tour the spheres seattle

The Spheres provide a space to think and work differently, surrounded by nature and the wellness benefits it provides

The Spheres are a result of innovative thinking about the character of a workplace and an extended conversation about what is typically missing from urban offices– a direct link to nature. The Spheres are home to more than 40,000 plants from the cloud forest regions of over 30 countries.

Bringing The Spheres’ green walls to life

Inspiring innovation with biophilia, a look back:, the spheres welcome first plant, curating the spheres from day one, students tour the amazon greenhouse.

Read the full timeline of building The Spheres.

Amazon Spheres Guide: How to Visit, Hours, Tours, and More!

Did you know that there’s a tropical oasis in the middle of downtown Seattle?  Thanks to Amazon’s dedication to providing spaces that inspire creativity in their employees, Seattle has one of its most gorgeous pieces of architecture.  It’s a set of three conjoining glass spheres, and if you think the outside is a sight to behold, you should see it from the inside!  Twice a month, Amazon opens the building to the public and you can do just that.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about visiting the Amazon Spheres. They have hours available for tours every other week, but if your trip to downtown Seattle doesn’t line up we’ll reveal how best to get a view of this beautiful oasis in the city.

The Background on the Amazon Spheres

The Amazon Spheres (also called the Seattle Spheres) began development in 2012. Until 2010, Amazon’s headquarters were in an old healthcare facility in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, but the company decided to build an urban campus sprawling across several blocks of downtown.

At the center of this campus, then-CEO Jeff Bezos wanted an eye-catching landmark. The main theme he landed on was a collaborative indoor garden. The Spheres would not only be an icon in downtown Seattle , but would also be a space for Amazon employees to connect with nature and spur innovation at its headquarters. After several design iterations, the Spheres design was approved in late 2013 and construction began in June 2015.

By December 2016, all glass panels had been installed on the Sphere ( there are 2,643 panes of glass! ), and work shifted to filling its interiors with plant life. Highlights of plant life include a 49-foot tree nicknamed “Rubi,” and a 4,000 square-foot “Living Wall” filled with a variety of plant life.

Where Are the Amazon Spheres Located?

The Amazon Spheres are located in a part of downtown Seattle known as the Denny Triangle. Their address is 2111 7th Ave, Seattle WA 98121. Near the Spheres, you’ll find several other office buildings that are part of Amazon’s downtown campus. If you’re looking for activities after visiting the Spheres, the surrounding blocks are filled with restaurants, coffee shops, and bars.

The Amazon Spheres are a 12-minute walk from Pike Place Market that should take about 10 to 15 minutes.

What’s Inside the Amazon Spheres

Inside, you will enjoy a balmy 72 degrees Fahrenheit and 60% humidity year-round.  Tropical plants from South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia fill various themed spaces.  Enjoy them while wandering pathways, from the many sitting areas, or staring up at the jaw-dropping four-story high plant wall.  My personal favorites were the wide variety of orchids, the interesting shapes of the pitcher plants, and the impressive size of the infamous corpse flower.  What you find can change from one visit to another, however.  Amazon has enormous greenhouses in the Seattle suburb of Woodinville, from which they regularly switch out the plants of the Spheres. 

The Amazon Spheres Tour and Hours of You Can Visit

Planning ahead for a visit to the Spheres is a must as space is limited and highly in demand.  The days reserved for general public visits are the first and third Saturdays of each month.  While free, tickets must be reserved in advance by visiting seattlespheres.com .   Reservations open 15 days prior to the day of your visit so mark your calendar because they go quickly!   

Now if you’re reading this and realized you’ve missed your window to get tickets during your visit to Seattle, not all is lost!  Amazon has their Understory Exhibit waiting for you.  It sits literally under the Amazon Spheres, requires no tickets or reservations, is free, and is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 am-6 pm.  This exhibit is about the concept on which the Spheres were created; bringing nature together with design, art, and technology.  Part art exhibit and part science exhibit, it’s both educational and interactive.  It’s worth a visit on its own or it’s a great addition to your day at the spheres.

Parking and Getting to the Amazon Spheres

The day of your visit, you can find parking conveniently located next to the spheres at 2021 7th Ave or use nearby public transportation.  The closest light rail station is Westlake Station, which is about an 8-minute walk from the Amazon Spheres. The Spheres are also located near the Westlake and 7th stop of the South Lake Union Streetcar.

