Seattle is one of the major cities of the American north-west. A seaport city, Seattle is one of the biggest ports in the US and is the biggest city in the state of Washington.
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The Space Needle
The Space Needle is Seattleās most famous landmark and reaches a height of 605 feet. It is currently the tallest building in the city. Built in 1962 for the Century 21 Exposition the Space Needle has appeared in many films, and was featured in the opening credits of the hit comedy series, āFrasierā. At the top of the Space Needle is a family friendly restaurant. Reaching the restaurant, when using the lift, will normally take under a minute. Anyone at the top of the Space Needle will also be able to admire spectacular views of the Cascade Mountains and Elliott Bay.
An Important Centre For The Arts
Seattle is an important centre for the arts in the US and the city has a renowned symphony orchestra, opera and ballet. McCaw Hall is the home of The Seattle Opera and The Pacific Northwest Ballet, while Benaroya Hall is the home of The Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) can be found in the downtown part of the city. SAM also runs the Seattle Asian Art Museum and the Olympic Sculpture Park. Admission to the latter is free. There is free admission to both museums on the first Thursday of every month, and, for the SAM, this applies to the first Saturday of every month as well. The SAM holds around 25,000 pieces and has its own library and art library. The Henry Art Gallery is Seattleās oldest public art museum and can be found in the University of Washington.
The Seattle Music SceneĀ
Seattle is one of the worldās great music cities and it has been particularly influential regarding the rock genre. Jimi Hendrix, generally regarded as the greatest rock guitarist of all-time, was born and brought up in the city.
In the 1980s the Seattle rock music scene was envied around the world, as the likes of Nirvana and Pearl Jam honed their craft in and around the city and grunge consequently emerged. For music fans, visiting some of the renowned Seattle venues will be a must. The Moore Theatre is the oldest theatre in the city, and hosts both music events and theatrical productions. The Paramount Theatre is a performing arts venue and some of rock and popās biggest names have appeared here, including Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, U2, Heart and Madonna. The Crocodile has also attracted major names over the years and it is the most famous rock venue in Seattle. The likes of R.E.M., Yoko Ono and Beastie Boys have appeared at the venue, along with grunge stalwarts Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
Planning in advance to visit these music venues should also involve consideringĀ holiday insurance. Doing so will enable you to enjoy your trip more knowing that you are covered for unforeseen eventualities.