Lovely visit to the Portland Observatory. We had intended on a self-tour but were told that self tours would start at 4:30pm...and that before that time, you would have to take a toured guide up the tower. As there was a scheduled guide about to start soon...we opted to take the guided tour. At that time (mid-week in late August around 12pm) there were only four of us on that tour. Our tour guide, an older woman, was wonderful. As we ascended the tower during the 45-minute tour, we stopped off at each floor and she explained a bit about the tower and its history. Lots of interesting facts! We made it to the top to take in some amazing views of the area. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-16 and free for those 5 and under. The stairs (there are about 100) throughout the tower are spiral-ish...so be careful of your foot placement on the narrowed parts of each step while ascending and descending. Street parking signs can be a bit tricky in the area reading "...no parking on the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th ___day of the month..." Be sure to properly read those signs and park accordingly. read more

Portland Observatory - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

My plans only have me in town for two days, so I asked my local coworker one sight I had to see with a short time frame, and was sent here. Just a fun little local tip. The history itself is cool enough: this was a lookout for ships coming into the harbor before radio, and is the oldest currently standing in the USA. But I really appreciated the elevation for getting a good look of the downtown and harbor area, walking around the tower in the breeze and seeing the ocean peaking through the islands in the harbor. Worth the $10 to the top. (Note: the stairs are steep and there's no room inside for an elevator. We're talking large curving internal staircases. Maybe not for those with mobility issues.) read more

Portland Observatory - View from the top. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

See all

We visited outside of their open season (Memorial Day through the beginning of Oct) so we did not get to go inside, however it was great to see it and we did enjoy reading the plaques outside and learning the history of this structure on the Portland Observatory website. We look forward to returning in the warmer months (Thursday thru Monday, with only self guided tours on Saturdays) to get a look inside and hear all about its fascinating history and take in the views. Take a short drive from here to the East Promenade for some breathtaking views of the water and stately homes, or take a walk/bike on the many surrounding trails. read more

See all

Interesting historical site with great view of Portland. Volunteers provide the tours. Highly recommend

Very special experience in part due to our great guide Mark. We learned so much about Portland and enjoyed great views. Most highly recommend!! Must do. read more

Portland Observatory - Outside near entrance - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

See all

This was a neat find. My friend I was visiting and Portland and I were walking around Portland, and she said she had never been to the observatory. We walked by it, and I said, "Let's go!" We had to wait about 20min for the next tour, but it was worth it. It was full of history of the area and the observatory (it looks like a lighthouse, but it is not a lighthouse). When you get up to the top, you are awarded with amazing views. The tour is interactive. There is a small gift shop at the bottom with some neat things -- I got postcards to send and my Christmas ornament for the trip. I highly recommend this if you have an hour to spare. read more

Worth taking the tour. Our tour guide was the best and kids had fun too! The view from the top is awesome! read more

See all

Maybe because I had low expectations, but this was honestly one of the best things we did in Portland! They give guided tours on the half hour, and we went because it was a rainy day, and needed something to do indoors. Barbara, our tour guide was excellent. We learned much about the history of Portland, as well as the Observatory itself, and the Observatory has a very interesting history. I'm in my early 60's, and I had no problem climbing up the stairs, although I wonder if one is in their 70's or 80's if this is doable. Nevertheless, it may sound like I am exaggerating, but this tour truly should not be missed! read more

This is a hidden gem in Portland and the last remaining observatory in the United States. The tour lasts 45 minutes as you are guided by a docent through the different exhibits at each floor leading up the tower. It's provides insights into Portland's history and present day. Pro tip - Make sure you order tickets in advance and arrive on time. The tours frequently sell out. read more

Portland Observatory - View of Portland from the Observatory - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

Amazing! Our tour guide Barbara was very knowledgeable and explained everything in detail. It's definitely worth your time to visit. The views are spectacular and the history behind the observatory is extremely interesting. read more

Beautiful, worth the short hike of stairs and wonderful staff. Bring a nice camera to take pictures from the top!

