Beautiful tour, we went a year ago and will definitely stop by if we’re ever in the area again. Make sure you’re in good shape to walk all the stairs! Gorgeous view too once you get to the top.

The Portland Observatory is of historic significance. The observatory was built in 1807 it served to communicate with ships providing two way communications. There were both a telescope and signal flags that were used in the day. The observatory is worth a visit as it is iconic to Portland.

This observatory is a very interesting restored building in Portland. There are many interesting displays explaining the history of the structure. Amazing 360 degree views from the lantern at the top. A must-see when visiting Portland and be ready to the stair climbing.

Best kept secret in Portland. Tower originally used late 1800 to early 1900s for signaling ship owners that their ships are arriving thus saving time and being efficient. Private foundation funded a historical part of history. Guides Chip and Susan do excellent job explaining the tower and answering questions. Take advantage of senior/military/AARPs rate. View is worth the 100 step 86 ft tower where you can see 30 miles.

Historic place. Lot to learn from the guide.Nice people around. We really liked the girl on the top floor who explained everything in detail and took our family photo. Great experience.

Nice view of Portland. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant as well.

This place is a MUST visit when you come to Portland! You will be amazed with the craftmanship and the passion that went into building and keeping this Observatory in operation. Talk to the folks that work here. The sights fro the top are breathtaking!

Great place! Once youre up there, you could see all of Maine. They have history tour guide as well. Take note, if youre not a local youll pay more but not that expensive its like $1 or $2 more.

Incredible veiws of Portland and the waterfront. May interest history buffs with the information displayed. AAA discount available for entrance fee. Can be hot inside but you may get breezes up top. Parking on street available. Watch your head in two places.

If you want to understand the history of Portland, this is the place for you. There are few structures like this. The views are fabulous too. Be prepared to walk up many flights of stairs.

A little hidden gem. The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Nice bit of history to be able to walk around in. Worth a visit if your in the area.

Great place to gather with family and friends.

Definitely great views. Kind of a quirky place, built by quirky character, so that all comes through. A historical footnote off the beaten path. So, if, for instance, you might like to chill out, take a long walk or bike ride to get to this place, that may be ...a quirky option?

This is a very enjoyable look at some Portland, Maine history and the opportunity to ascend a piece of that history. On a good weather day, youll also enjoy the views of Portland and surrounding areas. Highly recommended.

A must do, eapecially if the weather is nice and the sky is clear. Let them know if you got a AAA membership, you will get a discount.

The observatory is a great way to take a look at Portland, unlike the lighthouse they let you go to the top and they have displays on each level that teaches you the history of the observatory and how it was built. I love taking photos so this was a must do!

A short tour with a nice 360 view of Portland. Youll be in and out in about an hour.

You can have a good view to see around Portland downtown from here! Very good view. This light house is not for navigation but for communication. So this is located in the town. Not so tall but you have to take stares so need a little bit power to get the top. No elevator. Besides looks no parking, but maybe you can find anywhere. I couldn’t find nearby so I parked a little far parking and walked to get to it. But you are sure you can enjoy wonderful view!!!

My family and I went just about a year ago. There was something for everyone there. Theres the excitement of climbing a tower for younger ones, the beautiful view, and all the history inside that I personally enjoyed. We climbed on a cloudy day and still had fun :)

Exceptional views from this unique historic landmark. Its too bad its not open more.

Great stories, information, and history! Offers of discounted rates for various reasons a few being Portland residency, AAA membership, and active military. Although it was a very foggy day, it was still so much fun to spend time learning about the Portland Observatory!

It was closed when we visited in the dead of winter so we only took photos from across the street. Drop by and do the same if you find yourself in the area.

Ahhh how amazing! Over 100 steps in total to get to the best view in the city! Our triple A cards got us a discount. We opted to wait till a docent was available so we could get the guided tour. It’s not mandatory but definitely worth it. The docents are very passionate and dedicated, we learned so much about the observatory. Once at the top we took tons of pictures while enjoying beautiful views and warm weather... will probably have to return!There’s free parking on nearby side streets so don’t get discouraged!

$10 entrance fee and the hostess was nice. Theres 7 levels to the observatory and each one has a little of the observatorys history. Host at entrance was nice and volunteer at the top was also nice. For a visitor would recommend because the view of the dock and Portland was great

Was a little pricey for what you get out of the tour but the views were amazing.

