Metsker Maps

I’m infatuated by maps. I’m the type of person who will spend hours playing around on Google Maps. So when I stumbled upon this store by accident while visiting Seattle I was thrilled. So many cool maps to look at — both real and fictional. If you like maps you’ll love this place. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I love maps so this is defiantly my kind of place. Its filled with all things map. There are globes, travel books, and of course maps. If there is a map you are needing this is the place to start your search!
I’ve been shopping with them since before they opened in the market. Before that they were over in Pioneer Square. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful.
They have maps from all over the world, as well as old maps. Really its fun to just come in and see everything!

Absolutely amazing store with great people to chat with about maps and travel. Love it!

I was intrigued that there was a map specialty shop. I loved the maps on the wall, especially of old time Seattle. It was like a charming museum walking around inside. The guy was super awesome and friendly.

Maps on maps. This place was awesome.
My dad was looking for a specific map of Puget Sound to hang up in his house after our recent trip to Seattle, and he was sort of specific on what he wanted. He had given up hope of finding what he was after, until we accidentally strolled past this place that just so happened to specialize in maps. Who knew such a place existed… but it does.
Walking around, they had maps of all styles, shapes, and colors. They had photographic maps, cartoon maps, travel maps and maps to other states. If you thought it, they probably had it — or at least knew where to find it.
After perusing the store, we asked the cashier if he had anything based on dad’s description. The guy was not only super knowledgeable on all things maps — he was super friendly as well. He walked over to a drawer and started flipping through product that wasn’t on the wall and pulled out an image of Puget Sound. $ 20 for a 28×36 is a steal, especially since it was a good looking image that would make any wall pop. Dad got his map, and for an extra $ 2.50, it was packed in a cardboard tube so it wouldn’t get destroyed via the flight home.
If you’re into maps, or want something cool to take home as a souvenir from the Emerald City, I’d recommend making a stop at Metsker Maps to see what you might find!

This is a really lovely shop with a ton of globes, maps, travel books, gifts, and art. We bought a globe for my son here instead of ordering it online, and it was great to be able to see the different options before choosing one.
We also got our SnowPark pass for the winter, and a map placemat for mealtime.
If you want to foster a love of geography or get ready for a trip near or far, this is a great place to go.

Inspiring, informative, well-​stocked map store. Everything from globes to books to posters to prints to gifts. We came in just to browse, and left with a globe and some souvenirs. Sure, you could probably find some of this stuff on Amazon, but where’s the fun in that?

Coolest store! Maps of all kinds with super reasonable prices! They even tubed up my map to get it back home. If in Seattle, you have yo stop in here!!!

Metsker’s is fantastic. I love browsing this store anytime I am downtown. I always find at least one Christmas present here, and have to walk away from about a dozen things I would like for myself. When I was given incorrect information over the phone about a particular map being in stock, they gave me a deep discount on a pricier version of the map I wanted. It’s a great store, and the staff have always been friendly and helpful. I highly recommend checking them out!

This is by far the best map store I’ve ever been in. I can’t think of anything that they don’t carry at this store. The store has a good amount of space and is a playground for map lovers. They have maps, map wall décor items, globes, gifts, and items for kids. I enjoyed slowly walking through the store and looking at every single item that they offer. This is leaps and bounds better than the map stores I’ve visited in other towns.

Perfect shop for finding any kind of map ~
* Dated maps as of a specific year in time
* Geographically detailed maps
* 2D and 3D maps (aka globes)
* Map art prints
* Map books
* Map keychains, cards, postcards, & accessories
* …and etc etc.
* FYI — Accepts credit cards
* FYI — Helpful knowledgeable employees

Cool shop to browse in. Super helpful associates. I had an issue with an item I purchased there and they super accommodating! I will shop there again!

If you’re an adventurer at heart, this place is perfect. Aside from an informative staff, their perpetual selection of various world and US maps is amazing, and their guidebooks that range from coastal hikes to lavish, holiday living abroad, are novel and compacted with a vast array of necessary tidbits on traveling safely and efficiently.
Just check the place out on 1^st Avenue and you’ll see how this attractive business will inspire your desire to get outside and travel elsewhere.

