Best History Museum in Renton

"Also often referred to as MOHAI, The Museum of History and Industry celebrates Seattle's position as a leader in innovation and industry. This education facility also catalogs the events that led to Seattle's rise as an important port city. The True Northwest exhibit takes tourists on a journey through the region's history, from Native American cultures through the present, exploring how geography and cultural events like the Gold Rush helped shape the Emerald City."

"Opening hours: 10am to 5pm daily (10am to 8pm on Thursdays in July and August and every first Thursday of the month). Wish to know more about the city you’re visiting?. Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) offers you an insight into its rich and storied past."

"Kids and adults alike will appreciate the entertaining exhibits that show how the Northwest’s environment and diverse population have influenced its development. Be sure to check out the temporary exhibits as well. View this post on Instagram"

"Army Corps of Engineers, the busiest set of locks in the United States allows water traffic to travel between the tidal waters Puget Sound and the Lake Washington Ship Canal. This waterway passes through Seattle’s inland freshwater lakes, via Lake Washington, Portage Bay, Lake Union and Salmon Bay, where it meets Puget Sound. The locks have permanently changed Seattle, lowering the water level on Lake Washington and Lake Union by 2.7 metres, giving rise to many miles of new land on the lakefronts."

"From here head over to see the Ballard Locks as the boats make their way through the locks. This was one of my favorite parts of visiting Seattle, it is such an interesting invention. A bonus is that the park and area around it are beautiful. If you are lucky, you may get to see a seal playing around in and around the locks."

"Learn about the annual phenomenon of salmon spawning at Seattle’s Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, known locally as the Ballard Locks, where three types of Pacific salmon pass through the fish ladder during the summer months on the way upriver to their spawning grounds.More"

"Simply adding to the list of noteworthy Seattle museums, the city is also home to the largest museum in the U.S. dedicated to the history of Nordic immigrants, the National Nordic Museum. There, visitors can explore the culture of the five Nordic countries both at home and how they changed and evolved in the United States, shown through artifacts, photos, and videos. You’ll even find a fully functional 1910 sauna in the museum garden, which an immigrant built to recreate their favorite aspects of home here in the Northwest—just a few feet from a Viking boat, also out back."

"If there’s a Viking in your family, check out the Museum's Nordic Journeys exhibit which is a hands-on, kid-friendly display about the immigration story from the "old country” to the United States, then to Seattle and on to Ballard. For your preschooler, he or she will delight in the free Nordic Stories programs which involves a Nordic story and a related craft. Check out more fun events here. What's New:Family Fun Thursday happens the 2nd Thursday of each month from 6-8 p.m. Drop in for special activities."

"Learn all about Nordic immigration to Seattle, Swedish folk tales, and even rosemaling—a traditional form of decorative folk art that originated in the rural valleys of Norway. An inquisitive mind is a must, donning a lusekofte sweater is optional. Nordic Heritage Museum: 3014 NW 67th St.; 206-789-5707"

"Show the kids what computers were like back in your day, further back, or even what they might be like well into the future. Started by someone who knows a bit about them—Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen—this museum holds everything from room-sized computers that can do a tiny amount to tiny computers that can do almost anything. And in the lab, you can learn how to use a computer for all sorts of programs—whether it’s digital art, video game design, or even 3-D printing self-driving cars."

"Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday: 10am to 5pm, First Thursdays: 10am to 8pm. Let your inner geek run free at this museum backed yet again by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The Living Computers: Museum + Labs celebrates technologies past, present and future, allowing visitors to get up close with vintage mainframes and video games, or explore modern advances on artificial intelligence and how computers and technology shape our world."

"Another Paul Allen special, this technology museum covers the history of computing in all its forms—from giant mainframes to self-driving cars. Robotics, video games and all the latest and greatest in VR and AI are on display and in working order. Ready to dive a bit deeper?"

