The Conversations with Curators series peels back the curtain on SAM's exhibitions.
Jump to Your Genre:
Food and Drink / Visual Arts / Live Music
Performance / Film / Special Events / Readings and Lectures / On Sale Now
Seattleites are spoiled for choice when it comes to spending our leisure time. Just take a look at the sheer variety of options: We have an exceptional array of museums, independent bookstores, restaurants, bars (and bar trivia), record stores, nightlife options, local shops, and a rich music landscape.
And the actual landscape? Outdoor recreation opportunities abound, especially if you subscribe to the “no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” mindset (if you don’t, are you really from Seattle?). From abundant hikes, swimming holes, state parks, and campgrounds just beyond city limits to a voluminous urban trail system, there’s something for the outdoorsperson of every skill and stoke level. Those with little ones (human or furred) can rejoice at a bevy of great playgrounds, spray parks, and zoos.
But if you just want a guide already, we've got plenty for food, outdoors, shopping, and entertainment. Plus, a shortlist of what to do in Washington this month. Or find below the best things to do in Seattle, updated weekly.
Food and Drink
Nordic x Northwest
january 22, 5pm | national nordic museum, $45
Part tasting menu, part cultural exploration, the National Nordic Museum brings seven local chefs (Ethan Stowell, Kricket Club's Preeti Agarwal, and John Sundstrom of Lark) to the museum. After sampling bites crafted by each chef, ticket holders wander the exhibition that inspired the dishes, New Nordic: Cuisine, Aesthetics and Place, on view until March 8.
Basque Pâté Class
january 20, 7pm | beast and cleaver, $150
The whole-animal butchery experts at Beast and Cleaver pass on their know-how in a Tuesday class that checks off culinary New Year's resolutions. Ticketholders will learn the alchemy of mixing flavors and the technique behind crafting the perfect texture to master pâté making, all while snacking on charcuterie and wine.
Après Ski Stoked Launch Party
january 22, 4–7pm | yonder cider, free
Ballard's local cider house welcomes a fresh limited-release winter cider, Stoked, with a ski-themed bash. Expect everything but the lift lines and actual snow: vintage ski fits vying for costume contest prizes, a shot ski, and a themed photo booth.
Visual Arts
Farm to Table Tour
through january 18, 1:15–2:15pm | seattle art museum, $29.99
More history lecture than tasting menu, the Seattle Art Museum's Farm to Table exhibition showcases the obsession of 19th-century French artists: food. Paintings and sculpture—from Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and more—feature a nation rebuilding its identity on culinary excellence. Guided tours run on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The MiG-21 Project
through january 26, 10am–5pm | the museum of flight, $29
The Museum of Flight houses more than history this season: South African artist Ralph Ziman transformed a Cold War-era MiG-21 fighter jet from a relic of violence into a work of art. The entire aircraft now wears a mosaic-like cloak made from thousands of glass beads. Alongside the seminal work, colorfully beaded Afrofuturistic flight suits spark curiosity about how creative and design-forward space travel could be, and interactive stations allow visitors to create their own digital flying works of art.
Light bends at Anila Quayyum Agha's new exhibit.
Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light
through april 19, various | seattle asian art museum
Go ahead, interact with the art in Anila Quayyum Agha's new exhibition at the Volunteer Park museum, the first solo show from a Pakistani American artist in SAM’s 90-years. Laser-cut steel cubes suspend from the ceiling, lit by a halogen bulb that paints the room—and visitors—with intricate shadows that illuminate the light and dark of life.
Priscilla Dobler Dzul: Water Carries the Stories of Our Stars
through april 19, various | frye art museum, free
Blending her heritage and experiences living in Tacoma and Yucatán, Mexico, artist Priscilla Dobler Dzul's museum debut features sculpture, textile, and video work that center climate injustice. Water—from Mexican cenotes to Washington wetlands—takes center stage in her work.
Live Music
Catch KEXP's DJs live at Clock-Out.
26th Annual Expansions MLK Unity Party and Live Broadcast
january 18, 6pm | clock-out lounge, $18
KEXP's Sunday program gets a live broadcast treatment with DJs working their magic from the Clock-Out stage in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Come for the tunes and dancing, stay for a quintessentially Seattle party.
World-class musicians head to Benaroya Hall for the annual Seattle Chamber Music Society Winter Festival.
Seattle Chamber Music Society Winter Festival
january 23–february 1, various | Nordstrom recital hall, Various
Cate Le Bon
january 27, 8pm | neptune, $37.60
Welsh songwriter and musician Cate Le Bon brings her uncanny ability to build beautiful tracks to the historic Neptune in airy indie folk haze. Earlier in the day, the artist kicks things off with a free, open-to-the-public show at KEXP's Seattle Center studio space.
Performance
The Heart Sellers
through february 1, various | leo k. Theater, $52–108
Heartwarming and intimate, the Seattle debut of The Heart Sellers brings audiences into the world of young immigrants Luna and Jane. A grocery store meet cute transforms into a deep friendship that transcends culture and language as the pair navigate new lives far from loved ones.