Adults, remember your photo ID and leave pets and big bags at home; no bags over 12”x12” are allowed.

Foods in the Amazon Spheres

Do bring your appetite!  Inside the Spheres, you will find coffee and donuts courtesy of General Porpoise.  Operated by the same folks as Ballard favorite The Walrus and The Carpenter, these are not your typical donuts and are worth a trip all on their own.  They’re a filled donut similar in style to a Hawaiian Malasada and the flavor list is ever-changing.  There will be a rotating variety of local, in-season favorites such as Rainier cherry jam or huckleberry cream.  As well as year-round favorites like honey yogurt and vanilla custard. 

Restaurants Near the Amazon Spheres

If you’re looking to dine or grab a drink near the spheres, there are some fantastic options for taking in a view and enjoying top-notch food. A few of our favorites include:

• 2120: Features entrees ranging from sweet potato coconut curry to standards like prime New York steaks. 2120 sits on the corner of Amazon’s Day 1 building, which gives its outdoor patio a sweeping view of the Amazon Spheres.
• Willmott’s Ghost: A full-fledged restaurant inside the Spheres. The space inside Willmott’s Ghost is optimized for views of the plant life inside the Spheres. It’s cozy, with 49 seats total that include both tables and a curved bar with seating for 8. The food is Italian, with a mix of pizza, salads, and panini (for lunch). The dinner menu adds entrees that are generally between $30 to $50.
• Deep Dive: Would you believe that the Amazon Spheres have a speakeasy-style bar inside them? If that sounds like your idea of fun, make sure to check out Deep Dive. It’s styled after an upscale European bar and has drinks cocktails that change daily and an expansive wine menu. Foods are mostly lighter fare that includes Jamon Iberico, rockfish pave, and a hot dog with salmon caviar and cream cheese ( yes, seriously ).

One Last Tip: Our Favorite Place to Take a Photo

Make sure to travel all the way to the top floor or you’ll miss two favorite spots in the building.  There’s a great photo background with the Amazon Spheres logo on a wall of greens.  Plus, my favorite place in the whole building, the lounge chairs at the top of the dome.  As long as some sun is peeking through, it’s a great, warm spot to gather some vitamin D during the long Seattle winter!

Hi, I'm Ashleigh! Welcome to Seattle Travel, my little piece of beautiful PNW. This is home and I'm here to share all my experiences so visitors and locals alike can find the best experiences this part of the country has to offer. I started Seattle Travel in 2012 as a way to journal my experiences and over the years have been encouraged by family and friends to open up my adventures to everyone. I actively seek out the best food, activities, and day trips and give you a local perspective.  The Pacific Northwest is one of the most beautiful areas in the world and my goal is to let you explore it to the fullest. 

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16 cool things we found inside the Spheres, Amazon’s urban rainforest in downtown Seattle

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Situated at the center of Downtown Seattle, the Spheres offer a natural oasis in the middle of a bustling city. The three domes house four stories of waterfalls, fish tanks, and whimsical workspaces, all at Amazon’s headquarters .

Amazon broke ground on the facility in 2015 and opened its doors in 2018 to provide a natural space for employees to work and explore. The Spheres are also open to visitors and the community by reservation.

We met with Justin Schroeder who is the real estate and facilities manager of the Spheres, a horticulturist, and an overall plant enthusiast. He’s supported the facility’s growth since the very beginning, and has provided tours for celebrities like Martha Stewart and world leaders from New Zealand and Colombia.

We were lucky to get a tour from him too. Here are some of the coolest things he showed us during our visit.

1. 58,828-square-foot glass domes in the middle of the bustling Seattle streets

The exterior of the Spheres is a site to behold before you even step inside. Schroeder shared that the round shape of the building helps the plants get light from various angles. It also mimics shapes you’d find in nature.

The facility’s walls comprise more than 2,643 panes of glass. Crews rappel down the sides of the Spheres to clean portions of the windows every night. It can take several months to finish the job, then the cycle repeats.

2. A living chandelier

The Spheres celebrated their fifth anniversary at Amazon’s Puget Sound headquarters on June 3. Amazon marked the event with the unveiling of a new, living chandelier which will be on display for guests through the end of the month.

