. It's okay. It's interesting, and I don't know what I wanted from the $100 milkion dollar new Burke, but there was something maybe too academic about it. I know, right, what do you expect it on the UW campus! I know. Maybe it lacks an urgency. An urgency to save this life, this diversity and wonderment, from what seems a coming extinction event. It's like an old closet here while outside the greenhouse of Earth is, the same science, headed for 'meggeddon. Provoke Burke, provoke. We don't need another quaint little space to go consume and admire what we're about to lose. We need some likewise subtle calls to action. Wouldn't take much to make some environmantalist points.

I remember going for UW freshman orientation when they had free chocolate fountain for us after we went around the exhibits. That time, I was so focused on getting the stamps fast to get to the chocolate fountain so I didn't get to enjoy the exhibits at all. Also there were like 500 other freshman trying to do the same. I went here a few weeks ago when my department booked the place for our foundation dinner and we got to have dinner in the main hall and could roam around the place before dinner. I never realized we had a dinosaur in this region!!!!! Also they have the native mask that inspired the Seahawks mask and it was really interesting. I loved the beautiful display of the native culture and the nice cafe downstairs. They also host many activities for children so it's family friendly. If you're a UW student, you can come here for free anytime with the Husky card so you should take advantage of that!