I visited the exhibition galleries on Monday afternoon. Staff was friendy, and offered to answer any questions, but guests are able to explore at their own pace. On one side was the Herbert Hoover exhibit, which contained a range of displays demonstrating Herbert Hoover's dedication to freedom, peace, and economic opportunity, his accomplishments, and his impact on the First World War, as well as his history as a Stanford student. Quite informative. On the other side was the temporary exhibit, The Battalion Artist: A Sailor's Journey through the South Seas, about Natale Bellantoni of the US Navy Seabees. This was pretty interesting because unlike many sailors and military soldiers trained in combat and technical skills, Nat specialized in art and design. He was assigned to build military bases during WW2, and this exhibit showcases his life before and during the war, including displays of letters written to his family as well as impressive artworks he created and photographs he took detailing the war and his experiences. He also worked on a stained glass window for a chapel and contributed to the batallion's newspaper. There's a large interactive screen inside the room that allows for digital viewing of the exhibit (to view Nat's photographs and sketchbook) where visitors can even do puzzles of his art pieces. Guests are also invited to share their own stories and artwork about the journeys that have impacted their lives, using pencil and paper. With changing exhibits at the Hoover Tower, there is always something interesting to learn about here. Entry is free, and parking at the nearby Stanford Visitor's Center lot, less than a 10 minute walk to the tower, can be paid via parkmobile app online (note, parking on campus is free on weekends and after 4pm M-F). read more

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TOWER: 5 stars! The tower is beautiful and the views are breathtaking. Truly a special place to visit. STAFF: 1 Star! The staff working on Saturday are older and should probably reconsider if this is where they want to be. When we walked in the lady checking bags yanked a young man from the back and and scolded him to wait his turn. The young man was polite and was throw off by her reaction. We were thrown off too because it was a little excessive. She noticed our group saw and she was embarrassed. Then came the older man by the elevators. We had a group of 8. Only 4 could go up at a time. We were waiting for our group to come down, but we didn't have to wait for long as he kicked us out. Told us it was a private space despite us having our tickets and standing quietly. If staff can be a little more kind and show a little joy this place would be amazing! read more

It was a nice dqy I'm going to decide to walk over to Hoover Tower. After paying an $8 dollar elevator ride going up 14 stories and 212 feet in the air..the view was awesome. Nice to be able to do this at least once! read more

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This tower is a memorial to one of our great past presidents. There is a free exhibit upon entering, and a small fee if you would like the full ride. If you pay, they you get to go all the way up and take in the beautiful scenery of the entire campus... don't be cheap and do it! read more

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The main landmark of Stanford University along with the Quadrangle. The design of Hoover Tower was modelled after the tower at the cathedral at Salamanca. Fittingly, as both attempt to reach heaven in their own way. The view from the top is a sweeping panorama over a remarkable part of the world. read more

Hoover Tower - Panorama - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

When visiting Stanford campus, the Hoover tower is a great stop to see art work or a quiet place to work. I sometimes have a long commute and the Hoover tower is a great place to recharge before going in to work. read more

Hoover Tower - Conference - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

I'm a student at Stanford and I absolutely love coming here on walks. The people who work in the tower are very kind and excited to share information, so be sure to ask them all of your questions about the university. There is an elevator that takes you straight up, and there are absolutely gorgeous views. At the top, there are various maps, so that you know what you're looking at. On a clear day, you can see all the way to San Francisco. Highly recommend! It's free if you have a student ID from Stanford. read more

For a nominal fee, you can ride the elevator to the top of this tower for a fantastic view of Stanford's campus, Palo Alto, and the Bay Area. It's very well worth the trip! I lucked into a quiet day when it was just me and one other family, so I got to take my time and enjoy the view. The view is spectacular- on a clear day you can see all the way north to downtown San Francisco. The docents are knowledgeable, and there's some interesting info downstairs about the history as well. It won't take you long, but this was definitely one of the highlights of my week in the area. read more

Hoover Tower - Hoover Tower from the outside, September 2019 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

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we went to the Hoover Tower yesterday on our bikes. when we went in and paid, we were told our bags had to be put on an open shelf in the scorned of the lobby. I asked the guy behind the counter who watched the shelf he said NO ONE - TAKE ALL YOUR VALUABLES OUT. Very annoyed, we got a refund and left. As the face of Hoover Tower, this guy is a disgrace. read more

