Tower · Seattle, United States
Space Needle
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Built 1961–1962.
Photo: Jordon Kalilich via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Seattle, United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Tower |
| Built | 1961–1962 |
| Architect | John Graham & Company |
| Height | Height: 184 m |
| Coordinates | 47.6204° N, 122.3491° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Space Needle is known for
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States.
About Space Needle
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located at 400 Broad Street in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, it was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew more than 2.3 million visitors.
History
Edward E. Carlson, chairman of the 1962 Worlds Fair in Seattle, had an idea for erecting a tower with a restaurant at the World's Fair. The president of Western International Hotels, he had been inspired by a recent visit to the Stuttgart Tower in Germany.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Space Needle website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Seattle |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Boeing Field King County International Airport (BFI) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.1 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) · Seattle, United States · 12.1 miles away
- Victoria International Airport (YYJ) · Victoria, Canada · 86.6 miles away
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR) · Vancouver, Canada · 115.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in United States
More towers
Frequently asked questions
What is Space Needle?
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States.
Where is Space Needle located?
Space Needle is in Seattle, United States. Its coordinates are 47.6204° N, 122.3491° W.
How do I get to Space Needle?
The nearest town is Seattle, and the nearest airport is Boeing Field King County International Airport (BFI), about 6.1 miles away (straight line).
When was Space Needle built?
Space Needle was built 1961–1962.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Needle — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5317 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.spaceneedle.com/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.