Smith Tower rises 38 stories above Pioneer Square, a slender white terracotta tower that looks almost quaint next to Seattle's glass high-rises until you remember it went up in 1914. For nearly fifty years it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, a fact that still gets repeated by every tour guide in the neighborhood because it's genuinely true and genuinely odd to picture now. The draw today isn't the height, which the Space Needle long ago dwarfed, but the 35th-floor observation deck, a carved ceiling room next to it, and a bar that now occupies what used to be a semi-private lounge.

Why Smith Tower matters

Seattle doesn't have many buildings old enough to carry this kind of story, and fewer still that have kept their original fittings intact. The elevators are still the brass-and-copper cage lifts installed when the building opened, and they're still run by human operators who call out the floors. That alone makes Smith Tower feel less like a monument you look at and more like a machine you step inside. The observation deck sits well below the height of newer towers nearby, but the room at the top, the Chinese Room, is arguably a better space than anything at the Space Needle, carved ceiling and all.

Quick facts

• Opened in 1914, and held the title of tallest building west of the Mississippi for close to five decades.
• 38 stories, located at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Yesler Way in Pioneer Square.
• Observation deck and lounge occupy the 35th floor, reached by original manually operated brass elevators.
• The Chinese Room, next to the observation deck, has a carved wood ceiling and the Wishing Chair.
• A bar now operates on the observation level, giving the space a speakeasy feel rather than a strictly daytime viewpoint.

Getting there

Smith Tower sits right in Pioneer Square, an easy walk from the waterfront, Pike Place Market (about 15 to 20 minutes on foot), and the stadium district if you're coming from a Mariners or Seahawks game. The Pioneer Square light rail station is close by, and several bus routes run along 2nd and 3rd Avenues within a block or two. If you're driving, street parking in Pioneer Square is limited and metered, so a nearby garage is usually the less frustrating option.

The layout and experience

You enter at street level into a lobby that still has some of its original 1914 detailing, then queue for one of the old elevators. The cars are small, paneled in brass and copper, and run by an operator rather than a button panel, which slows things down in a way that feels deliberate rather than inconvenient. The ride itself is part of the experience, not just a means to an end.

At the top, the observation deck wraps around the 35th floor with views over Pioneer Square's brick warehouses, the ferry terminal, Elliott Bay, and on clear days the Olympic Mountains across the water. It's a narrower, more intimate deck than you'd get at a modern tower, with a low iron rail rather than floor-to-ceiling glass, which gives it an older, slightly exposed feel that some visitors love and others find a bit much if they're not keen on heights.

The Chinese Room sits just off the deck. The carved wooden ceiling was reportedly a gift tied to Seattle's early trade relationship with China, and the room has long been associated with the Wishing Chair, a carved seat where local legend holds that an unmarried woman who sits in it will be married within a year. Whether or not anyone takes that seriously, it's a popular photo spot and a genuinely unusual piece of early 20th-century interior design to find 35 floors up.

Main highlights

• The brass and copper elevators, original to the building and still operator-run.
• The Chinese Room's carved ceiling, a standout piece of craftsmanship rarely seen in American skyscrapers of this era.
• The Wishing Chair, tied to local marriage folklore and a favorite stop for photos.
• The observation deck itself, offering views over Pioneer Square, the stadiums, and Elliott Bay.
• The bar now operating on the 35th floor, which turns the observation deck into an evening destination rather than just a daytime viewpoint.

History and background

Smith Tower was built for Lyman Cornelius Smith, whose fortune came from typewriters and firearms manufacturing back east, though he died before construction finished and never saw the building completed. When it opened in 1914 it was by a wide margin the tallest building on the West Coast, a title it held until the Space Needle went up for the 1962 World's Fair. That nearly fifty-year run says something about how quickly Seattle was still growing into itself in the early 20th century, and how much of a statement a single tower could make at the time. Pioneer Square itself was the city's original downtown core, rebuilt in brick and terracotta after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, and Smith Tower was the neighborhood's final, oversized flourish before the city's center of gravity shifted north.

