Smith Tower in Pioneer Square is Seattle‘s original skyscraper — completed in 1914, the first skyscraper in the city and the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at the time of its construction. Its 35th-floor Observatory combines a Prohibition-era speakeasy bar with open-air 360-degree views over Elliott Bay, downtown Seattle, and Mount Rainier, accessed via the building’s original manually-operated Otis elevators.
This guide was update in June 2026. Hours vary by day — the observatory opens at noon every day of the week, not the 10am shown by some aggregators. Book on Viator for confirmed advance tickets.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 506 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 (Pioneer Square) |
| Opens daily | 12:00 PM (noon) |
| Closes Mon–Tue | 7:00 PM (last admission 6:00 PM) |
| Closes Wed–Thu, Sun | 9:00 PM (last admission 8:00 PM) |
| Closes Fri–Sat | 10:00 PM (last admission 9:00 PM) |
| Standard adult admission | $27 |
| Youth (ages 5–13) | $21 |
| Under-5s | Free |
| Washington State residents | $18 (with WA State ID) |
| Nearest transit | Pioneer Square Link station (2-min walk) |
| Typical visit | 45 minutes – 2 hours |
Opening hours
The Smith Tower Observatory is open daily, opening at noon every day of the week. Closing times vary:
- Monday and Tuesday: Noon – 7:00 PM (last admission 6:00 PM)
- Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: Noon – 8:00 PM (last admission 7:00 PM)
- Friday and Saturday: Noon – 9:00 PM (last admission 8:00 PM)
Several aggregator sites list the opening time as 10:00 AM — this is incorrect. The observatory does not open until noon. Last admission is always one hour before closing. Check the official website before visiting as hours are subject to change, particularly around private events and special programming.
Five of the best things to do in Seattle
- 🍴 Take a chef-guided food tour of Pike Place Market.
- 🕳️ Discover the hidden streets beneath Pioneer Square on an underground tour.
- ✈️ Go on the Boeing Factory tour and see how planes are made.
- 🚢 See the city from the water on a harbour cruise.
- 🏔️ Take in mountains and waterfalls on a Mt Rainier National Park day trip.
Ticket prices
A standard admission ticket gives access to the historic exhibits, the 35th-floor open-air observatory, and the Observatory Bar. Tickets are available at the box office (two doors from the main lobby entrance) or online.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (14–64) | $27 |
| Youth (5–13) | $21 |
| Child (under 5, with paid adult) | Free |
| Washington State residents | $18 (valid WA State ID required) |
All seating is first-come, first-served — reservations are not accepted.
Book on Viator for advance tickets.
Why visit the Smith Tower Observatory?
- 🏙️ Seattle’s original skyscraper — 35 floors of history: Built in 1914, Smith Tower was the first skyscraper in Seattle and the tallest building west of the Mississippi at the time. The building itself is the exhibit.
- 🛗 Ride the original Otis elevators: The manually-operated Otis elevators — with a human operator working the controls — are among the oldest of their kind still in regular service in the United States, and a genuine attraction in themselves.
- 🥂 A Prohibition-era bar with 360-degree views: The Observatory Bar on the 35th floor serves speakeasy-inspired cocktails and locally sourced bites with open-air panoramic views of Elliott Bay, Mount Rainier, and the Cascade Range.
- 🪑 The Wishing Chair: A carved Chinese throne presented to L.C. Smith upon the tower’s completion, with a legend that unmarried women who sit in it will be wed within the year. One of Seattle’s most photographed objects.
How to get there
By Link Light Rail: Pioneer Square station (1 Line) is approximately a 2-minute walk from Smith Tower. From Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the 1 Line runs directly to Pioneer Square in around 40 minutes.
By First Hill Streetcar: The First Hill streetcar line serves Pioneer Square and connects to Capitol Hill and First Hill. Smith Tower is visible from the Pioneer Square streetcar stop.
On foot from Pike Place Market: Approximately 15 minutes south along First Avenue through downtown, passing into Pioneer Square.
On foot from the Seattle Waterfront: The waterfront is a 5-minute walk west from Pioneer Square.
Why book a Seattle CityPASS?
- 🗼 Space Needle included: Enjoy timed entry to Seattle’s most recognisable landmark, with panoramic views over Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier on clear days.
- 🐠 Seattle Aquarium admission: Get up close to local marine life, including sea otters, harbour seals and colourful tide-pool species.
- 🎨 Choose three more attractions: Pick from favourites such as Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture, Argosy Cruises harbour tour, Woodland Park Zoo or Pacific Science Center.
- 📱 Mobile pass with flexible sightseeing: Your CityPASS is delivered digitally and stays valid for nine consecutive days once activated.
- 💰 Save on entry fees: Bundled pricing offers significant savings compared with buying tickets separately, making it ideal for first-time visitors.
Parking
There is no dedicated car park at Smith Tower. Pioneer Square has commercial garages and street parking throughout. The official site recommends Butler Garage — use the promo code smithtower on their checkout page for a discounted rate (approximately $12 for 3 hours, subject to change). The discount does not apply on game days or special events. The Sinking Ship Garage at 515 Second Avenue is directly across the street and is a reliable alternative.
How long to spend
Most visitors spend between 45 minutes and 2 hours. The visit is self-guided: history exhibits, the elevator ride, the open-air observatory deck, and the Observatory Bar can all be absorbed in under an hour. Those who settle in for cocktails and the sunset view over Elliott Bay typically stay longer. There is no time limit on your visit once inside.