The suspended fixture was created by a team of in-house horticulturists at Amazon to offer guests an experience unlike anything else we’ve done before. It’s a floating island prototype that delivers a biophilic experience without soil, instead using an inert textile that simulates the conditions of a mossy branch.

3. Indoor waterfalls

One of the first things you see upon entering the Spheres is a large waterfall. This is the largest of several waterfalls you’ll find throughout the facility. Amazon sourced the stone for the waterfalls from local quarries in Eastern Washington, bringing a bit of the outdoors to the center of the city.

4. One of the largest living walls in North America

As you head up the stairs and into the facility, you’ll find a massive wall of plants. The Seattle Spheres features one of the largest indoor living walls in North America, using 4,000 square feet of mesh panels to sustain 25,000 individual plants of 200 different species.

Designer Ben Eiben and his team hand sewed more than 300 panels for the wall, and almost all of the plants are the original plants installed five years ago.

Horticulturalists attach a basket to the top of the 65-foot wall to lower themselves down and care for each plant as needed. Schroeder said it’s an exciting task, though it was a bit scary the first time.

5. Fish from the Amazon rainforest

Most people know the Seattle Spheres for the plants, but there are other living species that call the facility home. Tanks throughout the Spheres house exotic fish from around the world. You can even see fish from the Amazon rainforest inside a large tank on the first floor. Amazon hired an expert with a doctorate in animal behavior to help design the environment within each tank and provide ongoing care to keep the fish happy and healthy.

6. More than 40,000 plants hailing from over 30 countries around the world

The Spheres house an astonishing number of plants from all around the world. There are more than 40,000 plants in the facility and over 1,000 species from over 30 countries. All of the plants grow in a greenhouse roughly 20 miles outside of Seattle before they find a home within the Spheres.

It takes a village to select the right plants and make sure they have the environment they need to thrive. This includes daily plant health evaluations and environmental control monitoring to make sure temperature, humidity, and lighting are stable and performing as expected. A team of six horticulturists comes in every day to perform routine plant care. A larger team of more than 15 horticulturists helps select the plants that inhabit the Spheres and other buildings across Amazon’s headquarters. Schroeder said the team typically selects plants from cooler tropical climates so they are able to thrive in an environment that is also comfortable for guests in the facility.

7. A 65-foot tree named Rubi

The largest inhabitant of the Spheres is a 40,000-pound, 65-foot tree called Rubi. The aptly named tree is a Ficus Rubiginosa that traveled 1,200 miles from California to find its home inside the Spheres.

The tree’s journey to Seattle took three days, and when it arrived, a crew removed a section of the roof and used a crane to lower it into the Spheres. Rubi has continued to thrive and grow over the years, with roots running about five feet below the surface

8. A walkway suspended 25 feet in the air

The Canopy Walk is a wooden walkway suspended 25 feet above the base of the Amazon Spheres. The panels shift under your feet as you walk to mimic the experience of walking along a rope bridge. The walkway winds around Rubi to give guests a full view of the tree and its surroundings. There are also a couple of spots along the walkway where you can stop off and take in the views while you work.

9. A life-size nest

One of the spots to stop off along the Canopy Walk is a life-size nest called the “birdcage.” The whimsical space is reminiscent of a treehouse. The 8-by-10-foot structure is made from black locust wood, which is the sustainable hardwood you’ll find on all of the wooden structures throughout the facility.

The nest features a blue glass ball on the floor that looks like a robin’s egg when you look up at it from below.

10. The ultimate relaxation space

The third floor of the Spheres offers a quiet corner with lounge chairs where visitors can sit back and relax in the sun. Schroeder said they call it the sundeck because it’s the sunniest spot in the building.

11. More than 150 lights that adjust with the natural sunlight

Plants need consistent day and night cycles to maintain proper health. In order to achieve this at Seattle’s Northern latitude, there are more than 150 lights strategically placed around the building to ensure there is always 12 full hours of daylight and 12 full hours of darkness every day so the plants get what they need to thrive. Photo-sensitive cells around the building help the lights automatically adjust with the natural light coming into the building, so they’re brighter on cloudy days and dimmer when the sun is out.