Li
january 16–february 8, various | seattle public theater, $10–100
On the shore of Green Lake, the historic theater hosts a fresh play celebrating its world premiere. Li, a comedy set in Mongolia, centers a Robin Hood-like thief and a cast of quirky supporting characters for a show that promises equal doses of heart and humor.
John Mulaney
January 29–february 1, various | paramount theatre, $72.60–418.90
Renowned, four-time Emmy Award winning comedian John Mulaney brings a fresh hour to the Paramount in a four-night run. Insightful, pithy, and unabashedly personal, Mulaney's Mister Whatever tour promises an evening of collective laughter.
The evil stepsisters would be so jealous of PNB's Cinderella rendition.
Cinderella
january 30–february 8, various | mccaw hall, $36–248
Glass slippers and magical pumpkins come to life on the McCaw Hall stage in the Pacific Northwest Ballet's rendition of Cinderella. The classic fairytale is buoyed by Prokofiev’s score, dazzling costumes, and beautiful set design. Before each performance, a free half-hour lecture dives deeper into the show with ballet experts.
FILM
Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour
through january 22, various | northwest film forum, $15
Follow the Yellow Brick Road: An Oz Film Festival
january 17–18, 10am–5pm | mopop, $37.50–85
Can't get enough of the Oz universe? MoPop hosts a two-day spree of film screenings, immersive museum activations like tabletop games, and a panel discussion with filmmaker Alexandre Philippe. Classics—The Wizard of Oz, Wicked—pair with adjacent films like Mulholland Drive and The Wiz for a weekend-long movie marathon.
National Theater Live: Mrs. Warren's Profession
january 17–19, various | siff film center, $25
Mother-daughter duo Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter star in Victorian-era drama Mrs. Warren's Profession. Filmed live in London's West End, the film adaptation infuses the art of live theater with endless viewpoints and the ability to walk right on stage for up close and personal vantage points.
SAM Films: Sugarcane
january 24, 2pm | seattle art museum, free
When a collection of unmarked graves was discovered in 2021 near a Canadian Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church, an investigation ensued that unraveled generations of pain and perseverance. The debut feature documentary from Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie is a stunning, intimate look into a community reckoning with the past. After the screening, NoiseCat will host a discussion to dive deeper into the film's themes and behind the scenes of filming.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Light shows aren't over yet; Astra Lumina stays lit throughout the month at the Seattle Chinese Garden.
Astra Lumina
through January 31, various | seattle chinese garden, $30.90–35.90
It's the least “holiday” of all the light shows this month. The third year of Astra Lumina's residence at the Seattle Chinese Garden won't showcase reindeer or stockings but artful displays of light and sound inspired by the galaxies beyond.
MLK Day March and Celebration
january 17, 11am | MLK Jr. Memorial Park and Rainier Community Center, free
The next generation leads the charge in a day of reflection, community organizing, and celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Youth leaders kick off the day with speeches and entertainment at the Central District park before leading a roughly two-mile march toward food, live music, and hands-on activities for young leaders.
Dancing in the Glasshouse
January 16–March 20, 5:30pm | chihuly Glasshouse, $42.50
Fridays bring a flurry of activity to the Chihuly compound: ticket holders explore the art exhibits throughout the museum, ending at the spacious glasshouse for a half-hour of dance instruction. West Coast swing, bachata, and salsa rotate through the schedule, all followed by an open dance floor that mixes art forms.
READINGS AND LECTUREs
Conversations with Curators: The Alluring Wit of Saul Steinberg
january 15, 6pm | seattle art museum, $10+membership
Saul Steinberg—self-described as a “writer who draws” and best know for his illustrations for The New Yorker—serves as the subject for SAM's next curator chat. Catharina Manchanda walks museum members through Steinberg's works, sharing insights from a curator's eye.
The Living Stories of “Beau Dick: Insatiable Beings”
january 17, 2pm | frye art museum, free
The closing weekend of Beau Dick: Insatiable Beings—the first US museum survey of the late Kwakwaka’wakw Hereditary Chief, activist, and master carver's formline masks and sculptures—brings an intimate chat with those who worked closely with the artist. Alan Hunt, a fellow artist who apprenticed under the master carver, and Gavin Dick, Beau's grandson, lead an afternoon of music, dances, and legends that inspired his artworks.
National Geographic Live: Chasing Monarchs
january 25–27, various | benaroya hall, $30.20–62.40
Benaroya Hall's National Geographic series hosts experts in their fields for enlightening lectures—and a plethora of trivia knowledge—alongside stunning imagery and behind-the-scenes stories. Next up, January brings photographer Jaime Rojo's conservation-minded images.
On sale now
Conan Gray
march 16, 8pm | climate pledge arena, $62.25–350.45
Singer-songwriter Conan Gray is, above all else, an artist with impeccable taste. From penning each of his songs to creative directing his entire musical project, his deeply raw ethos seeps through all. Hits like “Heather,” “Bourgeoisieses,” and “Vodka Cranberry” have led him to sell out stadiums nationwide; a tour in support of his fourth album makes a Climate Pledge stop in March.