
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
Rating
Family of 4
$50 in listed admission for two adults and two children age 14 or younger.
Duration
About 90 minutes to 2 hours for a family visit; this is a planning estimate, not a published museum duration
Best Ages
Ages 6 to 14, with strong value for older children interested in Seattle, invention, transportation, or community history
About
The Museum of History & Industry, better known as MOHAI, helps families understand how Seattle grew, worked, invented, and changed. Official visitor information describes family activities and hands-on interactives alongside exhibitions about Seattle and the Puget Sound region. That mix makes the museum more approachable than a room filled only with labels, although history remains the main subject.
Children around ages 6 to 14 are the strongest fit. Younger school-age visitors can focus on large objects, buttons, and interactive features instead of reading every panel. Big kids, tweens, and teens can follow deeper stories about industry, invention, transportation, neighborhoods, and the people who shaped the region.
A useful family challenge is to have each child find one object that shows how daily life changed and one idea that still affects Seattle today.
MOHAI is inside Lake Union Park in South Lake Union. The indoor galleries make it a reliable rainy-day activity, while the park gives restless children room to move before or after the museum. Plan roughly 90 minutes to two hours for the galleries, then add separate park time. That duration is a planning estimate because the museum does not publish a standard family visit length.
The current ticket operator lists adult admission at $25 and free admission for youth age 14 or younger. A family with two adults and two children in the free age group would therefore spend about $50 before any changing fees. Seattle Parks also says MOHAI provides at least one free-admission day each month and pay-what-you-can access for low-income visitors.
Verify current program rules before relying on them.
Regular hours are listed as 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, but special exhibitions and events may add timed entry or extended hours. South Lake Union arrival and parking can take extra time, so check the current museum directions. Stroller guidance, changing facilities, and food amenities were not confirmed in the available official information.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Nursing / Changing
Unknown
Setting
Indoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
A weekday at 10:00 AM offers the most time before closing. Check the museum calendar for free-admission dates, special exhibits, and extended-hour events.
Wait Times
Not published. Special exhibits and free days may use timed entry or draw larger crowds, so check current ticket instructions.
Nearby Food
Food service and children's meal options were not confirmed. Plan an off-site meal in South Lake Union and check MOHAI's current food policy before bringing anything inside.
Why Kids Love It
MOHAI uses family activities and hands-on interactives to connect children with Seattle's history and ideas. Kids can explore how the city changed and then step outside into Lake Union Park to see the place around them.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Check the official exhibit and ticket pages shortly before visiting because special displays may have separate timed-entry rules.
- Start with the most interactive gallery while children's attention is fresh, then let each child choose one additional topic.
- Add outdoor movement in Lake Union Park after the indoor galleries, weather permitting.
- Allow extra arrival time in South Lake Union and verify current parking or transit directions instead of assuming museum parking is available.
What to Bring
- A charged phone for current tickets and exhibit information
- A light layer for indoor galleries
- A notebook for children to record favorite objects or ideas
- Weather gear if you plan to explore Lake Union Park afterward
Cost Info
Partially free — some areas or times are free
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
$50 in listed admission for two adults and two children age 14 or younger.
Adult admission is $25 and youth 14 or younger are free.
Check the current ticket page before purchase.
Tips to Save
- Children age 14 and younger enter free with an adult.
- Seattle Parks says MOHAI offers at least one free-admission day each month and pay-what-you-can access for low-income visitors.
- Confirm the current date and rules before planning around a discount.
Hours & Contact
Hours
- Monday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Wednesday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Thursday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; check for special extended hours
- Friday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Sunday
- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Have a Question?
Frequently Asked Questions
Tickets & Booking
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