Schroeder explained that the glass used for the facility’s windows blocks out infrared heat and ultraviolet light to keep the environment comfortable for guests, so the lights inside the space are designed to add some of the necessary red and blue spectrum back in to support the plants.

12. A super high-tech ventilation system

The facility uses a sophisticated ventilation system to keep fresh air cycling through. Schroeder explained that there is roughly 1.5 million cubic feet of air volume in the Spheres. Vents at the top of the building circulate air down to lower levels then pump it outside to keep it moving in a circular motion. On sunny days, the air might turn over up to six times an hour.

13. Serene workspaces

Booths and tables throughout the Spheres offer a space where Amazon employees have everything they need to work among the natural surroundings. Schroeder said he’s even seen some guests bring in hardware like monitors and keyboards to set up a full work station.

14. Stone pathways to fully immerse in the experience

Gazing at the plants from a booth or table is nice, but the Spheres also provide walkways for those who want to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Some pathways are even made of stone with water running through them to mimic the experience of stepping out for a walk in a natural environment.

15. Experts available to answer all your questions

Experts wearing pink shirts are stationed around the Spheres to greet guests and answer their questions as they roam the facility. Schroeder said some guests even walk away from these interactions with helpful tips to take care of their plants at home.

Fun fact: On any given day, there are roughly 60 to 70 people working in the Spheres—whether that be greeting guests during the day or prepping the facility in the evening.

16. Free bananas

All of that strolling is likely to work up an appetite. Fortunately, the Spheres have that covered too. Guests can say hello to the friendly “banistas” and pick up free bananas at the community banana stand outside the building before going about the rest of their day.

How to visit the Seattle Spheres

The Spheres are open to Amazon employees and their guests Monday through Friday. They’re also open to visitors and the community by reservation on the first and second Saturday of every month.

Here's a guide to reserve your spot . Check out @SeattleSpheres on Instagram for more updates, photos, and information.

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Here’s How To Score A Visit To The Lush Indoor Gardens Of The Seattle Spheres

The Amazon Spheres are only open to the public on certain days of the month.

Have you ever walked by The Spheres in Seattle and wondered what was inside?

Well, now you can find out. They are open to the public on the first and third Saturdays of every month. The best part is that it’s completely free to visit! You just have to reserve a slot ahead of time.

Read on to learn more about the Spheres and how to visit them.

The Spheres (also known as the Amazon Spheres and the Seattle Spheres) were built in 2018 to provide Amazon employees a unique and inspiring workplace. Quickly becoming a contemporary Seattle landmark, the Spheres are impossible to miss when you’re downtown.

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Ready to schedule your visit to the Seattle Spheres? The Spheres’ indoor gardens open to the public on the first and third Saturday of every month , free of charge. However, advance reservations are required.

Reservations for the Seattle Spheres become available 15 days prior to the date. So if you know you want to visit, it takes a little bit of advance planning. We recommend setting a reminder for yourself to book your spot exactly 15 days before the date of your preferred visit, since they tend to go quickly once reservations open up.

Don’t expect to be able to buy lunch inside the Spheres. The only food vendor inside the Spheres is General Porpoise Doughnuts. In addition to donuts you can enjoy coffee, gelato, and soda on the second floor. If you’re hungry for something more substantial, there are plenty of dining options in the surrounding downtown area.

You’ll also want to note that this is not a guided tour. You’ll be free to explore the interior of the Spheres on your own. That being said, there are experts and volunteers available to answer any questions you may have.

If you’re unable to make a reservation to go inside the Spheres but find yourself in the area, consider popping into the Understory instead. This visitor center under the Spheres is free and open to the public without advance registration. Here you can learn about the Spheres and engage directly with artists in residence. The Understory is open Tuesday to Saturday from 3pm – 6pm and from noon to 3pm on Sunday.

Another fun thing to do is visit the speakeasy located underneath the Spheres. Deep Dive is a swanky cocktail bar tucked away in the base of the Spheres. They have walk-in seating but reservations are recommended. They’re open from 4:00 to 10:00 Sunday through Wednesday and 4:00 to 11:00 Thursday through Saturday.

You can visit the Spheres website for more information and to make a reservation.

