About the space needle®

Carlson, traveled to Stuttgart Germany where he was inspired by a broadcast tower featuring a restaurant. He doodled an idea of a dominant central structure for the fair on a napkin, convinced that such a tower could become an enduring symbol for Seattle.

Why was the space needle built

During the expo the tower hosted an estimated 2. The original mast atop the structure was a natural gas torch that was lit up at night in rainbow colors. The live broadcast included a mocked-up graphic of the tower in ruins on the ground. The Space Needle unveiled its Legacy Lights for the first time. The Legacy Lights remained lit for eleven days straight in response to the September 11th attacks in and continue to honor national holidays and special occasions.

Why is the space needle important

The project included construction of the Pavilion Level, Spacebase retail store, SkyCity restaurant, Observation Deck improvements, exterior lighting additions, exterior painting and more. The contest was announced by Buzz Aldrin, the Apollo 11 astronaut who was the second man to walk the moon. In , the Space Needle started a four-year elevator modernization project.

In addition to bringing the elevator system into the 21st Century, the project features a new elevator cab design that will debut in