Four Itchy Feet

July 18, 2025. Seattle, Washington. Day 58 of 170

Today, we visited the Microsoft Visitor Center, located in Building 92 on their main campus in Redmond (not technically Seattle, but a close suburb). The Microsoft complex itself is a sight to behold; it’s essentially a town for the over 53,000 employees who work there. The Visitor Center offers a unique, interactive experience showcasing Microsoft’s latest offerings, providing an engaging journey through the past, present, and future of the company.

We spent a few hours meandering around the campus. It’s fascinating to see how Microsoft has built an ecosystem for its employees to live and work, a reflection of the company’s long-standing commitment to fostering innovation and community since its humble beginnings in Albuquerque in 1975, before moving to the Seattle area. Our visit was unique in that the Microsoft 5k run/walk was taking place while we explored the campus.

The Visitor Center offers a glimpse into the company’s rich history. While it’s far from a comprehensive museum, it does feature a number of artifacts and historical pictures of early products and company founders, Bill Gates and Paul Allen. For gaming enthusiasts, there’s plenty to enjoy. A bank of consoles provides a taste of all the Microsoft Gaming Services, including Xbox, which revolutionized home entertainment after its launch in 2001. We spent a good amount of time playing Fortnite, Medal of Honor: Airborne, and Minecraft. Also available were a driving simulator and a couple of Microsoft Flight Simulator stations, showcasing the company’s long history in immersive simulation, dating back to its first release in 1982.

The center also features a very well-appointed Microsoft Store, offering their latest products, and a gift shop with any Microsoft apparel and memorabilia you can think of. Overall, this was a good experience. Manage your expectations, as it’s not an all-day event and certainly not a “must-do.” However, it was a unique experience to be immersed in the grandiosity of the Microsoft campus and get an insider’s look at a company that has profoundly shaped the digital world. Entrance is free, but no discounts are offered on products unless you are a Microsoft employee.