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Portland Observatory

138 Congress St., Portland, ME 04101
207-774-5561
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Ranked #12 of 62 attractions in Portland
Type: Observation Decks/ Towers, Observatories/ Planetariums, Historic Sites, Landmarks/ Points of Interest
Activities: Group tours/walking tour
Owner description: In the 1800s, Captain Moody used this observatory to monitor the routes of ships as far as 30 miles away. Today visitors can tour a museum focusing on... more » Owner description: In the 1800s, Captain Moody used this observatory to monitor the routes of ships as far as 30 miles away. Today visitors can tour a museum focusing on the history of the watch tower and get a stunning bird's-eye view of Portland and the harbor. « less
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62 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    38
    18
    5
    1
    0
Date Rating
Washington, DC
Top Contributor
99 reviews 99 reviews
42 attraction reviews
Reviews in 27 cities Reviews in 27 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 30, 2013

My friend and I ventured to the Portland Observatory for the nice view, and were pleased with the great tour we received from the pleasant docent. We paused at the peak of the observatory taking in the sights, and learned more about the city of Portland than we would have expected. A lovely treat!

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See 3 more reviews by Qlever for Portland
Wilsonville
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 14, 2013

The tour leaders at the Portland Observatory were very knowledgeable and kind. We walked up the stairs to one level, paused for some information and a brief look around, then moved up to the next level. The story is wonderful and the view from the top ~ since our day and time were clear ~ was breath-taking.

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See 7 more reviews by Ruah13 for Portland
Waterboro, Maine
Senior Contributor
49 reviews 49 reviews
19 attraction reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed March 11, 2013

Named a National Historic Landmark in 2006, the Portland Observatory is the only known remaining historic maritime signal tower in the United States. We visited the Observatory last year on a sunny day and after climbing a *lot* of stairs, thoroughly enjoyed the view out over the surrounding areas and Casco Bay. It does take some stamina, but is well... More

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See 7 more reviews by Perestroika13 for Portland
New York City, New York
Senior Contributor
39 reviews 39 reviews
19 attraction reviews
Reviews in 21 cities Reviews in 21 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed February 25, 2013

No tours were running when we were there but it was fun to stop by anyway. The building is quirky, even from the outside.

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West Hartford, CT
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 29, 2012

We loved chatting with the docents at the Observatory. They had a wealth of knowledge and were so very friendly. The climb is not for the faint at heart, but totally worth it for the views and information.

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 4 more reviews by scrappy24 for Portland
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Senior Contributor
42 reviews 42 reviews
18 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed December 19, 2012

i might be spoiled living on Chicago who has a great planetium but this observatory was interesting but small. Almost all the staff was very friend and couls answer all you questions easily. it was a fun afternoon adventure but defantely not a day long event.

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Burlington, Vermont
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 25, 2012

We took our three teens and everyone had a great time. The folks interpreting Observatory history were very knowledgeable and the view was well worth the price of admission.

Was this review helpful? Yes 2
Kittery Point, Maine
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
6 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 19, 2012

This is a unique spot with the very best view of Portland and Casco Bay. It has a big role in the history of the city, and tours are available to get all the info.

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 4 more reviews by DaveScho44 for Portland
Leek, England
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
10 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 3, 2012

It was very wet when our cruise ship Arcadia berthed in Portland. The information centre right by the terminal was first class. We used the local bus to go round the town - $5 for a day pass. Then we caught the bus to the Observatory. Actually we caught the bus on its outward journey to the big outlet past... More

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Winthrop, Maine, United States
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed October 23, 2012

It was a very interesting tour and we didn't even get to see the view since the fog was so thick. Would highly recommend to adults. Long tour for young kids

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 3 more reviews by Christine M for Portland

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