When you are at the top of the tower, you can have a bird's-eye view of its beautiful and splendid landscape. It might be a nice experience. I was so surprised at seeing how large Stanford University was. I wasn't sure where the boundary was. There were a lot of historical buildings and forests. I had to leave my backpack at the entrance because of security or safety policy. There weren't any place for bag drop-off, so I just put it on the floor! I felt a little anxious, but, luckily, I could retrieve my bag without any problems when I got back to the ground. read more

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Seriously- the line for this place is just as long as a ride at Disneyland! Regardless, I still came since I've actually never had the chance to explorer Stanford campus. Like many others said, you get a spectacular view of Stanford campus! (Though, everything looks the same from the top..) They only use one elevator to go up to the top and it's kind of like a free system where you can stay as long as you want, and then come down. One annoying thing is, lighting isn't very good to take photos (super dark) but you do get a nice breeze up here! PS: If you don't want to pay the admissions fee, you can still check out the gallery in the lobby! Really cool how they collected so many pieces of information for display. read more

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For now, the ride up to the top of the tower is free, you just have to either reserve in advance or wait in line. There is only one elevator so there might be a few minutes wait. There are staff up at top if you have any questions. There are also falcon up there if you happen to see them. This is a working office with staff offices in the middle of the tower. There are two smaller exhibits talking about the work Hoover did, also free for now. Do check the schedule ahead of time as they may close for periodic maintenance. read more

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$2 for non-Stanford visitors. Free for Stanford staff and students. This tower is actually located on top of a library. They will ask you to stay quiet when you walk towards the elevator. The view is pretty good up on the tower. There is always a guide there who can explain any questions you may have. read more

Hoover Tower - $2 to go up - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

If you are visiting Stanford for the first time, this is a must-see. I have been here at least 5 times in the last couple of months with friends who are visiting the area, and they all loved the experience and the view. As mentioned in the reviews below, general admissions tickets are usually $2 per person, but if you are a student or a Stanford affiliate, you can get free tickets for yourself and up to 5 guests. Hours are generally 10a-4p, but for more information check out their official webpage: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/visitorinfo/plan/guides/hoover.html The staff here are always so friendly! When you enter, you purchase your tickets and wait in line for the elevator to take you to the top. They will ask you to leave your big backpacks on the ground floor, but small purses are okay to bring. Once you reach the top, you will, guaranteed, be taken away by the amazing view of Stanford and the neighboring Palo Alto communities below. On clear, sunny days you can even see as far as the Bay Bridge. If you have any questions, the guides are very welcoming and happy to answer. They don't really allow you to stick your phone/camera out the bars though, so just be wary of that. The lines have always been manageable when I've gone, but during the summertime expect traffic to be higher / wait times to be around 10 minutes. Still worth it though! read more

Hoover Tower - Scenery of Palo Alto/Stanford from Hoover Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

Finally got a chance to see the Bay Area view from Hoover Tower. It has been on my bucket list. Stanford has a nice campus and history. Named after 31st president Herbert Hoover who was apart of first graduating class. He was a world peace promoter around WWI and a mining engineer-Hoover Dam. His wife promoted young people education and was first female geology major at Stanford. They mined ores and crystals. Belgium lace, Chinese vases, gifts from other countries are on display at the Tower. It is a quaint place to take out of town guests. Free visitor parking on weekends. $4 to go up the Tower and look at the displays on the first level. read more

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the view from Hoover Tower is magnificent! The viewing dome is 14 floors up. there is no time limit to stay up there but it does get windy so take a jacket. the gentleman that took us up there told us there's usually a line. you will need a ticket if you do not have Stanford ID. we didn't bother much with looking at all the Hoover memorabilias in the lobby. we did take a tour at the museum next door Herbert Hoover Memorial Exhibit Pavilion (not in the tower) It's free to enter the building but if you want to go up to the tour, there is a fee. The public, it is CASH ONLY. | Adults $4.00 Kids $3.00 Open 7 days a week. Free for students, faculty and staff. just show your Stanford ID. (And, you can bring up to 5 people with you.) read more

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$2 is all it costs to take the elevator to the top of Hoover Tower. The top of the Tower provides breathtaking views of Stanford University, The Dish, Palo Alto, surrounding cities, mountains and San Francisco Bay. On a clear day, you can see San Francisco and San Jose! The ground level of the Tower includes a nice set of collections pertaining to President Herbert Hoover and his wife. Hoover Tower is home to the Hoover Institution, an influential conservative and libertarian policy think tank located on the campus of Stanford University. This is a must see place for visitors to Stanford University and Palo Alto! read more