Interesting history of signals to ships and gorgeous view from the top.

Amazing landmark. It is a unique structure with interesting and informative exhibit. Also amazing views from the top!

I think this is a great way to start a trip to Portland. The tour gives you a sense of the citys history and the view from the top of the Observatory provides a good overview of the citys layout. The price of admission is very reasonable and it helps preserve an important monument.

Incredible views and architecture!

Great place to visit. Be sure to bring your military, student, senior citizen or AAA card for discount. It is worth having the tour to get more in depth info. I am not a fan of heights but it was worth the view to make it to the top. Be sure to watch your steps and your head as you are moving through the stairs.

Interesting and beautiful place and spectacular staff

Had a surprise that the place and the people are so nice, but the view is gorgeous!!!

This was a surprisingly interesting attraction. Small, yes, but educational! I learned a lot about the ships and the trading that occurred at this port over the last couple of hundred years. Good for kids, I think, since you can climb the tower and get dizzy at the top.

Great view came last day of season but it is a great place to see Portland

Fantastic experience. Views are incredible and the staff was extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions.

Nice place. You dont need a lot of time here. Good view of the city and water.

While structurally simple, the age and importance of the role of the observatory makes a visit well worth it. Combined with visits to Portland Head Light etc., the role of shoreside support for the maritime can be better appreciated. My only criticism is the lack of printed material available, not even a quick summary brochure.

Super view from the top of the observatory

Amazing views of Portland with an incredibly interesting history, told by friendly knowledgeable guides. Well worth a visit.

Great views of the city from up the observatory.. and it does get pretty cool up there! In summers it is pretty refreshing.. its only a quick hike of a hundred steps or so.. but worth it!

Really enjoyed the view from the top! It was a bit of a poor weather day when I went, but that did make for some dramatic photos. The last surviving structure of its kind in the US, and truly beautiful if you like 19th century construction. Very knowledgeable guides are on staff for tours/

Nice bit of Portland history with great views at the top. The staff were all very friendly and informative.

Great view of the city, it’s takes you back in time

We had a great tour with Barbara who was very knowledgable and enthusiastic. She spent a lot of time answering our questions and explaining the history of both the observatory and Maine to us. I definitely recommend!

Went to visit the highly recommended Portland Observatory on the 06th of November but sadly it is closed until the end of May 2020. Hopefully I will visit the Observatory next time I’m in Portland.

Not pleased!!! Looked on line and found the observatory was down as being open today 9/24/19, and arrived to find it closed, after travelling from Manchester NH just to visit it!!!Pleased update the information on Google to prevent others from making the same mistake!!

An interesting piece of history. Very informative tour. Really recommended. Its nor too long, and its very enjoyable.

Very nice and friendly staff. Great local and historical attraction. Highly recommend checking it out. Great views from the top.

Tallest structure you can have a fun climb with, loved the views from above! Its 6 story high with chairs and historical displays on each floor.

Best view in the city. Anthem of the Seas in the harbor.

Awesome. We went with a docent and learned a great deal about why and where the tower was built. Fascinating and beautiful both.

Interesting historical site in Portland. The guided tour gives you tons of cool information about the observatory and the view from the top is unbeatable.

The views from the top of the observatory are stunning. The history behind this landmark is interesting. Glad I got to see it

Neat, but nothing super impressive in my opinion. It’s the last one standing of its kind in the US, so THAT was the only thing that made it worthwhile in my books.

Stop for taking pictures and closed.

Perfect view of Portland. Very helpful and informative staff - 10/10 worth the visit.

Loved this place! We had an amazing tour. The views are unbeatable.

One of the highest points in Portland offers wonderful 360 views. The staff was knowledgeable and captivating in detailing the deep history of the observatory.

Great guided tour, very informative. Military discount was appreciated!

Quite an interesting experience, friendly staff.

A great mix of history, architecture, and local storytelling. $10 is a lil steep for the max 30mins you should spend here but - its great to contribute to the preservation of this landmark.

Unique view of both sides of Portland. Ocean and city. Went of flag day and it was free but typically worth the cost.

The staff was so nice and helpful!

