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Things to do in Seattle

Frye Art Museum

Seattle's free art museum, up on First Hill: the Frye family's collection of 19th- and early 20th-century paintings, plus changing shows by local and global artists.

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The useful answer

Should this fit your day?

Best for
Art lovers who want a calm, uncrowded hour, and anyone looking for a good free stop downtown.
Time to protect
An hour covers the galleries; add time for the café.
Cruise-day fit
The Frye is on First Hill, just above downtown, a short ride from Pier 66. It's free and untimed, so it fits the day before or after a sailing. Leave big bags first. Pier 91 is a longer ride from the north.
From the terminals
Pier 66 is about a mile and a half by road; Pier 91 is farther. The walk up from the waterfront is steep, so take a ride with bags.
Before a flight
From SEA, ride the 1 Line to Pioneer Square Station, then walk about half a mile up a steep hill, or catch a bus or the streetcar. No tickets and no fixed times make it an easy stop on a flight day.

Getting up First Hill

The Frye is at 704 Terry Avenue. The hill is steep, so most visitors ride or take transit.

  1. By streetcar

    The First Hill Streetcar stops at Broadway and Marion, a short walk away. It also stops in Pioneer Square, near the Klondike Gold Rush park.

  2. By bus

    Routes 3 and 4 stop at James Street and 8th Avenue, route 60 at 9th Avenue and Columbia Street, and the RapidRide G Line at Madison Street and Terry Avenue.

  3. By light rail

    Pioneer Square Station is the closest, about half a mile away and uphill all the way.

Book a ride to the Frye →

What to know before you go

  1. 01

    Admission to the Frye's galleries is always free, so there's no ticket to buy.

  2. 02

    Charles and Emma Frye collected art in Seattle around the turn of the last century and left it, with their estate, to the public. The museum opened in 1952, and their founding collection of 232 oil paintings is by European and American artists of their time.

  3. 03

    Alongside the collection there are temporary exhibitions by local and global artists, plus talks, performances and free guided gallery conversations on Fridays, which meet in the Rotunda.

  4. 04

    Bags smaller than 11 by 15 by 6 inches are fine in the galleries; anything bigger has to be checked, so leave it behind if you can.

  5. 05

    Handheld photos and video are allowed in most areas for personal use, though some temporary exhibitions don't allow them.

  6. 06

    MariPili at Café Frieda serves coffee, drinks, small plates and lunch, and there's a museum store.

  7. 07

    There's no free museum lot: use paid street parking or one of the paid lots around First Hill.

Hours change, and the museum sometimes closes early for private events. Check the Frye's site before you go.

Tours and activities

Tours that visit the Frye Art Museum

Entry itself is free. These well-reviewed tours include it, with current prices. Check a date to see open start times, then book with Viator.

Tours are sold and run through Viator; booking opens viator.com in a new tab, and Viator confirms the final price and time. Seatac may earn a commission.

Free to visit, with tours nearby

There's no ticket for the Frye Art Museum: just go. If you'd like a guide, a harbor cruise or another stop the same day, start here.

  • Tours and activities

    Seattle tours and tickets

    Guided tours, attraction tickets and day trips around Seattle, including options near the Frye Art Museum.

    See tours and tickets

Opens a booking partner in a new tab; Seatac Connection may earn a commission. For current notices, see the Frye Art Museum visit page.

Get a ride there

Drop-off: Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Avenue

Starting from

Your fare is worked out for the exact trip on the next step, before you pay. Want the car to wait while you visit? Book by the hour.

Cruise day: the Frye Art Museum between the ship and your flight

Off the ship with a few hours before your flight? Book the ride from the pier and the ride on to the airport now, so each driver knows where you are going.

  1. Step 1

    Ride from the pier

    Pier 66 is about a mile and a half by road; Pier 91 is farther. The walk up from the waterfront is steep, so take a ride with bags.

    From Pier 66From Pier 91

  2. Step 2

    Visit the Frye Art Museum

    An hour covers the galleries; add time for the café.

    Tours nearby

  3. Step 3

    Ride on to Seatac Airport

    From SEA, ride the 1 Line to Pioneer Square Station, then walk about half a mile up a steep hill, or catch a bus or the streetcar. No tickets and no fixed times make it an easy stop on a flight day.

    Frye Art Museum to the airport

Big bags

  • Pier 66: Same-day bag storage is available. Pick bags up by 3 pm to avoid a late fee.
  • Pier 91: Same-day bag storage in the Crew Center, north of the Ground Transportation Center. Pick bags up by 3 pm to avoid a late fee.

Stored bags mean a stop back at the pier before the airport. To keep them with you instead, book a car by the hour and the driver waits with your luggage.

Planning the whole cruise trip? Keep the Frye Art Museum on it with the rides around it.

Plan the whole cruise trip

Not sure which pier? Find your ship and pier or compare Pier 66 and Pier 91.

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