City Hall Observation Deck

If you love skylines, especially skylines of our beloved city, then visiting city hall is a must.

On top of City Hall is an open air observation deck that goes completely around the building. You can only visit during regular business hours Monday - Friday. If you are driving bring change to park at a meter. If you don't drive you can catch the bus for $1.50 each way. When you arrive you will go through a metal detector and you can just tell the security officer you are there to visit the observation deck and the officer will direct you to the security desk on the lower level. The officer at the security desk will assign an officer to take you up to the observation deck. Then you and the officer will take the elevator up to the 28th floor. When you get to the 28th floor you will have to take the stairs for the last two flights. If you are out of shape or have bad knees take your time up the stairs there is no rush. When you come out you will see this view:

Some interesting facts about city hall:

• It was built in 1937 and was the tallest building in Missouri at the time.
• It is the fourth tallest city hall in America after New York, LA, and Philadelphia. 
• Kansas City's own infamous Tom Pendegrast was involved in the building
• It is the 5th tallest building in Kansas City at 445 ft tall
• It is the 10th tallest building in Missouri
• It is taller than every building in near by Kansas
• It was designed by the architecture firm of Wight and Wight
• It cost $5 million to build
• It was part of the "Ten Year Plan" bond program to ease the great depression

Warning!!! 

If you have fear of heights this may not be for you. This is an open air deck with a concrete wall around the edge which you can see in this picture of me standing next to the wall

It was quite easy to lean over and take pictures looking straight down.

 

I plan on going back to visit all of city hall. This trip I only took pictures from the Observation Deck and here are the rest of my pictures. But you really should go and see the view for yourself if you can.

If you would like to learn or see more here are a couple web pages you can check out about our city hall.

City Hall History  Skyscrapers Forums

Why?

I love love love Kansas City!!. I have lived in the metro since I was three years old. I recently moved from the suburbs into the urban part of Kansas City. Living in the city is wonderful. Many people wonder about what to do and see in Kansas City especially on a shoe string budget. Every week I discover new place and learn more about the history of local places all around us. I want to share these discoveries with my fellow Kansas Citians.

Every city has it's own character. Kansas City may not be as big as New York or Chicago but it is still a great city!! And it is my city and our city. When we the people of Kansas City take owner ship of our great city it makes it a better place for all of us to live and visit.