360 CHICAGO Observation Deck

360 CHICAGO, panoramic observation deck on the 94th floor of the former John Hancock Tower

360 CHICAGO is an observation deck located on the 94th floor of 875 N Michigan Avenue in Chicago, formerly known as the John Hancock Tower. From 1,030 feet above the Magnificent Mile, it offers panoramic views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. The venue is open daily from 9:00 to 23:00, with last entry one hour before closing.

Tickets and visit options

General admission includes access to the observation deck and CloudBar, and allows you to optionally purchase the TILT attraction subject to availability. The site's catalog shows reference prices: from $30 for adults (12+) and $20 for children, with a gate price from $35 for adults. Combination packages are available, such as Sip, TILT & View (from $55 for adults and $40 for children), Sip & View (from $44 for adults) and TILT & View (from $45 for adults and $35 for children). The site indicates that buying online can save up to $11 per person and allows you to skip the ticket desk line, although the admission line still applies.

Combination tickets with other attractions are also offered: a package including the observation deck, the Shoreline Architecture River Tour and the Big Bus Discover Ticket from $104 for adults and $55 for children, and the Chicago CityPASS, which includes Fast Pass access to 360 CHICAGO and four other top Chicago attractions with nine days of validity, from $144 for adults and $114 for children. Tickets purchased on the website can be rescheduled through the Manage My Booking portal.

TILT: the thrill attraction over the city

TILT is an attraction that tilts visitors outward from the building, more than 1,030 feet above the city, and is presented as Chicago's highest thrill ride. It can be experienced by day or night. Tickets that include TILT start at $35.

CloudBar, bar on the 94th floor

CloudBar is a bar located on the 94th floor of the former John Hancock Tower, which the site describes as the highest bar in Chicago. It offers cocktails, mocktails and snacks with views of the city, and access is included with observation deck tickets. Drinks from the Elevated Cocktails selection are an additional fee.

Activities and events

The observation deck hosts activities such as Sky Yoga, a sky-high yoga class with views of Chicago, and CloudWalk, a rotating gallery of local artist installations. For groups, it offers educational visits and tours for school and youth groups, with discounted rates for groups of 20 or more. It also allows private events, such as corporate dinners, meetings, birthdays and weddings, in a space with skyline views. The Magnicity app is available to enhance your visit.

History of the John Hancock Center building

The building that houses the observation deck was funded by John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company and originally conceived to be the second-tallest building in the world. Its construction was interrupted in 1967 due to a failure in an engineering method for pouring concrete in stages: after the first 20 floors, the same ground settlements occurred that were expected for 99 floors. The owner went bankrupt and John Hancock took over the project, keeping the original design, architect, engineer and main contractor. The building was completed in 1969 and its first resident was Ray Heckla, the original engineer responsible for residential floors 44 to 92.

At 1,500 feet (457.2 m) tall including its two antennas, it is the fourth-tallest building in Chicago and the thirty-third tallest building in the world when measured to pinnacle height. The observation deck elevators were manufactured by Otis and travel 96 floors at a top speed of 22 miles per hour. The design is characterized by the distinctive X-shaped external bracing, which eliminated the need for inner support columns and increased the amount of available floor space. The structure allows only five to eight inches of sway in a 60 mph wind and has been tested to withstand winds of up to 132 mph. At the peak of construction, more than 2,000 people worked on the project and five million man-hours were required. Enough steel to make 33,000 cars was used; the frame took three years to complete and weighs 46,000 tons. Its four corner columns weigh up to 100 tons each. The building's 1,250 miles of wiring carries enough power to supply a city of 30,000 people. It contains enough aluminum to cover 12 football fields and 11,459 extra-thick bronze windows with enough glass to produce a single 5 ft sheet 13 miles long. Because of its lakeside location, caissons were sunk into 10 ft wide holes drilled 190 ft into bedrock. The design required innovative methods, such as the use of creeper cranes previously used only in bridge construction, and the prefabrication of the immense corner joints allowed construction to proceed at up to three floors a week.

The John Hancock Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers, a club open only by invitation. 360 CHICAGO is recognized for its iconic architectural design.

Location and contact

875 N Michigan Avenue, 94th floor, Chicago, IL 60611 · Phone: +1-888-875-8439 · Email: info@360chicago.com