Volunteer Park

Volunteer Park is a centrally located Seattle destination sited in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. The sprawling 48-acre park has numerous attractions between the Volunteer Park Conservatory (a designated city landmark completed in 1912), the Seattle Asian Art Museum, a wading pool in the summer months, and a historic 1905 water tower that now serves as a viewing platform that provides a 360-degree view over Seattle and Bellevue. 

Given the large amount of space and special destinations, the park could easily provide an all-day getaway within the city. There is more than ample picnic space across the park meadows even on crowded days, the wide-ranging flora within the Volunteer Park Conservatory makes for a unique visit, and the Asian Art Museum has an extensive collection of nearly 4,000 pieces.

The park’s history goes back more than 100 years. It began as just a cemetery, but it was expanded over time and renamed Volunteer Park in 1901 to honor the volunteers who served in the Spanish–American War. The overall design as it appears now was prepared by the renowned Olmsted Brothers – the same planners responsible for many University Campuses and World’s Fair destinations around the United States. The park was designated as a Seattle Landmark in 2011.