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Went to the university recently as I was lost in the area and wanted to see something different. After gorgeous walks on the campus of the University of Oregon (Eugene, Orygun), I was anxious to see how this campus stood against the Eugene campus (it didn't). This campus seemed quite dry and barren, while the UO campus is green and has so many static artwork and sculptures everywhere. I did notice that campus bikers are more courteous here than in Eugene, and took care in not getting run over obviously to the great gladness of drivers and students not on bikes. Eventually of course, I ended up at the tower, and while photographing the fountain (waterfall?) in front, saw some people at the top of the tower. I never even knew people could go up there - so I went in and for the very quite reasonable fee of $2 for non-campus adults, got a chance to see...... the flatlands of Palo Alto. The last time I was up in a tower with bells was in Cadiz's (Spain) grand cathedral, and the view was quite unique and breath-taking. Oops, I'm comparing and I really shouldn't. The view was great and a good time was had by all! If you look hard enough, you can even see the BoA and pyramid buildings of San Francisco in the hazy distance, along with the smog over San Jose.To the other side of the tower, you can easily see the grand hangars at Moffett Field, and both of the lower SF bay bridges. Look for the very bored and casually-dressed student guide who will answer your questions about the tower, the views or the bells. At ground level, the museum highlighting Hoover's days as a campus student and later accomplishments is very interesting. PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: If you take a wide-angle, you'll get more sweeping views but the details will be so small it'll be ridiculous. You can see EASILY on clear days both lower bay bridges, Moffett hangars, the hills between Palo Alto and the ocean, and many other points of interest. IF you go specifically to take pixs, remember to time your arrival with the position of the sun. If you go during the early afternoons, you might get shadows that cover most of the immediate surrounding grounds. If you go when the sun is overhead, you'll get the best coverage and least shadows. As the sun sets earlier each week, this would make for a possible great reverse sunset view!! Otherise what you can do is to capture the details of the architecture and other things. I thought the ground floor was more interesting photographically than the view from above, but those pesty librarians to the LEFT of the elevator, once they see your camera, will keep telling you every 2 minutes not to take pixs within the library - I thought I was in the Hoover Museum!!! grrrrr read more

Hoover Tower - it's a lovely day in the neighborhood!! looking NE - the blue o SF Bay can be seen slightly to the right - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

Hoover Tower is a must if you're visiting Stanford's campus. Stanford students and faculty get to bring up to 5 guests in for free! But even if you don't know any Stanford affiliates, the trip up the tower is well worth the $2 admission. You go up the elevator in groups of 7 or so at a time, and once you're up there you can stay however long you want to take pictures. The view is incredible - you can see all of Stanford's orange-roofed buildings, the surrounding hills, and even the very distant San Francisco skyline if you go on a cloudless day. The bars in the windows are a bit annoying for picture-taking, but you're guaranteed to enjoy the view nonetheless! And don't forget to use flash when taking photos of people, otherwise the people in your photos will be extremely backlit. read more

California has produced many presidents- including Nixon, Reagan, and the frequently drubbed Herbert Hoover who is often blamed for the Great Depression. Hoover was a complex person- he was one of the first graduates of Stanford, his wife was a geology major- there is a statue of Tolstoy&a plow presented to him in gratitude for his hunger relief efforts in Russia. Hoover Tower is an epic part of Stanford's epic campus. It rivals UC Berkeley's Campanile. It's an amazing monument. Even if you don't go to the top to its small museum, as well as have breathtaking views of the Santa Cruz Mountains&Silicon Valley, it's a beauty. A Silicon Valley must-see. read more

I was at Stanford for a talk and arrived there early so I thought I'd check out Hoover tower as it was just across from the auditorium. I am so glad I did because it was so nice. It only cost $2 (for the public, free for students of Stanford) There are two rooms on the first floor which have some exhibits. An elevator takes you up to the top of the tower where you can take in a very nice view of the Stanford campus and further. Check out the pictures I posted and you'll see what I mean. Definately a must do at some point whether you're visiting the area or are a bay area local. read more

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Great views, free for students plus five guests. I often come up here to photograph the campus below. You enter the building and a friendly guide will take you up the elevator to the observation deck. The most classic views are of MemAud facing north and of the Main Quad facing west. You can also see a few of Palo Alto's mini-skyscrapers and the Dumbarton Bridge quite clearly, with Fremont Hills and San Francisco visible afar. 92/100 read more

