Intricate shadows surround you, covering the walls, the ceiling, the floor. The immersive “Geometry of Light” show at the Seattle Asian Art Museum is open, and it’s a great art exhibit for kids.
The heart of the exhibit: A 300-pound steel lantern transforms the gallery with light and shadow. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
Light and Shadow: A Striking, Instagrammable Art Experience
Artist Anila Quayyum Agha’s illuminated sculpture is like a giant lantern, and you might even mistake the shadows for wallpaper. It’s a 300-pound steel cube suspended from the ceiling, laser cut with fancy designs that project geometric shadows into the room. As you move through the space, your own shadow becomes part of the art. At the preview, Seattle Art Museum director Scott Stulen described the show as “highly Instagrammable.” He’s not wrong. The walls are a play of light and dark, carnation pink and aqua. Aside from the exit signs, there are no labels on the walls because the walls themselves are a canvas material.
Enter the exhibit at the back of the museum, the glass bumpout overlooking Volunteer Park. Here’s a fun Easter egg: look carefully at the scrim screening the windows. The design is composed of repeating A’s, the artist’s initials.
A hidden detail: Look closely and you’ll spot artist Anila Agha’s initials in the window scrim. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
The exhibit fills three galleries. The first is primarily paper and fabric two-dimensional art, and the other two rooms each hold a light box.
“It’s such a beautiful exhibition. Anila’s use of light and shadow transforms the space to create a truly immersive environment,” said Anna Allegro, associate director of education at SAM. “It’s going to be magical, for adults and kids, to experience the galleries.”
We love the Asian Art Museum because it’s smaller in scale and so much more manageable for kids. Also, who are we kidding? Free parking in Volunteer Park is another big draw.
A fully immersive experience — your movement becomes part of the art at Geometry of Light. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
Try This at Home: Shadow Art Projects for Kids
After your Geometry of Light visit, you’ll be inspired to make some art at home. You don’t need fancy art supplies for this — just a flashlight and a wall. “Examining light and shadow is so fun for kiddos,” Allegro said. “It starts with finger puppets and a flashlight. Something as simple as your fingers can become a dog or a duck.” Move your body in front of the flashlight to create cool shapes and different characters. Or cut paper and hold it to the light to play with positive and negative space. Kids know about making paper snowflakes; it’s the same idea.
“It’s enchanting, thoughtful work,” Allegro added. “The little ones even can explore the basics of light and shadows, and how you can transform spaces with your imagination.”
Like wallpaper made of light: Geometric patterns spill across the walls and floor. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
More to Explore at the Seattle Asian Art Museum: Monet, LEGO & More
The bulk of the Seattle Art Museum’s Ai Weiwei exhibit is located downtown (and frankly, the content is tough for kids), but do not miss the standalone piece at Volunteer Park: Claude Monet’s famous water lily paintings rendered in Lego. Lego as the artistic medium! Ai Weiwei’s Water Lilies is on view at the Asian Art Museum through March 15, 2026.
LEGO meets Monet: Ai Weiwei reimagines water lilies in brilliant brick form. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
Volunteer Park with Kids: Playgrounds, Views, and Pastries Nearby
The Asian Art Museum is a gem of an Art Deco building set inside Volunteer Park. Volunteer Park was designed by the Olmsteds, the same landscape architects who famously designed Central Park and Washington, D.C.
When you’re done inside the museum, explore the rest of the park grounds. A museum outing can easily become all-day fun for your family. Climb the 107 steps up the brick water tower for a peek-a-boo view of Seattle.
The Volunteer Park Conservatory is home to carnivorous plants, giant air plants, and a century-old jade tree. New: Reserve a museum pass for free admission through the Seattle Public Library.
Orchids, air plants, and a century-old jade tree — all thriving in the Conservatory’s humid paradise. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
Check out the wonderful playground at the north end of the park. The big curvy sculpture serves double duty: kids can climb it while developing an appreciation for abstract art. Other playground highlights include a mini zipline and slides built into the hill. In the summer, the adjacent wading pool is one of the biggest in Seattle.
The kids might find the nearby trees impossibly inviting. They’re exactly the right size and shape for climbing. Feeling hungry? Try all the pastries at the Volunteer Park Café and Pantry, two blocks from the park. Chef Crystal Chiu is the former pastry chef at Canlis.
Cool down where the locals do — the wading pool is a summer staple in Volunteer Park. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)
Plan Your Visit: Tickets, Hours & Events
- Seattle Asian Art Museum: 1400 E Prospect Street, inside Volunteer Park
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Regular admission: Adults $17.99, seniors 65+ and military $15.99, students with ID and teens (15-19) $12.99. Children 14 and under are free. Save $3 by buying tickets in advance
- Admission discounts: Admission is free on First Thursdays. You can reserve a free admission pass through King County Library Museum Pass and Seattle Public Library Museum Pass. The Asian Art Museum offers suggested admission, which means you can pay what you wish when you buy tickets onsite.
- Parking: Free inside Volunteer Park and on neighborhood streets.
- Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light runs Aug. 27 through April 19, 2026.
- Art workshops inspired by Geometry of Light: Seattle Asian Art Museum open house, 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17, free; Family Saturday, Nov. 8, included with admission: Art-making and storytime focused on Anila Agha’s exhibit; SAM Performs: Spinning Stories, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 29 and Jan. 31, included with admission. Visit the website, closer to these event dates, for more details.
Find more stunning art at the Museum of Flight.