Tickets and entry

Entry to the observation deck is ticketed, typically as a timed general admission that includes the elevator ride up and access to the deck and Chinese Room. There are also options that pair the visit with the bar, effectively turning the ticket into an evening-out plan rather than a quick sightseeing stop. Given the small elevator cars, visits are often managed in groups, so expect some waiting at busier times rather than a walk-straight-in experience.

Best time to visit

Late afternoon into early evening tends to be the sweet spot, letting you catch daylight views over the bay and then watch the light change into evening without having to move. Because the deck now has a working bar, an evening visit doubles as a drink stop with a view, something the Space Needle doesn't really offer in the same low-key way. Weekday visits are generally calmer than weekends, and clear days obviously matter more here than at enclosed observation decks, since you're looking out over open water toward the Olympics.

Photography tips

The iron railing and narrower deck make it easy to shoot straight down into Pioneer Square's brick streets, which is a different angle than you'd get from a glass-walled deck elsewhere in the city. The Chinese Room's carved ceiling is worth shooting on a wide lens if you have one, since the detail is dense and the room isn't huge. Elevator operators are generally fine with a quick photo of the brass interior, though it's worth asking rather than assuming.

Facilities and preparation

This is an older building, so don't expect the expansive amenities of a modern tourist attraction. Wear something reasonably warm if you're visiting the deck in cooler months, since parts of it are open-air. If you're combining the visit with the bar, keep in mind the deck's capacity is smaller than a typical downtown bar, so arriving earlier in the evening tends to be easier than showing up at peak hours.

How it compares to similar places

The obvious comparison is the Space Needle, and Smith Tower loses that contest on pure height by a wide margin. But the room at the top is a different category of experience entirely. Where the Needle gives you a modern, glass-enclosed, crowd-managed deck, Smith Tower gives you a 1914 building with its original machinery still working, a carved historic room, and now a bar that makes the whole visit feel more like an evening out than a quick photo stop. If you've already done the Needle, Smith Tower is the version aimed at people who care more about atmosphere and history than raw elevation.

Combining with nearby attractions

Pioneer Square itself rewards a slow walk, with its ironwork pergola, underground tour entrances, and galleries along 1st Avenue. The waterfront and ferry terminal are close enough to fold into the same outing, and Pike Place Market is a reasonable walk north if you want to make a full afternoon of it. If you're a baseball or football fan, T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field are both within easy walking distance, which makes Smith Tower a natural pre-game or post-game stop.

Sample visit plan

Start with a walk through Pioneer Square in the late afternoon, taking in the older brick buildings and the pergola at Pioneer Square Park. Head to Smith Tower with enough daylight left to see the view before dusk, then stay through the light change into evening. If you've booked the bar option, settle in for a drink in the Chinese Room or out on the deck before heading back down for dinner somewhere in the neighborhood.

Practical tips

• Book the observation deck as a timed entry if that option exists for your date, since elevator capacity is limited.
• Go late afternoon for daylight views, or in the evening if you want the bar experience.
• Bring a light jacket, parts of the deck are open-air and Seattle evenings cool off fast.
• Pair the visit with a walk through Pioneer Square rather than treating it as a standalone stop.
• If you're set on photographing the Chinese Room's ceiling, go when the deck is less crowded so you're not shooting around a line.

FAQ

Is Smith Tower still the tallest building in Seattle?
No. It held that title for roughly fifty years after opening in 1914 but was surpassed by the Space Needle in 1962 and by numerous skyscrapers since.

Are the elevators really original?
Yes, the brass-and-copper cage elevators date to the building's opening and are still run by operators rather than automated controls.

What is the Wishing Chair?
A carved chair in the Chinese Room, tied to a local legend that an unmarried woman who sits in it will marry within the year.

Can you get a drink at the top?
Yes, a bar now operates on the observation deck level, so the visit can work as an evening outing rather than just a daytime viewpoint stop.

How does it compare to the Space Needle?
It's far shorter, but the room at the top, with its carved ceiling and historic elevators, gives Smith Tower a character the Needle doesn't try to match.