After spending several summers at Stanford, I finally made it up to the top of the Hoover Tower. If you can come during the week and avoid the weekend, do that. I (stupidly) came on a Saturday afternoon and the wait to get in the tower was about 50 minutes and the wait to go in the elevator was another 45. It is inexpensive and worth it at least once. The views are lovely (sadly, the smoke from the fires in CA prohibited too much of a view). The museum is a bit underwhelming. Also, be aware that there is no public restroom. I saw quite a few families struggling with this realization about halfway through the wait. Plan ahead! read more

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The Hoover Tower is named after President Herbert Hoover and maybe that's a sign of trouble ahead. After all, he was defeated in a landslide after one term as president. But alas, the Hoover Tower is an absolute must if you are visiting the bay area. Make sure to go on a nice day and the view is fabulous. It is a perfect place to go on a date or even to go by yourself if you are in a mood just to chill for a while. The last time I was there, a first year Stanford student who was a guide and I got into a trivia contest about famous Stanford students. We both knew Tiger Woods and John McEnroe and John Elway. There were some other famous names that I did not recognize so I guess I lost the contest. There is also an exhibit about Herbert Hoover that is quite interesting but it fortunately does not focus on his reelection bid. All in all, a great place to visit. read more

Hoover Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

Visiting the Bay Area Stanford should be on everyone's list. The beautiful campus, free museums, world class sports teams and an accessible tour twice a day. The only U.S. President, yet, Stanford has to show for and one of the first graduates of this prestige institution donated a collection of his pre-presidential work to the landmark library with the benefit of visitors being able to, on a clear day, admire the whole Bay up to San Francisco. If you aren't accompanied by a Stanford student the fee to go up the tower is $4 for adults. Your backpacks have to wait by the entrance. Make sure to visit the museum on the ground floor. the tribute to Herbert Hoover and his wife Lou Henry Hoover lays out the life and challenges of the 31st President of The United States. read more

The first month in the U.S., I was stunned by the view... You can explore the Bay area from one of the keys of the Bay area. It's Stanford. But now, 3 years later I started working at Stanford, everyday commute by this Tower by biking (almost 2000 times.)...then I took my visitors here. I'm glad they were amazed. I was less impressed because I had known more impressive views from hikes/backpackings all places in CA. Well, still you should visit here once. read more

Hoover Tower is definitely a top choice for sights to see on an expansive Stanford Campus. I went around noon and it was fairly quiet up there (only a couple people). You enter and then wait for an elevator attendant to take you up (either free if you have a Stanford affiliate or a couple dollars). After talking to the attendant, it seems that the Hoover Tower becomes crowded during the summer and during game days, just FYI. When we went up to the top, we saw an amazing 360 degree view of the entire campus. It was breathtaking and quite a serene sight. I would definitely recommend it and a great chance to all the campus has. Definitely go! Tip: Come here with a Stanford affiliate and get up to 5 guests free! read more

Hoover Tower - View of Memorial Church from the top of Hoover Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Stanford, California

The observation deck of the Hoover Tower offers spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley. It houses a carillon of 48 bells, the largest inscribed "For Peace Alone Do I Ring." The original 35 bells were cast of bronze in Tournai, Belgium, and were a gift of the Belgian-American Education Foundation. The observation platform is located on the 14th floor of Hoover Tower. The 285-foot Hoover Tower was built in 1941 to celebrate Stanford's 50th anniversary. The lobby features memorabilia of Herbert Hoover, the 31st U.S. president and a member of Stanford's Class of 1895. The adjacent pavilion exhibits items from the Hoover Institution Archives. read more

Besides Twin Peaks, which is the best place to view the skyline of San Francisco? The answer is Hoover Tower at Stanford University. At the roof of the building, you not only can explore in the 'library of war, peace and revolution', but also can see the entire campus of Stanford and the distant skyline of San Francisco. The palm trees, the sculpture quad and the skyscrapers form a beautiful painting. However, I wish there were no bars in the window that block the view. It is definitely worthwhile to visit the Hoover Tower and the rest of the Stanford Campus if you are in the area! read more

The most beautiful campus in the world and I am a CAL grad and on top of that you get this gem. All you need to do is show up, park and go to the top for the most amazing circle view of Santa Clara Valley you will ever see. And all for cheap, Stanford could even charge more if they really wanted and I would pay more, no problem. Great place to take friends, family, kids, any interested party because they will all love it. And so few people take advantage of it. It is NEVER crowded. read more

