Hoover Tower
An iconic destination on the Stanford University campus for exhibitions, observation deck, and carillon concerts
Please note that Hoover Tower will be closed during the Stanford Winter Closure.
The Lou Henry Hoover Observation Deck will be closed December 21, 2024–February 14, 2025.
The Exhibition Galleries will be closed December 21, 2024–January 12, 2025.
Opening Hours & Information
Lou Henry Hoover Observation Deck
Monday - Sunday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
The observation deck is open to the public. Tickets are $8. Children under the age of 3 are free. Purchase tickets at the door (credit card or contactless payment). No cash accepted.
Free entry for Stanford Affiliates (students, faculty, staff, alumni) with a valid Stanford ID. May bring 1 free guest.
Access to the Observation Deck is on a first come, first serve basis. We do not take reservations, though please contact us at hoovertower@stanford.edu in advance for groups of 10 or more.
Note: The last elevator goes up 30 minutes prior to closing. Please plan accordingly.
The Tower remains open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day, but is closed on other university holidays, during the campus winter closure (see holiday schedule), and for Stanford home football games (see schedule).
About Hoover Tower
Commissioned by Herbert Hoover and dedicated on June 20, 1941, the Tower was built to house rare library and archival materials held by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Serving as a “North Star” for the Stanford campus, the Tower also serves as a gathering space, where visitors can enjoy the gallery spaces featuring special items from Hoover’s collections. Located on the 14th floor, is the carillon—a gift from the Belgian-American Education Foundation—which symbolizes an overall purpose to promote peace and personal freedom and to foster ideas that strengthen a free society.
Tower Carillon Bells
The newly dedicated, Lou Henry Hoover carillon, included thirty-five (now forty-eight) bells tuned to play three chromatic octaves and a wooden bench and clavier (resembling a piano with handles instead of keys) for playing the carillon manually. In addition, was a large, electrically driven drum for playing automatically. The bourdon (largest) bell bore the inscription "For Peace Alone Do I Ring," which Hoover felt captured the purpose of his library. For more on the history of the Hoover Carillon, click here.
For a full schedule of the Carillon Performances, please visit the Tower Carillon Bells Stanford Events Calendar page. The Observation Deck is closed during performances.
Exhibition Galleries
Exhibitions in the galleries and the rotunda are free and open to the public.
For more information, please visit the Hoover Library & Archives Exhibition page.
Prepare To Visit
Please visit the Stanford Transportation page for parking options. An interactive campus map is available here. The closest visitor parking lots are a 15 minute walk from Hoover Tower.
Please note there are no public restrooms at Hoover Tower.
The Hoover Tower is an ADA accessible building.
There will be a guest services representative available on the observation deck to point out local points of interest. You may also ask the Library & Archives docent in the lobby for a tour of the Exhibit Galleries.
Hoover Tower Guest Services
For general questions send email to
hoovertower@stanford.edu
650-723-2053
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
For general questions send email to
hooverexhibits@stanford.edu
650-723-3563
Stanford Visitor Information
For general questions send email to
visitorinfo@stanford.edu
650-723-2091