Provides great view of the neighborhoods in Portland and, especially, the bay! To get straight to the point, the observatory was located in a relatively quiet residential neighborhood. However, A LOT of history surrounded the observatory and we would have never thought all of what occurred there actually happened. If you're in Portland, it's basically a must-visit landmark. Visitors get set back $10 to go inside and walk up the observatory, but it was well worth the price of admission. There were discounts that could be applied too (e.g. AAA members). Visitors could either guide themselves thru to the top (with a laminated information card) or can get a regularly scheduled guided tour from an expert. We started from the ground floor where the shop area was and worked our way up the slightly steep stairs and multiple floors of the observatory to learn about the origins of the landmark over the last 2+ centuries. I didn't have much expectations when we arrived, as I saw it as more of a quick photo op., but to be honest, the historical significance of the structure and series of events leading up to its present day condition were quite fascinating. As we walked up the multiple flights of stairs, there were excerpts about the observatory and the people who built it, relics important to its maritime past and small models of the observatory itself. We really enjoyed the small history lesson and, the reward at the top was amazing. We could see for miles out to sea and land when we were up there. There was also a guide up at the top as well giving us information as we enjoyed the view. To summarize, it goes without saying any more that I highly recommend visiting the observatory if you're visiting Portland! read more

See all

Of our cruise ship buddies, no one stopped at this site as they thought it was just a light house and there are so many things to do in Portland! Well, it's not a lighthouse but was designed to be a simple but effective communication medium back in the day. It's subscription service to companies/vessels designed a unique flag for each one and hung them from the tower. This enabled the towns folk to know what merchandise was coming in. The structure itself is historic and quite a marvelously constructed wooden building. Unlike a lighthouse regular internal platforms have stations with information about the significance of both the structure, as well as Portland. The view from the top is a phenomenal 360 of the city and the harbor. We did the self guided tour as we didn't want an overload of information from a docent. We were happy with our choice, but we passed a docent tour that certainly had the group captivated. We were there over an hour, fascinated but the exhibits and the view. We learned so and we're so excited by "our discovery" that we were pretty darn good at telling its tale in a way that resulted in some of our cruise buddies' commenting that they had no idea what a treasure they missed seeing. read more

See all

Very interesting tour given by a highly informed guide. Great learning experience and beautiful views. Best our high expectations by a mile! read more

Great place to get a 360° view. The staff is knowledgeable. You can choose a self- guided tour or a guided tour for the same price. If you aren't in the mood for reading, take the guided tour. We had Maureen and she was great as well as all the other volunteers and staff! The information was clear and Maureen answered all of our questions. The gift shop is cute. The restrooms are next to the firehouse. Glad we stopped in. read more

Unfortunately, my husband and I saved this excursion until just before leaving Portland. Definitely do it first! The view from the top gave us a better understanding of the community and helped us to situate ourselves in this thriving business and marine culture. At the beginning, we were asked if we would like a docent-led tour. Hesitantly, we said "yes" and that was the absolute best decision! Susan was our guide and spent almost an hour teaching us about the Observatory, history of Portland, the building and the family who owned it, and Portland as a shipping community. She was amazingly knowledgeable and able to expand on all the tangents we threw at her. Definitely go to the Observatory and definitely request a docent! read more

If you have time in Portland this is a nice place to visit. They do have a guided tour. Book in advance. read more

Portland Observatory - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

Edinburgh has the Nelson Monument. Portland has the Observatory. (No, their purposes weren't the same, but the structure, walk up, and views are pretty similar!) Fun facts about the Observatory: 1. Despite the heat it took when it was created by Moody in 1807, it did not in fact "blow over like a cloud on a summer's day" (paraphrasing something a docent told me). 2. It's the only remaining historic maritime signal station in the United States. 3. When it was first opened, it cost 12.5 cents to go up the tower. Segue... 4. It's free to check-out on Flag Day each year! 5. The bottom floor is filled with 60-something tons of ballast to keep the structure steady. But most impressive of all? It has THE BEST view of Portland. From the islands to the bustling city, from open ocean to (on a clear day) the White Mountains. It's 360° view is a summation of the exact reason why I love Maine so much... it truly has a little bit of everything. If you're coming to Portland for a day, I would recommend spending an hour here. If you're a local and you've never come here, I would recommend spending an hour here. Between the history (the guides here are passionate and knowledgable, so pick their brains and ask them for fun tidbits of information they don't usually give out!) and the views, it's absolutely a must-do in the city of Portland. read more

See all

A real neat place to check out when in Portland. The volunteers were really friendly and knowledgeable. The view from the top is pretty awesome. I'm read more

Fascinating history, fascinating entrepreneurial mind, great views of the city, friendly and knowledgeable volunteers, plus there's a true floor/room at every level where you can stop to learn about things (which was a relief for one of us who usually gets vertigo from windy-staired towers). Also nice posters and cards that support the museum and there were some by local artists. Would go again. read more

