WELCOME TO THE Emerald City! Surrounded by the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, Lake Washington, and Puget Sound, Seattle and King County offer a rich history, one-of-a-kind attractions, a thriving cultural scene, world-class restaurants and shopping, and boundless opportunities for outdoor adventure. The Host Committee is excited to host the 101st ICMA Annual Conference and welcome you to our home. We invite you to explore the down-to-earth charm and rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Read on for an introduction to some of our favorite activities and attractions throughout the region. One-of-a-Kind Attractions Within just a few blocks of the Seattle Waterfront, you’ll find many of our region’s top visitor destinations, including Pike Place Market, the Space Needle and Seattle Center, and historic Pioneer Square. • The famed Pike Place Market is a bazaar the Seattle Aquarium, and catch breathtaking views of of fresh flowers, fruit, seafood, vegetables, the skyline and Mount Rainier from the Seattle Great ethnic eateries, and specialty shops over- Wheel, a 175-foot Ferris wheel at Pier 57. looking Elliott Bay. The oldest continually • Constructed for the 1962 World's Fair, Seattle Center operating farmers market in the United is home to our city’s most recognizable symbol, the States, this is the place to watch fish- Space Needle. At Seattle Center, you can journey sky- mongers tossing salmon, sample coffee ward for a panoramic view of Puget Sound from the at the original Starbucks location, and Space Needle’s Observation Deck, glide downtown enjoy the music and antics of street aboard the Seattle Monorail, or play in the waters of the performers. International Fountain. • Along the waterfront, meet the • Pacific Science Center, located in the shadow of the Space inhabitants of Puget Sound at Needle, offers interactive, innovative exhibits and programs for learners of all ages. The center’s signature level. On the Seattle Underground Tour beneath Pioneer arches often light up in festive colors for holi- Square, you can roam subterranean passages once used as days and special events. roadways and storefronts while you listen to humorous sto- • Nestled between the Space Needle ries about our colorful history, culture, and heritage. and Pacific Science Center, Chihuly • Located on 92 acres in the Green Lake neighborhood, Garden and Glass presents a stun- Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo features authentic habitats ning indoor pavilion and outdoor gar- with more than 1,090 animals from almost 300 species, den celebrating renowned Northwest including imposing grizzlies, Asian elephants, majestic glass artist Dale Chihuly. lions, and entertaining Humboldt penguins. • Located in a dramatic Frank Gehry− • The visually stunning Central Library is a dynamic exam- designed structure meant to evoke one ple of modern architecture and a downtown Seattle land- of Jimi Hendrix’s smashed guitars, the EMP mark in its own right. Watch some of the 1 million items Museum brings rare artifacts and memorabilia from the in its collection move around the building on a high-tech worlds of pop music and science fiction to Seattle Center. handling system that’s visible to library patrons. • See boats and fish pass between Union and Washington • Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, the self-proclaimed Lakes and Puget Sound at the century-old Ballard Locks. Center of the Universe, is home to some of the city’s The locks host a daily parade of sailboats, tugs, and quirkiest public art. Situated beneath the Aurora Bridge, yachts. At the fish ladder, peer through glass panels the Fremont Troll is a colossal sculpture holding a real beneath the waterline to watch salmon swim upstream to Volkswagen Beetle. spawn in our region’s many creeks. • Alki Beach, the site where the first white settlers landed in • As Seattle’s oldest neighborhood, Pioneer Square is also Seattle, is our city’s summertime destination. Stroll along home to our city’s first skyscraper, 101-year-old 42-story the beach for spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains, a Smith Tower. Ride in brass-caged elevators—complete with flotilla of ferries and other boats plying Puget Sound, and an attendants—to the sumptuous Chinese Room observation unmatched perspective of the entire cityscape. Colorful Culture and History Seattle’s boom-and-bust history is built on the area’s abundant natural resources, residents’ timeless ingenuity, and unique geography. • MOHAI, short for the Museum of History & Industry, is the • In the late 1890s, Seattle was the gateway to the Yukon keeper of our region’s heritage. See many of the 4 million for thousands of prospectors. Klondike Gold Rush artifacts in its collection on fun, interactive display in the National Historical Park in Pioneer Square allows visitors restored Naval Reserve Armory at Lake Union Park. to relive Seattle’s crucial role in the gold stampede. • Not far from MOHAI, on