"To truly feel as if you have stepped back in time, head to Fort Nisqually where you will find a working museum that will show you a slice of life from the 1850s. As you wander around the museum you will find staff members in period garb who are happy to reenact scenes from life in the fort in the days of old. As a result, you can expect to see reconstructions of things such as arts and crafts as well as period professions such as the work of blacksmiths in the 19th century."

"Established in 1833, the Hudson Bay Company used Fort Nisqually to manage its trade program with Indigenous tribes, fur traders, and others in the Pacific Northwest. The Fort Nisqually Living History Museum has reenactors perform daily tasks related to the time period, including broom making and blacksmithing. Self-guided tours take you through authentic buildings at the fort, including guard posts, barracks, and the commander’s home."

"Soothing soul food emanates from inside the Royal Esquire Club in Columbia City, from expertly fried chicken, gizzards, and catfish with greens to shrimp and grits and oxtails with rice. You can add lush extras like black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, and sweet tea to your order, available for curbside pickup or third-party delivery, and hunker down for days. Image: Courtesy John Beck / Super Six"

"The pandemic has silenced the stage at the Royal Esquire Club, but a fantastic soul food restaurant hides inside its kitchen. Mother-daughter owners Talya Miller and LaShon Lewis dish up soothing fare like shrimp and grits, fried pork chops, decadent mac and cheese, and a great meatloaf sandwich. Yes, the strawberry lemonade is as good as everyone says."

"Seattle used to be full of global treasures run with care in neighborhood storefronts by home-cooking expats. Now there are only a few, one of the best being this Lebanese mom-and-pop with lovely Middle Eastern food. Prices are strikingly low for the shared hummus plates (try the one topped with lamb and pine nuts), mezze dips and spreads, meat and vegetable kebabs, and family-style platters, which one enjoys in an intimate room with arched doorways, white tablecloths, and pretty filigree light pendants."

"This Ballard beauty’s food, with influences from owner Rajah Gargour’s Lebanese background, is a vegetarian’s dream. Small plates of lentils ground with caramelized onions, house labneh, and sweet pears in savory tahini are consistently perfect, even through the takeout menu. Diners should also check Instagram for seasonal items that keep the menu vibrant, such as pickled turnips."

"website | 2408 NW 80th St (get directions) | Crown Hill | cuisine: Lebanese | price range per dish: $7 – $20. Cafe Munir is a true neighborhood gem. This North Seattle restaurant features some of the best Middle Eastern food in the city."

"Cinque Terre Ristorante, a sleek downtown eatery owned by three Italian brothers, specializes in seafood pasta recipes from the Italian Riviera. From the oyster bar offering raw No..."

"Café Lago is a street-side Italian café on 24th Avenue that serves authentic and exemplary Italian fare in a casual, bistro-style setting. The relaxed restaurant has long a been a favorite among locals and is renowned for its paper-thin lasagna and traditional wood-fired pizzas that have diners returning time and again. This casual neighborhood joint has fast become a dining destination with an array of superb Italian cuisine to enjoy, from finger-licking antipasti, handcrafted pasta such as creamy gnocchi, featherweight lasagna and chunky ravioli to crackle-crusted wood-fired pizzas and hearty entrees."

"This exemplary streetside Italian cafe on Montlake Boulevard is run with a perfectionist's standard, from handcrafted pasta to fabled gnocchi, featherweight lasagna, and crackle-crusted wood-fired pizzas. The result is a destination restaurant masquerading as a neighborhood joint, with a neighborhood joint's clattering aesthetic. (And lack of parking.) So take the bus already; just get there for a plate of the best butternut squash and sage ravioli you’ll ever taste."

"If lines are any indication of the quality of the cuisine found here (and they certainly are, in our opinion), then you can expect a wonderfully authentic meal. The relaxed restaurant Cafe Lago has been a favorite in this area for many years, thanks in part to the light, homemade lasagna that has diners coming back for more. Their wood-fired pizzas are also legendary and boast crisp crusts and savory toppings."