Forty years ago this month, the Skydeck at the Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Tower) was opened to the public. The observation floor remains one of Chicago’s most famous attractions, drawing nearly 1.3 million visitors annually.
Located on the tower’s 103rd floor, the Skydeck is 1,353 feet high. Elevators reach it from ground level in about 60 seconds. Once there, tourists can see across Lake Michigan to Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin on a clear day—and feel the building sway on a windy day.