We showed up to the Observatory expecting to walk up to the up ourselves. We were surprised to learn they offer tours every 30 minutes. We were able to book 4 spots on the upcoming 1:30 time slot. We spent the next 15 minutes looking at the walls downstairs learning on our own. Stephen was our tour guide. He did a great job explaining all about it being built and Mr. Moody daily routine of using the flags to alert locals which ships were returning. Definitely would recommend. read more

The observatory really exceeded my expectations. I was expecting this to just be a trip up to the top to overlook the city. While this would have been cool in and of itself, the ticket price got you much more. On the five floors on the way to the top an elderly, wonderfully knowledgeable guide talked to us about the history of the city and the tower and it's role in the city's shipping business. The guide had personal stories to impart as well and made the tour really special. We had a good amount of time at the top to take all the pictures we wanted and extra time to just stand there and enjoy the view. I highly recommend booking this tour in advance and enjoying the history and views. Unfortunately, it closed for the season the day after we visited so anyone reading this now will have to wait until 2022 to check it out. read more

It's Oct 15th 2019, and unfortunately, the observatory is already closed for the season already. :( :'( From the outside, there's not a lot to see on the outside, so remember to check the website before heading over! read more

A visit to Portland is. It complete without a trip to the Observatory. We visit at least once a year with guests to Maine, and last year visited at Christmas for a special lantern tour. It is a uniquely constructed building with the engineering suitable for a ship and house combined. The guides are knowledgeable and fun. The tour is about an hour, and the views of Portland are the best. read more

It may not be the most popular spot to visit in town but Portland Observatory is well worth the visit! It's not as high to claim as it may seem. Myself and my husband enjoyed the visit shortly before their last admission. Box office lady is very friendly happy to see visitors. The tower itself is a little bit hot as there is no air conditioning of course so some may need a break or two before hitting the top. Every floor has a landing with bits of history and information about the observatory. And once you hit the top you're gonna love the view and the breeze! read more

See all

A place to see the sea. Portland Observatory is a 86 feet high tower located in Munjoy Hill. It was built in 1807, and is now a museum. There's a cool little giftshop at the bottom floor where we bought some postcards and trinkets. and to get to the top you have to climb some rather creaky wooden steps. Not a bad climb and the tour guide stops at every floor and talks about the history of the observatory. I think our tour guide was named Judy, and she knew just about everything there was to know about that place. She also was kinda funny in a dry sort of way. The best part is when you get to the top. We were fortunate to have a sunny, clear day, and we could actually see Mt Washington in the distance. Looking south gave great views of the bay and islands. The Portland Observatory is a cool place for anyone interested in history or just wants some great views. read more

Super cool building; a true structural marvel. The bonus: by going up to the tour you get to get a gorgeous 360 degree view of Portland from up top of the observatory! The tour was worth the price: you have to be ready to walk up all the stairs, but the views up top are well worth it. The tour guides are all volunteers who love history and Maine and apparently have to be pretty fit to keep going up and down these all day long. The tour is discounted for Portland residents (only $5) and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something short and fun to do for a day. read more

Nice view at the top of the light house! $30 for my whole family instead of $10 each, not too bad for a guided tour! She was very informative! Lives here all her life, gave us lots of nice suggestions where to go for shop, food and things to do. Perfect easy afternoon spot if you only have little time here! read more

See all

Great tour! My husband and I wanted to stop by and decided to visit the Observatory with a guide. The guide was fairly new to the job, but still very professional and informed about the history of the tower. The tour was around 30 minutes, and he gave us time to spend at the top level for pictures and more questions. We loved this afternoon adventure! Thank you. read more

Portland Observatory - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

Beautiful view. My advise is pay the $10 but skip the tour. Just walk all the way up to the top and savor the view!

