Smith Tower Observatory — tickets, height & honest verdict
Also searched as: Smith Tower observation deck
Can you go up today?
| Mon | 12pm – 7pm |
|---|---|
| Tue | 12pm – 7pm |
| Wed | 12pm – 10pm |
| Thu | 12pm – 10pm |
| Fri | 12pm – 11pm |
| Sat | 12pm – 11pm |
| Sun | 12pm – 10pm |
Times are local to Seattle. Holiday closures and private events can override this — the deck page's tips cover the ones we know about.
Worth it if…
Yes if atmosphere beats altitude for you: brass-cage elevators with human operators, the speakeasy bar, and a view over Pioneer Square rooftops to the stadiums and harbor that feels like old Seattle. As a second deck it beats repeating a modern glass box.
Pick another deck if…
You're height-shopping — at 462 ft it's the lowest of the three and Columbia Center literally towers next door. Skip too if you're visiting with kids in the evening; the deck leans adult once the bar takes over.
Book Smith Tower Observatory tickets
Buy direct from the official site, or book through Viator below — same-day cancellation policies and combo bundles are often only available there. Viator links earn this site a commission at no extra cost to you.
Prices last checked 2026-08-11.
Best time to visit
Late afternoon into the bar hours — order a drink on the 1914 wraparound porch as the harbor lights come up. It's the only deck on this site that's also a saloon.
Hours: Daily from noon; Mon–Tue to 7pm, Wed–Thu & Sun to 10pm, Fri–Sat to 11pm. · Pricing note: Adult $25; the $15 Observatory+Bar ticket (daily from 4pm to last elevator) is the best-value evening entry. The deck doubles as a bar — drinks extra.
Tips from the deck
- Check the events calendar before you go — the observatory sometimes closes early for private parties.
- The Chinese Room's carved ceiling (the deck's indoor half) is a landmark in itself — don't rush through it to the rail.
- The $15 Observatory+Bar ticket from 4pm is the play: cheapest evening deck entry in Seattle, drink prices ordinary.
- Pioneer Square's galleries and the underground tour are downstairs — natural same-block pairings.
Where Smith Tower Observatory is — and the other Seattle decks
Smith Tower Observatory — quick answers
Yes — the observatory is an open-air wraparound porch behind decorative iron caging, one of the very few pre-war open decks left in the US.
Yes — the Observatory Bar operates on the deck level; some evening hours are 21+. A ticket plus one drink still costs about a Space Needle entry.
Different products: the Needle is the icon with the glass floor; Smith Tower is a 1914 time capsule with cocktails. Doing Smith Tower + Sky View covers charm and height for roughly one Needle ticket.