Instantly Recognizable – The Space Needle – Seattle, Washington [September 6, 2023]

 

The Lego Space Needle in the gift shop

The iconic Space Needle silhouette is an emblem of Seattle.  Completed in less than a year in 1962 for the Worlds' Fair, the Needle was intended to evoke a vision for the future.  It is now an historic landmark, drawing over 1.3 million visitors a year. 

 

Looking up from the base

Here are some Space Needle facts:

It is 605 feet high and 138 feet wide.

The upper observation deck is 520 feet off the ground.

The lower restaurant deck rotates 1 full rotation every 45 minutes. 

You have options to purchase tickets to visit the Space Needle - online, at an electronic kiosk around the base of the structure, or at a traditional ticket booth.  You choose an entry time for your ticket, so there isn’t congestion or a long wait.

 

Once you enter, you walk along a ramp with displays that recount the timeline of the construction with photographs, text and models.  From there, you take an elevator to the upper observation deck.

 

Looking out from the inside room, just love the Plexiglas cup holders

Reflections while we take pictures of each other through glass

The upper observation deck has an indoor, glassed-in central room with a snack bar/coffee bar.  You can walk around the room, and look out through the glass over the city.  An interesting design note, there are stools where you can sit by the windows, with clear Plexiglas coffee cup holders attached to the windows that don’t obstruct your view outside.

 

The outdoor observation deck, with glass bench

Alternatively, you can go out onto the glassed-in outdoor viewing deck and get a closer look.  There are a few narrow benches that you can use to pose for photos floating in space.

 

This is the ferry we took from the Olympic Peninsula the day before.

Here it is up close...

We had spent the first part of the day driving around Seattle in search of locations from Dana’s Mom’s teenagerhood there.  So, we had a general idea of Seattle geography.  As we walked around the circular observation deck, we picked out locations we recognized and enjoyed watching the ships and tug boats in the busy harbor.

 

The rollers that carry the revolving floor

From the observation deck, you descend a flight of stairs to the revolving restaurant level.  There are still a few restaurant tables there reminiscent of the original intention for this level.  Most of the space now has glass floor panels that you can look through to see the gears and rollers that convey the level around.  You can also look out the window and watch the city of Seattle revolve by.

One designer opined that the Space Needle would become as recognizable and emblematic as the Eiffel Tower.  What do you think?