Great views of Portland! Did not do the tour because of lack of time, but would have loved to (only a half hour I believe)

It was great with the guide of Nina to share the stories of the observatory. Awsome views!

Even though its where I live, I still like going to the top and enjoying the view

That brown tower overlooking Portland isnt brick, its wood. Its a tower originally intended to give the earliest possible notice of the arrival of ships but even from the beginning was a tourist attraction of sorts. Mount the stairs and be rewarded with a great view of the city and beyond. Knowledgeable guides and helpful exhibits.

This is a Portland landmark that is easy to spot on the skyline

Love it lots of conversation its a shame how Maine are now started to charge for parking

The view is nothing out of this world, but still recommend to go here while in Portland, because you get to see the whole city from above. It’s not too hard to climb all the stairs either, since the observatory is not too high up.

The view is great. Every floor had new information to share.

Nice local business offering great views of the city and harbor.

A one of a kind place that only takes up an hour of your time. Well worth it if youre visiting Portland. $10 for adults but $8 If you meet their discount requirement.

$10 seems like a lot for this place but it offers a great view of the city and there are some displays about the buildings history which tells you a lot about the citys history too.

Surprised how good the observatory is. Interesting history on each floor and great views of the entire city.

Always fun with my kids

History well worth the price of admission!

Very interesting historical structure and a wonderfully knowledgeable guide! We visited on a beautiful June day and were warmly welcomed by the enthusiastic staff. Well done!

This Portland landmark has a rich history, is a museum and testament to the interesting facts about the area. Going to the observation deck is a fun way to see the water with wonderful views of Munjoy Hill, the Islands, Casco Bay and City.Just across the street from the Observatory is Hilltop Superette... perfect for a cool drink, nice food and refreshments, even an ice-cream window. Try it after visiting the sights...YUM

Wonderful place I could sit and watch out the Windows all day

Really interesting, great people who work there, fantastic view at the top

The staff brings this place to life.Small interesting piece of history with knowledgeable staffers. The view from the top helps explain why it was sited there. Only the bottom level is handicapped accessable.

Really neat spot for a quick glimpse of local history.

So interesting with the docent led tour! Only Ship Observatory left in the U.S.

Great views and lots of history of the city

Really neat place, the view from the top is gorgeous.

What a great piece of history

Great place. Think Lighthouse, but no light and an equally interesting story and view. Made of wood, held down by rocks, survived fires, and preserved beautifully.The observatory used to serve as a “high speed” notification system for ship owners who weren’t sure exactly when a boat would return for sea. This allowed a few hours lead time to assemble a crew to unload the boats precious cargo. 1800’s GPS and geofence alerts .

Is it worth for $10? Im not sure but youll see great 360 degrees of views at the top.

We had an excellent tour full of information about the observatory and the history of the area. It gave a good perspective to a non local about Portland. The view is magestic and well worth the time, money, and stairs.

Experienced this during their Sunset Tour only available on Thursday evenings. It was very beautiful and scenic! They have guided tours during the day, but the Sunset Tour is self guided with staff to help answer questions. What made this visit for me was the kind staff, especially the employee at the top of the lighthouse, Alyssa. She was open to answering any of our questions, not only about the history of the Observatory, but about Portland in general. We were able to get some awesome suggestions on where to go during our trip here, as well as learn a lot of Portland history.

Great views and lots of clearly explained and illustrated history.

Really great iconic Portland spot, meticulously restored. Go if only for the views, but theres much more: fascinating architectural and engineering history and a great story about Portland in the age of sail. On a clear day its not to be missed. On a cloudy day its still worth the trip (but way better to wait for visibility)

A quick and necessary stop in Portland. Beautiful views and great tour guides if your want them

As they say, this is not a light, it was an observatory tower for ships that were coming in from the high seas to the docks. you get a 360 degree view of Portland and is one of the must visit places in Maine

Really enjoyed this impromptu stop.

Great view of Easr end

Nice view of the city and the surroundings. However it was very simple experience and not really worth 10$ per adult. Also they have removed the telescope that people used to look at signals from the ship. So that was a little disappointing... I had a much better experience for 15$ at Portland museum of art.

Great views you cant get anywhere else!

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON.GMaps says it’s open.