The Space Needle

Towering above downtown Seattle, the Space Needle is an iconic landmark of the Pacific Northwest, and an impressive feat of technology. Soaring 605-feet in the air, the Space Needle was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi when it was built for the 1962 World’s Fair.

About the Space Needle

More than just a landmark, the Space Needle today is one of Seattle’s most popular attractions, with observation decks and fine dining options that feature the fresh cuisine of the Pacific Northwest. Offering incredible 360-degree views of the downtown, nearby Mount Rainer, and Puget Sound, there’s no better place to take in the beauty of Seattle.

Visiting the Space Needle

The Space Needle is located at the Seattle Center, which is also home to a food court filled with local restaurants, museums including the Science Center, MoPop, and Children's Museum, and the Chihuly Garden and Glass.

Until 2000, the Space Needle housed two restaurants at 500 feet above ground, but renovations have revamped the landmark into a modern experience. Today, the restaurant of SkyCity is located in the tower, featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine and 360-degree views. The Loupe Lunge is also a must-see when visiting the tower, and visitors here can sip a cocktail while experiencing the world’s first (and only) revolving glass floor.

History

The 1962 World’s Fair theme was “The Age of Space”, and the Space Needle design was born from a collaboration between businessman Edward E. Carlson and architect John Graham, Jr. Completed in April 1962—the day before the fair opened—the cost of building the Space Needle came in at $4.5 million. Each day of the World’s Fair, nearly 20,000 people took the elevators to the top of the tower.

The Space Needle was preserved after the event, and it’s now located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. In April 1999, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Board designated the tower a historic landmark, and in May 2007, it welcomed it’s 45-millionth visitor.

Interesting Facts

From its unveiling as a futuristic masterpiece during the World’s Fair to its current status as the iconic landmark of Seattle, the Space Needle is both an incredible place to visit and an irreplaceable glimpse into the wonders of innovation and architecture.

• Standing 605-feet tall and 138-feet wide, the Space Needle has 25 lightening rods and is capable of withstanding winds up to 200 miles-per-hour and 9.0 magnitude earthquakes.
• The elevators of the Space Needle travel at 10 mph, and they reach the top in just 41 seconds!
• The Legacy Light (or Skybeam), a powerful beam of light shining up from the Space Needle, was unveiled on New Year’s Eve 1999, and it is turned on several times a year.
• SkyCity, the restaurant near the top of the Space Needle, rotates 360-degrees in just 47 minutes to give diners a full view of the incredible Seattle landscape.
• The world’s largest carillon at the time—an instrument playing a recording of 538 bells—was included in the initial Space Needle design and was played often during the World’s Fair.
• The Space Needle is used to help ring in the New Year in the city of Seattle, with a firework show taking place with synchronized music at midnight.
• Both base jumping and suicides were problems with the Space Needle through its history—six parachutists have attempted a jump from the tower since it opened, while several others lost their lives leaping to their deaths in the 1970s.
• The Space Needle has been featured in countless movies and television shows, acting as a unique marker for establishing a Seattle setting.

Points of Interest

The Space Needle is so much more than Seattle’s most-recognizable landmark. It is a wonder of engineering that brings the history of the Pacific Northwest into the modern age—offering visitors everything from unparalleled views of the Pacific Northwest to world-class cuisine and cocktails. Whether you’re stopping by for the observation deck or for a reservation at one of its top-rated restaurants, no visit to Seattle would be complete without a stop at the Space Needle.