Tacoma Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Tacoma

The Washington State History Museum in downtown Tacoma maintains three permanent exhibits. One is about the history of Washington State and relation to the Pacific Northwest with artifacts from Women's Suffrage, Industrialization, Native American Tribes and items such as Clovis Points.

The top floor of the museum contains the History Lab, where visitors can explore and learn about history in a more hands-on fashion with multiple interactive exhibits.

Also on the top floor is the largest permanent model train layout in the state at 1,700 sq ft (160 m2), which recreates scenes from Tacoma's Union Station (where the museum is located) and other regional railroads. The museum has an annual Model Train Festival in December.

In May 2003, Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) opened a new facility twice the size of its previous home, allowing the museum to expand on its vision and mission. American Institute of Architects AIA Gold Medal winner Antoine Predock designed the building located in the heart of Tacoma’s Cultural District.

It features flexible exhibition space in a series of galleries that wrap around an open-air stone courtyard. The galleries showcase Tacoma Art Museum’s permanent collection of American, European, and Asian art, highlighting Northwest artists; and traveling national and international exhibitions. The interior reflects the museum’s spirit, from the emphasis on education spaces that are designed to make art accessible to the framed views of Mt. Rainier and Tacoma's growing core.

Theater District is a very beautiful place in Tacoma. It is in the heart of Tacoma and is one of the must-see destinations for tourists in this city. There you will find the Broadway Center for Performing Arts that has several theaters, for example, the Pantages and Rialto theaters, that are splendid buildings. Then there is the modern Theater on the Square, home of the Tacoma Actors' Guild. There are beautiful and unusual structures in the area too.

Old City Hall of Tacoma is a beautiful old building that dates back to 1893. This impressive building represents the Italian Renaissance architecture. Today, after remodelling, it is used as condominiums. This historical building still has a tall tower with a clock on it, pressed brickwork, terra cotta decoration and a copper roof. The Old City Hall itself and the Old City Hall District is registered as a National Historic Place of the USA.

Landmark Convention Center is a landmark building situated in the historic Stadium district in the center of the city. It dates back to 1926. It's also known as the Masonic Temple building and the Temple Theatre. It features Greek Architecture outside and the inside is made in Egyptian design. This beautiful place offers organization of different events, like weddings and others.

First Presbyterian Church is a church and a school. It was established in 1873. The present church was built in 1925 and features a marvelous example of Romanesque architecture, designed by Ralph Adams Cram. The school was founded in 1969. The structure's most prominent features are the clock and bell-tower, the rose window and and the two-leveled facade. This magnificent church is built in red brick. This church-school is a good example of a US school that provides classical Christian education.

Stadium High School is a 100-year-old high school and a historic landmark. It is part of Tacoma Public Schools, or Tacoma School District No. 10 and is located in the Stadium District, near downtown Tacoma. The original building burned to a shell while it was still a partially constructed hotel designed by Hewitt & Hewitt that was being used for storage. It was reconstructed for use as a school according to designs by Frederick Heath, and a "bowl" stadium was added.

The main building was constructed by architects Hewitt and Hewitt for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and the Tacoma Land Company at what was then known as Blackwell Point.

The 100 year celebration of Stadium High School was held in September 2006. At the celebration, a Guinness World Record was set for the largest recorded school reunion. 3299 alumni attended.

The Washington State History Research Center provides public access to historical archives, special collections, digital collections and research library, while also serving as the principal repository for the Society's artifact collections, special collections, and digital collections.

The special collection includes the following types of resources, relating to Washington state and regional history: photographs, archives and manuscripts, posters, maps, printed ephemera, books, and finding aids. The museum collection of artifacts presently numbers over 90,000 items, including artworks, clothing, archaeological artifacts, ethnographic materials, tools, equipment, and furniture. The digital collection includes electronic records, documents, digital audio and video files, and digital photography and images. The Research Center is open to the public by appointment only, Wednesday and Thursday from 1:00-4:00 PM.

First Church of Christ, Scientist is a historic Christian Science church building. Designed in the Classical Revival style by noted as well as prolific Tacoma architect Frederick Heath, it was built at a cost of $45,000 between 1908 and 1911. It was the second building built by the congregation on this site, the first being a 1901 wooden structure seating 300 that was torn down in 1908. On June 2, 1911, the first service was held in the new church. After becoming debt free, the new church was dedicated in 1921.

Wright Park is a 27-acre (11 ha) arboretum and public park that is currently managed by Metro Parks Tacoma. The park was designed by Bavarian landscape architect Edward Otto Schwagerl.

The arboretum contains over 700 mature trees, representing about 100 native and exotic species.

The Victorian-style conservatory was built in 1907, and named in honor of donor William W. Seymour. Its wings and twelve-sided central dome contain some 3,500 panes of glass. Six sculptures created by former conservator Clarence Deming rest among the plants, and reflect African, Māori, and Aztec traditions.

The conservatory now contains more than 550 plant species in its permanent collection, including agapanthus, azaleas, bromeliads, cacti, clivias, cymbidium, epiphyllum, ferns, figs, more than 200 orchids, palms, and rhododendrons. It also contains a rotating exhibit of floral displays that generally features between 300-500 blooming plants at any given time.