Seattle Space Needle

Paris has the ever classy Eiffel Tower, Seattle has a flying saucer. The city’s iconic Space Needle was built for the 1962 "Century 21"-themed World’s Fair. Costing $4.5 million, construction began on April 17, 1961. The elevators were put in last, just one day before the fair’s opening. During the six-month fair almost 20,000 visitors came to the Space Needle each day. It continues to be a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, receiving over 1 million visitors per year.

In 1959, artist Edward E. Carlson conceived the original design that architect John Graham helped tweak into a flying saucer shape. The Space Needle was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River when it was built. Though now dwarfed by Seattle skyscrapers, its unique shape continues to stand out against the angular skyline. When you visit, be sure to stroll through the surrounding Seattle Center to enjoy great views of the Space Needle as well as the shimmering colors of the nearby Experience Music Project.

The Space Needle stands 605 feet tall and weighs 3,700 tons. As you might imagine, the unique structure required some creative construction techniques, including bending three 90-foot, 90,000-pound I-beams to form each leg. The Needle was built to withstand earthquakes and winds up to 200 miles per hour; in such high winds, the structure itself sways up to 1 inch per 10 mph. Three capsule elevators take you up the Needle’s legs to the Observation Deck, which is 520 feet above the ground. During the 43-second elevator ride, you will get a view through three sides and a brief introduction to the structure.

At a time when the world was looking to space and into the future, the Space Needle defined “Century 21” and became a symbol of America’s leap in technology. The image still holds true in Seattle today with companies like Microsoft and Amazon making their homes here. To celebrate the arrival of the actual 21st century, the Legacy Light was first lit on New Year’s Eve of 1999. The Space Needle also dons special decorations to celebrate national holidays and special Seattle events. Each Christmas, there is a Christmas tree atop the structure. Flags are also flown to honor local events like talented sports teams and the 20th anniversary of Sub Pop Records in July 2008.

Offering a wide range of local and Pacific Northwest cuisine, the SkyCity restaurant completes the quintessential Seattle experience. The restaurant level is located 500 feet up on a rotating, 14-foot ring that gives diners a full view of the city. In addition to locally minded food, the extensive wine list is almost exclusively Washington wines with a few options from Oregon and California. Entrées range from $34-54 for dinner and $25-34 for lunch with a fixed price three-course brunch on the weekends. While there is a minimum food charge ($35 for dinner, $25 for lunch), dining includes your elevator ride and admission to the observation deck, just a short stair climb up from the restaurant.

Interesting Facts:
*Between 200-300 songs were written about the Space Needle for the 1962 World’s Fair.
*In 1974, Stephen Cosgrove wrote a book called The Wheedle on the Needle in which the Wheedle, disturbed by noisy Seattleites, sits atop the Space Needle throwing rain clouds over the city.
*Three people jumped from the observation deck in the 1970s, including one after the safety grid was added.
*In the summer of 1974, there was one creative (and highly motivated) streaker via a private plane.
Hours of Operation:
The observation deck is open 365 days a year but occasionally closes for a few hours during private events. Observation Deck & SpaceBase Retail Store:
Sun-Th: 9am-11pm, F-Sat: 9am-12am
SkyCity Restaurant:
Lunch M-F: 11:30am-2pm
Dinner Sun-Th: 5pm-8:45pm, F-Sat: 5pm-9:45pm
Brunch Sat-Sun: 10am-2:45pm