the docks at the south end • Go way back in time at the Burke Museum, the of Lake Union, is the Center for Wooden Boats. The destination for Washington State’s collections of natural hands-on maritime museum educates visitors with history and cultural heritage. Located on the University artifacts and time-tested maritime skills. of Washington campus, the museum shares the natural • Located in the heart of downtown, the Seattle Art wonders of our state and the Northwest as well as of the Museum is a destination for exciting examples of Asian, Pacific Rim. African, Northwest Coast Native American, and modern • Learn about the some of the key cultures that art, as well as European painting and decorative arts. influenced our region at the Wing Luke Museum of Outside, a 48-foot-tall Hammering Man sculpture silently the Asian Pacific American Experience and the Nordic works 24 hours a day. Heritage Museum. Located in the heart of Seattle's • Unfurling along Puget Sound, the 9-acre Olympic Chinatown-International District, the Wing Luke—the Sculpture Park is a vibrant green space where the only U.S. museum devoted to Asian-American history— intriguing works are complemented by beautiful views of explores issues related to the art, culture, and the Olympic Mountains and the water. history of Asian-Pacific Americans. Located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood—a • Seattle, sometimes called Jet City, is proud of its aviation former Norwegian fishing village—the heritage. See that heritage come to life at the Museum Nordic Heritage Museum is the of Flight in South Seattle. Then head north to Mukilteo only museum in the United States to the Future of Flight Aviation Center, where the Boeing to honor the legacy of immigrants Factory Tour begins. It’s the only place in North America from the five Nordic countries. where you can tour a commercial jet assembly plant. 2 ICMA’S 101ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE On Stage and Screen Known worldwide for the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and grunge, Seattle is a city rich with legendary music history. Today, it boasts the highest per capita music and dance attendance in the country, with 80 live music clubs and 15 symphony orchestras. • Every year, Seattle Theatre Group presents more than • Seattle also features one of the nation’s most dynamic 500 events at the Paramount, Moore, and Neptune regional theater scenes, thanks to Tony Award−winning theaters—live music, Broadway productions, concerts, works developed and performed at the 5th Avenue Theatre films, lectures, and more. in downtown Seattle and Issaquah’s Village Theatre. • Head to Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood to see a show at • Every spring, the Seattle International Film Festival The Crocodile, where titans of the Seattle sound—including (SIFF) produces the largest, most highly attended film Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains—once played. festival in the United States. Year-round, SIFF Cinema • Benaroya Hall is Seattle's premiere concert hall and the presents feature films and special events at the downtown home of the Seattle Symphony. The inspiring Egyptian and Uptown theaters. space hosts hundreds of musical concerts each year. On the Field Whether it’s the 12s making noise in the stands at a Seattle Seahawks game or the King’s Court cheering on the Seattle Mariners, some of the most passionate fans in professional sports call our region home. • See the Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seahawks play attendance and ticket sales, and qualified for the at CenturyLink Field in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood. MLS Cup playoffs. Seahawks fans, called the 12th Man or 12s, are known • Or head next door to see the Mariners play under Safeco as the loudest in the NFL, giving the Seahawks an Field’s 9-acre, 22-million-pound retractable roof. earsplitting home-field advantage. • Beyond pro sports, the University of Washington Huskies • CenturyLink Field is also home to Major League inspire a diehard fanbase. On football game days, enjoy Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC. In each of the club’s the university’s unparalleled atmosphere and surround- first five seasons, the Sounders set league records for ings by boarding a boat and sailing to Husky Stadium. Outdoor Adventure Seattle is one of the fittest cities in the country, and outdoor recreation is a vital part of our lives in the Pacific Northwest. In Seattle alone, the city abounds with more than 400 parks and open areas, and more than 6,200 acres of parkland. • Watch seaplanes land on Lake Union from Gas Works 3.5-acre Seattle Japanese Garden, open from February Park, a former industrial site at the north end of Lake to November. Union. Climb the big hill to fly a kite, or check out the • The largest city park in Seattle, Discovery Park is perched sundial and a beautiful view of Seattle’s downtown and on Magnolia Bluff over Puget Sound.