Downtown Tours

Seattle Skyline: History, Context & Culture

[Formerly known as the "Greatest Hits" tour]

Join us as we explore Seattle through the history, context, and culture that shaped our skyline, from the college gone missing on University Street to the newest spires that vie for attention and airspace in our dense downtown core. This tour is not centered on one architectural style, but rather showcases these buildings in their larger context of time, place, and people. On this tour, you'll see a cross-section of Seattle's modern history and how architecture is a snapshot of our city's evolving look and character.

This tour meets in the lobby of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St., Seattle, WA 98101.

Photo: ZGF Architects

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Greatest Hits
F5 and skyline - credit ZGF Architects

Downtown Tours

Our Downtown tours begin in various locations.

Please review your confirmation email to ensure that you have the right address.

Tours are approximately two hours in length, unless otherwise noted. Advance registration is strongly encouraged; walk-ups are limited to space available. Private tours are also available: email info@seattlearchitecture.org for more information. Tours are $25 in advance/$20 for members/$22 for students and seniors over 65/Free for children under 5. Ticket sales close at 9:00pm the evening before the tour. Walk up guests will be charged $30 via credit card payment at the start of the tour. Online registration is handled through Bold Type Tickets. For more information see our Tours FAQ page.

Please note: A minimum of three people must be registered for tours to take place. Tours with fewer than three registered attendees on the Thursday before the tour will be cancelled. If you purchased a ticket for a cancelled tour, you have the option of transferring the ticket to a future tour date or being issued a refund.