Skydeck Chicago occupies the 103rd floor of Willis Tower, which opened in 1973 after three years of construction by roughly 2,000 workers and held the title of world’s tallest building for nearly 25 years. The tower was known as the Sears Tower until 2009, when London-based insurer Willis Group Holdings acquired the naming rights.
The observation deck’s signature feature, The Ledge, was added in 2009: a set of glass boxes that extend 4.3 feet beyond the building’s facade, suspending visitors over Wacker Drive roughly 1,353 feet below with a transparent floor underfoot. On clear days, the views from Skydeck extend across four states.
A typical Skydeck visit lasts about an hour, or two to three hours if combined with the tower’s Catalog dining and shopping level. Skydeck is open daily from 9 AM to 10 PM; arriving before 10 AM or after 6 PM generally means shorter lines.