Whenever I'm traveling to a new town, I love to climb up church spires, clock towers, whatever is available to get a good look down at the city I'm visiting. In Portland, this need was met with the Observatory. You have to climb up in a small group led by a tour guide. These guides are all volunteers, so you know they are here because they truly love what they do - sharing the history of Portland with guests. Our guide was named Bill, and he knew everything I could have wanted to know about the Observatory and Portland itself at the time of its construction. The tour stops at each level (there are 4) to give you additional perspective on the work involved in the initial construction and the two subsequent restorations of the tower. There are many pictures, maps, and diagrams to show what Portland looked like 200 years ago when construction began and how important the tower was to the port city. The climb up the tower is relatively untaxing. The steps are a touch uneven (as they were back in 1807), but there is a handrail. I can't see it posing much of a problem to small children or older adults. The top offers an incredible 360-degree view of the city and harbor. The entire trip up is worth is for the view of the sailboats in Casco Bay. Magical. read more

The Porland Observatory was a fantastic stop on our New England Road Trip, and I'm so glad we stopped here. So interesting. It was $9 when we went, but they gave us the AAA discount ($8). We went on a cold, breezy day in late September, and while it was cold at the top, the view was great. Our tour guide was Jim, who was fantastic. We ended up with another couple on his last tour of the day (around 3pm), so he said we could spend as much time at the top as we wanted, which was great. You could tell that he really enjoyed "working" at the Observatory (in quotations because it's all volunteer work), and we spent about 30 minutes at the top talking about the surrounding area and local legends/gossip and extra tidbits that may not have made it on the regular tour. We were really lucky to catch Jim at the time we did. If you're worried about the climb, don't be. It's about 6 stories, but you stop on each floor, so you're really only climbing one flight, then stopping for 5-7 minutes, then another flight, etc. Totally doable for most people. read more

Great piece of history right in Downtown Portland. It's not a lighthouse in the middle of the city; it's the only remaining signal tower in North America. It was used to signal to the city what ships were coming into the harbor. Your guide takes you up to the top floor by floor, discussing the history bit-by-bit on every level. It's nice since it's not a straight, athletically challenging, run to the top. After learning all about the building you are rewarded with a great view of the city. read more

See all

Given Portland's major handful of beautiful & historic things to do, this doesn't rise to the top of my list of recommendations. If you're new to Portland and only have a few days (or one) to explore, Id recommend passing on this. You're better off to take a ferry to Peaks or go see Port Head light or something, This experience is only really cool until you reach the top. Which, of course, is a beautiful 360 degree view of Portland's harbor and east bayside. My favorite part is spying on all the rich people with roof decks who live on the top of east prom. Good luck paying that property tax! read more

An excellent experience overall that gave us an opportunity to learn about the history of Portland. We found our volunteer guide to be friendly, interesting, and engaging. He was a bit scattered at times, and seemed to know more about the history of Portland than the actual structure itself-- but this was just fine with us. I understand that this place was in poor repair for a number of years, but it's now a protected site by the National Park Service and state. read more

The husband and I were in Portland for only one day and stumbled across the Observatory. We were initially disappointed that we couldn't climb to the top by ourselves, but we ended up liking the tour. It's volunteer led by locals and it gave us a good sense of the history of Portland as well as the surrounding geography. Everyone in our tour group were first time visitors to Portland, so our guide pointed out some other places of the interest that we might be interested in visiting. The climb is not strenuous at all (if you're climbed the Bunker Hill monument in Boston, it's nothing like that) and you pause on every floor as the guide tells you about the observatory. There are chairs to sit down on if you need them. We were there on an overcast, dreary day, but the view from the top was still very nice and I enjoyed snapping some pics of Portland. read more

It's a pretty good tour; you get a sense of local history & time at the top to take photos of Portland. It's a good spot to take panoramic photos. Go on a clear sunny day if possible. read more

Portland Observatory - view from the top - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine

See all

We didn't expect much from this. It's a tower and we've all been to lookouts before. But it turned out to be be fascinating and beautiful! We took the guided tour and there was a lot of interesting history that was kept short enough not to get boring. We were in a tour with just four other people, and I'd recommend trying to go when it's a similar sized group. Each of the five or six landings as you go up the tower as small and it could get pretty stuffy I'd imagine. The view at the top is great! Definitely not to be missed if you are in Portland. read more

Take it to the Top On our third visit to Portland, we can't believe we missed this wonderful bit of early Portland history. Take the tour, our guide added much to the experience. The views, the history and the wood timber construction are a wonder. Note: This tour goes up a very narrow wooden staircase.This tour is not for the mobility challenged. read more

Cool views 360 degrees. 6 flights up. Free the day I went so it was a great deal. Not sure what regular admission is. Not sure I would pay much to go up but it was very pretty up there. read more

Portland Observatory - Not a selfie but an "usie". The view from the top. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Portland, Maine