Accessibility
The Otis elevators require an operator to be present and can accommodate standard wheelchairs. The observatory deck is open-air with some uneven surfaces. Large bags and luggage are not permitted inside. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout. The ground-floor lobby is step-free from the street. Groups of more than 14 cannot be accommodated as walk-ins and should use the group reservations option.
What to see at Smith Tower
The history exhibits occupy the floors below the observatory, tracing Smith Tower’s story from its 1914 construction. L.C. Smith’s original typewriters — the product line that funded the building — are on display alongside artefacts from the tower’s connections to Seattle’s Prohibition-era rum-running networks and its surprising ties to the Chinese royal court. Audio-visual displays bring individual characters from the tower’s past to life.
The original Otis elevators are operated by a human attendant using manual controls — one of the few places in the United States where this experience is still routine. Many visitors cite the elevator ride as one of the most memorable moments of the visit.
The 35th-floor open-air observatory delivers a 360-degree view taking in Elliott Bay and Puget Sound to the west, Mount Rainier and the Cascades to the east, downtown Seattle’s skyline to the north, and the Olympic Peninsula beyond. The deck is genuinely open-air — wind and weather are part of the experience.
The Observatory Bar serves Prohibition-inspired craft cocktails, locally sourced small plates, and non-alcoholic options. The Wishing Chair — a carved throne given to L.C. Smith at the tower’s opening — is the most-photographed feature on the 35th floor.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| The observatory opens at noon, not 10am | Several listing sites show 10am opening. The correct opening time is noon every day. Plan accordingly, especially if combining with morning activities elsewhere in Seattle. |
| Arrive for sunset if you can | The view over Elliott Bay at sunset is the signature Smith Tower experience. Check sunset times for your date and aim to arrive 30–45 minutes before. |
| No reservations — incomplete groups wait | Seating in the Observatory Bar is first-come, first-served, and your entire group must arrive before anyone is seated on the 35th floor. Coordinate arrival carefully for larger parties. |
| Check for event closures | Smith Tower runs a busy events programme — private hires, cocktail classes, and special evenings can close the Observatory Bar or require a ticket upgrade. Check the official events calendar before planning your visit. |
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What time does it open? | The observatory opens at noon (12:00 PM) every day. It does not open at 10am, as some aggregators state. |
| What are the closing times? | Monday and Tuesday close at 7pm; Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday close at 8pm; Friday and Saturday close at 9pm. Last admission is one hour before closing each day. |
| Can I just visit the bar without paying admission? | No — admission tickets are required to access the Observatory Bar. It is not accessible without a valid entry ticket. |
Things to do nearby
Pioneer Square surrounds Smith Tower — Seattle’s oldest neighbourhood, with 19th-century brick architecture, art galleries along First Avenue South, and the Seattle Underground Tour covering the subterranean streets from the 1889 city rebuild.
Pike Place Market is a 15-minute walk north through the downtown core — the original farmers’ market (opened 1907), with the fish-throwing Pike Place Fish Market, Rachel the Piggy Bank, and the first Starbucks.
Seattle Waterfront and Olympic Sculpture Park are a 5-minute walk west from Pioneer Square. The sculpture park is free; the rebuilt Waterfront Park is one of Seattle’s most recently transformed public spaces, with ferry connections to Bainbridge Island from Colman Dock.
CenturyLink Field and T-Mobile Park are a 5-minute walk south — home to the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners.
The International District and Chinatown are immediately east of Pioneer Square — one of the oldest Chinatowns on the West Coast, with the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience and outstanding dim sum and Vietnamese dining.
What to visit tomorrow
Columbia Center Sky View Observatory, Seattle (5-min walk): The highest publicly accessible observation deck in the Pacific Northwest, at 902 feet on the 73rd floor of Seattle’s tallest building. The most direct comparison to Smith Tower — dramatically different in scale and character, and worth experiencing back-to-back.
Space Needle, Seattle (~15 min by rideshare or streetcar): Seattle’s defining landmark, rebuilt with glass floors in 2018. The 520-foot observation deck gives a different directional perspective from Smith Tower, looking north and west over the city and Puget Sound.
Museum of Flight, Seattle (~15 min south by car or bus): Not an observation tower, but the aerial perspective offered by the SR-71 Blackbird, Air Force One, and the Concorde connects naturally with the vertical city view from Smith Tower. The most compelling full-day attraction in the greater Seattle area.
Mount Rainier National Park (~1.5 hrs by car): The snow-capped peak visible on clear days from the Smith Tower observatory, rising to 14,411 feet. The Paradise Visitor Centre at 5,400 feet reverses the perspective — looking back out across the Cascades and Puget Sound from Rainier itself.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (~3.5 hrs by ferry from Seattle): The Victoria Clipper fast ferry connects Seattle to Victoria for a full-day or overnight excursion — a distinctive Pacific Northwest city experience, with the inner harbour, Butchart Gardens, and Craigdarroch Castle as highlights.
More Washington travel
Other Washington travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park: Seattle’s best free attraction.
- Watch the salmon run at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.
- How to get the best view of Seattle from Kerry Park.
- How to see the Fremont Troll in Seattle.
- Plan your visit to the Pacific Science Center.