The view really is nice, and there aren't many nice view spots on the peninsula, because its so flat and spread out. Stanford staff also get in free with ID, and there is a little museum at the bottom that is so funny. I mean, it really must be a curatorial challenge to glorify Herbert Hoover. As someone who studied curatorial practice, it was fascinating to go through the exhibit and learn all about Hoover's life, his time at Stanford, Hoover Dam, and...almost nothing about his presidency. You won't learn about Hoovervilles here. Seems like they had an opportunity to showcase what a controversial president he was, what an impact he made on America through the depression. Kind of a shame really. So the view is not as spectacular as some high points on the Berkeley campus, but for this area, it really is a rare point of view and very nice. A great place to take a break at lunch and gain a fresh perspective. Its also fun when you're walking on campus to wave to people looking down from the observation deck of the tower. There is always someone who waves back. read more

I had a very nice experience in the Hoover Tower. Walking up the stairs into the tower building , I was in awe of this grand historical building, absolutely amazing. The workers here are very pleasant, especially the elevator attendant, very personable. The 360 degree view is breathtaking on a clear sunny day, I stood there for awhile just taking it all in. If you want to get your tourist on while visiting the Bay Area, take a ride to Stanford University, pay a couple bucks, and you will get a serene view that is really indescribable. read more

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Free for Stanford affiliates and their guests, $2 for the general public. There are pictures taken from each side of the building that tell you what you're looking at, very easy to decipher. You have to wait for someone to take you upstairs. I wish they had told us something about the tower or at least posted some information read more

Stanford is one of the most beautiful college campuses...period. And what vantage point affords you a spectacular view of it all? Hoover Tower! A trip to the campus isn't complete until you've stopped here. I think the ticket price is $2 or something, and it's totally worth it. But you want to go up for free? Admission is free on graduation weekend in June. Only comes around once a year, but something to think about. I've been up handful of times, and each time it fills me with awe. Besides, nowhere else in the area delivers a view quite like this! read more

We went as a group of 16 and the total was $16 because it is $1/person if your group has over 10 people. I had printed out a copy of the self-guided tour beforehand so it was interesting to read a little blurb about some of the structures I was seeing. There were maps posted that labelled what you are seeing, too--very useful! The staff were very friendly. The number of people who were allowed up there was managed very well--no fighting for a spot. It was timed just right for you to have a good look at everything. read more

This is my favorite spot on campus. It's well worth the $2 to stand up top and take in the view. Since faculty, students, and staff get in free, I often take the walk across campus during lunch to take a look. The tower also houses the Hoover Institution, so take some time to check out all the interesting displays! Bottom line: Don't leave campus without heading to Hoover Tower at least once! read more

Stanford is a very beautiful campus, in fact, it might be the most beautiful campus I've ever been to. While the campus is massive and you can easily find yourself walking around it for hours, if you ever go to visit you must first go to Hoover Tower. For $2 per person, you take an elevator to the top and there you have a breathtaking view of the campus and surrounding area (the university, palo alto, and even san francisco). There really isn't anywhere else to get a view as beautiful and peaceful. It's opened 7 days a day and the staff is very nice; the woman who was taking people to the tower in the elevator was very sweet giving us a history of the building. The ground floor has a cute little "museum" with things related to President Hoover that added a nice touch to the experience. It's a must! read more

Hoover the president? Yikes. Hover the Tower? Much better. Sweeping views of Stanford campus, including Memorial Church and the Quad. Free admission if you have a Stanford ID, otherwise it costs around $1 or $2. Tour guides are friendly and well informed. If you're visiting campus, this is a must-see. As a student, it's a nice place to go relax and think about the big picture. read more

My oh my, what gorgeous views! My cousin works at Stanford, so she was able to get us on a free "tour" (which is basically the elevator ride up to the top of the tower). I believe it normally costs about $2 or so, which is super cheap and worth it anyways. All the workers are so friendly. We chit chatted with our guide and he knew all these interesting facts not just about the tower, but also about random buildings you can see from the view. There's also a mini museum on the ground level with facts about Hoover and how it started etc. Try to go on a clear day because the breeze at the top is amazing! read more

Main positive: provides gorgeous views of the surrounding area. Some cool bells up at the the top, along with a device for ringing them. (They only get rung on special occasions.) Interpretive staff in the elevator and tower and some limited signage help the experience. Note the policy of no photos downstairs--otherwise a very zealous guard will loudly & enthusiastically chastise you. (This seems to happen every few minutes.) Interesting exhibits about Mr. & Mrs. Hoover on either side of the entrance. But nothing about their vacuum cleaners. ;-) Tips: cost goes up from $2 to $3 in January 2015. Groups of 10 or more can get in for $1/person. (Groups might need reservations.) read more