Such a cool shop to browse! Maps, guides, typography prints galore.
It felt a little like a library walking in the store though, no one acknowledged us walking in and watched us browse as if we were intruding on a secret project. I guess what I’m trying to say is, the environment made me feel a little awkward browsing… I will say though that once we purchased something, the gentleman helping us was nice enough and even gave us good insight on shipping our purchase versus packing them up and carrying it on the plane with us.
So many awesome products in the store, I just wish the employees were a bit more excited to sell them and to see customers coming in.

I love this shop. I could spend hours here, but I try to not be so obnoxious when I browse. If you want any kind of map, they have it! Their prices are very reasonable and the people working in the shop are kind and helpful but not obtrusive.

I love me a good map store! Metsker Maps definitely tickles my fancy and I spent a good amount of time there perusing through the aisles and finding maps of all types. I’m glad they’re there because as another reviewer mentioned, cartography is indeed a lost art and slowly disappearing from our culture.
They’ve also got books, posters, gifts, and unique maps so if you’re looking for a present for someone who loves traveling, there’s a good chance that this store will probably have something they’ll find fascinating!

Aahhh what an incredible store! I love their collection of maps, with countries that you wouldn’t normally see in many stores. Cartography is a lost art that I profess to know little about and I really appreciated the store and its employees who were quite informative. If you want a specific map that they don’t carry they have partnered with a local printing company that will produce it for you on high quality paper and even ship it to you (lead time of 4 – 5 days is needed). We bought a gorgeous enormous old world map that we carried back with us on the plane and are working on framing and displaying right now! Honestly, I’d wanted to buy an actual antique print from our store Rare Old Prints locally, but despite multiple looks I’ve never found the right map there, and here, while it’s not antique, it is PERFECT. Cannot wait to have it up.

I never thought I would find a map store interesting. When I picture maps I immediately imagine the pastel colored state maps with the faint grey borders and the red squiggly lines dictating roads. I enjoy a good map, but I do not particularly seek out maps. For a friend I found myself at Metsker Maps as she required a special map, a map of mountain peaks.
Armed with a name and a publisher I walked into Metsker Maps and immediately was stunned by the sheer volume of maps. Sure, they had the typical state, country, and world maps that plaster a geography teacher’s walls, but there were so many other maps as well. There were maps that showed hiking trails, topography, nautical routes. There were small maps that could fit in a pocket, and poster sized maps that could cover a wall. There were bookcases, bins, and niches all full of maps.
I was overwhelmed. I had come for one singular purpose and I did not know even where to begin. A very nice lady behind the counter about five feet away noticed my perplexed gaze and asked if I needed help. I told her what I was looking for and her co-​worker and her discussed where that map was located. Then they whisked me off to a corner in the back of the store and handed it to me with a smile. She even pointed out a similar map that would compliment the map my friend was looking for.
It was great customer service. They were prompt without being pushy. They were extremely knowledgeable about their store. Their store had an amazing collection of maps. It was a delightful experience.

Love Metsker Maps! It’s the kind of place you just walk by, and then you peer in the window, and you’re like, «Hey, let’s stop in here for a minute!» And then you end up leaving with something because you sort of jokingly asked the clerk, «Do you have any maps of Westeros?» and he replies, «No, but we have an atlas of Middle Earth,» and you’re like, «Where?» and he points. Then, as you are flipping through the Atlas of Middle Earth, the dude rings a bell and is like, «Closing time. Time to make any final purchases!» And suddenly you find yourself making an impulse buy because really you weren’t done flipping through the book, and even though you never intended to purchase it, it might be a nice book to flip through on the redeye home or it might be a good toilet read. And now you have an awesome Atlas of Middle Earth. Will come back to check for a map of Westeros, or GOT map in general.

Staff was super friendly. Huge selection of maps, globes, travel and language books. I could have spent hours there. Super cute place to kill some time.

Outstanding store! It’s my favorite in Seattle.
They have books on every single continent. They also have guides on most major cities of the world!
Great customer service too.

