Carl, drop me a PM, I can help you out on the EMP museum stuff.
Seattle is fun just to check out the many pubs, walk the Pike's Market, and enjoy the good food. Capitol Hill is also fun, very diverse and quirky, with lots of bars (alternative lifestyles abound). The Seattle Underground tour is pretty cool.
Here's a bunch of suggestions for low cost good fun and eats:
A ferry ride to Bainbridge takes about an hour, and Bainbridge has a few places to grab lunch, then catch the ferry back. Amazing views of the city from the ferry. Enjoy a bowl of Ivars clam chowder on the ferry.
Head to the University District or Wallingford and catch a movie at one of the independent theatres. Find "Cedars on Brooklyn/50th" and have the chicken biryani and butter chicken. Best Indian food in Seattle, and the chai rocks.
Run or walk around Greenlake park (and stop at the local Triumph dealer nearby).
Walk the campus on University of Washington, just beautiful this time of year. At the end of 15th Ave on the south side, next to Portage Bay, have amazing tacos at the Agua Verde café and if the weather is nice, rent a kayak and tour the area.
Absolutely visit the Green Leaf Café in the International District for amazing Vietnamese food (not the typical pho you usually see), and walk to Uwajimaya Asian market to get some fun treats, or better, have Dim Sum at the House of Hong on a Sunday morning.
Visit Salumi in Pioneer Square area. Quite possibly the best low cost Italian you'll ever enjoy run by Mario Batale's dad. Try the meatball and gorgonzola sandwich, and load up on a plate of salami.
Find Fontes coffee on first Ave, and try their standard roast coffee and understand why it costs $20 a pound. Buy a pound and be forever spoiled.
Find a Top Pot donut place in Belltown and go to town on their fritters and old fashioned donuts.
Look for Mollie Moons in Wallingford or Capital hill and have the best salted caramel ice cream you can imagine.
Go to Fremont and take the Theo's Chocolate tour in the old Redbook Brewery building. Walk along the Lake Union cut or Gassworks park and get a killer view of the city.
Head to Ballard and walk around the lochs, very cool to observe how they work. Walk a few blocks north, grab a fresh baguette from Thai Grass Bakery and wonder how a French baguette can ever taste this good. Walk a few blocks south east to Senor moose café and splurge a bit on the most amazing Oaxacan Mexican food you will have in the U.S.
You're welcome.
