Four students side by side walk along Quad talking and laughing

The Perks of Being a UW Student

Back to All Stories
11/18/2024

Do you like good deals? How does “free” sound? Check out these opportunities on campus and in the community that are free or discounted for UW students.

On Campus

Explore opportunities on the UW Seattle campus, from museums to world-class performances. 

Father and child looking up at prehistoric skeleton overhead at the Burke Museum

Burke Museum

Free admission for students
A T-rex fossil unearthed in Montana, a hand-carved Quileute canoe, a whale skeleton “swimming” overhead — at the Burke, there’s so much to explore. Through strategically placed hallway windows, you can also view Burke staff preparing specimens. Admission is free for students, so drop by for a short visit or a long one.

Entrance to the UW's Henry Art Gallery

Henry Art Gallery

Free admission and free membership for students
Enjoy free admission to the Henry’s thought-provoking art exhibitions. You can also sign up for a free UW Student Membership at the Henry for access to members-only previews and events, discounted tickets to special events, and more.

Mark Morris Dance Group performance

ArtsUW Events

Discounted tickets for students
Attend world-class dance and music performances at Meany Center for the Performing Arts, as well as concerts and performances hosted by the School of Music, DXARTS, Department of Dance, and School of Drama, all at discounted prices. See what’s coming soon.

Cover of Indigenous Walking Tour booklet

Indigenous Walking Tour

Free
American Indian Studies and Political Science alum Owen Oliver (BA, 2021) created a walking tour highlighting seven campus locations, with personal reflections on their significance to the Indigenous community.  Put on your walking shoes, download a PDF of the Indigenous walking tour or an abbreviated version with map, and gain new appreciation for places you pass every day. Or stay on your couch and view a virtual version of the walking tour

Visitors looking at star-filled ceiling in UW Planetarium

UW Planetarium

Free
The UW Planetarium offers dynamic and interactive shows for student groups of up to 40 people during the academic year. The free shows, presented on Fridays and lasting about 45 minutes, are scheduled on a first-requested, first-served basis. They book up quickly, so plan ahead! 

Two women looking at plants in the greenhouse

UW Greenhouse

The UW Biology Greenhouse, located on the Burke-Gilman side of the Life Sciences Building, is home to more than 4,000 plants from diverse habitats. The greenhouse is open for walk-in browsing on non-holiday Wednesdays from noon - 4 pm and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month (10 am - 2 pm). Free tours led by docents, many of them UW grad students, are also available but must be booked ahead.

Seattle-area Discounts

Catch the light rail or a bus with your Husky Card (U-Pass) to take advantage of all that Seattle has to offer. Many off-campus museums and events  offer student discounts. 

TeenTix logo

TeenTix

TeenTix, a program for teens (ages 13–19), offers $5 day-of-show tickets at any of their 70+ partner organizations in the Seattle area. Partners include ArtsUW, MoPop, Northwest Film Forum, Seattle Rep, the Wing Luke Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, and many more!

Exterior of Nordic Museum

National Nordic Museum

Explore 12,000 years of Nordic history, enjoy contemporary music and film, attend special events and more at the National Nordic Museum, located in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood west of the University of Washington. The museum offers a reduced admission of $15 for students. 

Exterior of the Seattle Rep

Seattle Rep

Seattle Rep  collaborates with extraordinary artists to create theater productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of the Pacific Northwest. A single ticket discount of $18 is available to students for all performances.

Exterior of the Seattle Art Museum

Seattle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum, located one block from Pike Place Market, presents exhibitions and art from around the world and across the centuries. The museum offers discounted entry tickets for students ($20 advance, $23 day of visit), and annual membership for students is $45 — a membership discount of almost 50% .

A mountain lake, with Mt. Baker behind

The Great Outdoors

Had enough of museums and events? Enjoy the great outdoors! Seattle's public parks and nearby trails are free to explore. Take a trip to Golden Gardens to watch the sunset or head up to the mountains for an adventure. UWild's Gear Garage rentals can help outfit you in quality outdoor gear whether you’re headed out for a week-long adventure or a quick day trip. 

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Ralina Joseph holding a microphone and speaking, with an Interrupting Privilege display panel behind her, at the Northwest African American Museum.

Interrupting Privilege Starts with Listening

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Two women in white, dancing in-between trees on the UW campus.

Dancing Across Campus

For the dance course "Activating Space," students danced in public spaces across the University of Washington's Seattle campus this spring.

An open hardcover book with more books in the background.

Read or Listen to Faculty Favorites

Looking for book or podcast recommendations? We asked faculty who've been featured in Perspectives newsletter during the past academic year to suggest a personal favorite. 

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