If you love maps, or history, heck if you have a heartbeat you will be an instant fan of Metsker Maps. This shop was ah-​mazing, I wish I had more time to explore. I picked up a fun map of all the Portland neighborhoods as a gift for a friend. My husband bought a laminated map of Oregon, Washington and Idaho (his sales territory) for his office to help plan trips. The staff was really helpful and knowledgeable. This will be a must stop shop for me anytime I am in Seattle.

Don yourself a fresh otter pelt, a pair of moccasins, and a sturdy walking stick. You’ll feel like a certified explore as soon as you cross the threshold and you’ll want to be prepared.
As the name implies, this place is just bursting with maps. Plenty of historical maps to thumb through while snickering to yourself at how off base the cartographers were with some of their drawings. They have every current map as well, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a country /​major city not represented.
This place is lacking in one map however, the handy guide that leads you to the exit. It’s nearly impossible to leave here without first squandering hours of your afternoon. Allowing the meridians to just wash over your rationality and fill your basket with tons of do-​dads and reference material.
This place puts to rest the age old question What do John Wayne and a map key have in common… Both are legends.
So as far as map stores go, this place is ‘out of this world’

The only store all of us in our party loved in our long weekend adventure to Seattle, Metsker Maps was truly amazing! Maps galore. Maps everywhere. All kinds of maps. And Globes. Don’t forget the globes. And the atlases. Geographic information tucked into every nook and cranny — just outstanding stuff. Don’t get me wrong, the store was extremely well organized with good spacing. The content was just incredible. They also have educational games and other children’s items. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing the selection was. My inner nerd could have happily spent the whole day there.
Please open a store in Ann Arbor.

As a planner and general geography enthusiast, this store is my happy place. Maps, globes, framed wooden topography, books, more maps… Metsker has it all, and for surprisingly reasonable prices considering how special their selection is. This is seriously one of the coolest stores I’ve ever been in.
You could really do a lot with what this store offers. As a simple example, I bought a map of US airports and map pins so that I can pin which I’ve flown through. And there are a ton of other maps you could have fun with in a similar way, from simple to extravegant.
I would be in here on a weekly basis if I lived in Seattle, and will stop in every time I visit the city. A must visit for locals to globetrotters.

OH MY GOSH, MAPS AND GLOBES EVERYWHERE!!! I am obsessed with maps. My best friend, my brother, and I were walking in downtown Seattle, on the way back to our hotel to pick up the car, getting ready to leave for the airport when we passed by this store, and I just had to stop! I dragged both of them in, and we spent like an hour inside. Oh my gosh.
The store is well-​organized and clean. The staff was friendly and helpful. I especially appreciated them letting me SQUEEE and fawn over all the awesome maps, globes, and books there. I was making a lot of excited noises, for real. Thank you for not minding (too much)! My best friend was entranced by a map puzzle (she loves puzzles), and my brother seemed bored but was being a good sport browsing around.
Since my brother is moving to Olympia/​Seattle, I plan on making Metsker Maps a regular stop when I visit! So excited!

If I were to go back to college today, the first class I would sign up for would be geography. Be it globes, maps, road trips, etc. I’m in love with knowing my east, west, north and south. When I heard there was an entire store dedicated to maps in the Pike Market, I moved this destination to the top of my itinerary.
My luggage was fairly full by this point in the journey, so I had to exercise a little more self control than norm. The biggest lure at Metsker’s for me were the large scale maps draped on the walls, specifically, the European-​specific ones. As the other reviews have already noted, the store is filled to the brim with anything related to place: flashcards, kid’s geography books, stationary, globes in all sizes, topography maps, so on and so forth. The one thing I was hoping to find that I didn’t, was more art-​style maps — quirky and wild interpretations of geography like those I have often found on line. Aside from that, I can’t think of much else this store could carry in the realm of travel and maps.
In the end, I walked away with a plastic world desk map that I am hoping to use for practicing my European geography. So, I might not be enrolled in a college course but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to give this a whirl on my own! :)