The Spheres

Where: 2111 7th Ave Hours: 10am – 6pm on the first and third Saturdays of every month Cost: Free

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The Spheres

The Spheres are a place where Amazon employees can think and work differently surrounded by plants.

The Spheres are a result of innovative thinking about the character of a workplace and an extended conversation about what is typically missing from urban offices– a direct link to nature. The Spheres are home to more than 40,000 plants from the cloud forest regions of over 30 countries.

The Spheres 2101 7th Avenue Seattle, WA 98121

In addition to the Amazon HQ Tours, visitors can access The Spheres on open house dates, please check the website for details: www.seattlespheres.com .

Ciscoe Morris, author, speaker

Ron Gagliardo, Sr. Manager of Horticulture, Amazon Spheres

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Amazon Spheres: Your Guide to How to Get Inside & What to See

After two-and-a-half years of construction, Jeff Bezos dedicated The Spheres at Amazon’s downtown Seattle campus in late January. And Seattleites were excited with the news that they would finally be able to tour the uber-cool glass domes and virtual rain forest. However, due to some miscommunication and information about The Understory, a free exhibit that is housed underneath the giant terrarium, many anxious visitors have come only to be disappointed. But don’t fret, Seattle parents. We recently visited The Spheres and have the inside scoop on how you and your family can get inside. Read on!

Two Ways to Get Inside In order to visit The Spheres, it will take some planning and patience and one of two options. The first option is to sign up for a 90-minute guided tour of Amazon’s Seattle headquarters. Tours take place on most Wednesdays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and include a visit to a few buildings such as the Doppler and Day 1 (two of the main Amazon office buildings), a trip through Amazon Go (a new partially automated grocery store that allows customers to make purchases without the need of a cashier) and some time in The Spheres. Tours are available for anyone ages six and older, however you must register online ahead of time. Psst…at the time of this writing, tours are filled up for the next month. Note: Amazon does offer a variation of its headquarters tour, one that is self-guided and can be done any time, but it does not offer access to the inside of The Spheres.

The second option is to visit during the special Open House  days. Two Saturdays per month, Amazon arranges unguided visits to The Spheres between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Again, you’ll have to register in advance and reservations open 30 days in advance of each date. There are no age restrictions for the Open House events, but all minors (ages 18 and under) must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and anyone age 18 and older must present a valid government issued identification card to the reception desk in order to enter.

First Things First While not the star of the event, The Understory does serve well as fairly decent pre-show. The 360-degree exhibit features some interactive displays, including a super-cool miniature model of the building, a sample of the “living walls” made from a variety of plants and a grouping of floor-to-ceiling video monitors showing incredible footage of the things you’ll see up above. The Understory is open Mon.-Sat. from 10 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sun. from 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

What You’ll Find Inside The Spheres The 90-foot-tall biosphere, which looks like three large soap bubbles, contains 2,643 rounded glass panels and is home to over 40,000 plants from over 30 countries. Here, you’ll find grouping of tables and chairs in various nooks and out in the open. Psst…it’s estimated that the complex can seat 800 people at one time!

There are wonderful sights around every corner inside the four-level building. As you walk around, you’ll find cascading waterfalls, a fernery and short pathways through the foliage. The lower level contains an Old World Garden with plants from Africa and Asia and a New World Garden that features plants from the Americas including the crown jewel, Rubi, a 36,000-pound fichus tree. The 49-year old tree was transplanted from California where it had lived since 1969. Above that, you’ll find the “birdcage,” a seating area that sits alongside a wraparound wooden walkway and gives the sensation that you are walking on a rope bridge.

On the 6 th  Ave. side of The Spheres is where you’ll find the Living Wall. The 60-foot wall contains 200 plant species and can be seen on all four levels. The wall also includes a ventilation system and several misters that spray the plants every so often.

Where to Nosh For those needing a snack, doughnuts and coffee can be found on Open House days on the second level at The Spheres’ resident cafe,  General Porpoise . The doughnut shop, created by James Beard award-winning chef Renee Erickson in 2016, serves delish doughnuts filled with seasonal jams, jellies, curds, custards and creams as well as top quality coffees from multiple roasters and house-made gelato.

Before You Go As to be expected, Amazon has a few rules when visiting The Spheres. You’ll be asked to remain on the walkways at all times and not touch the plant life. No outside food or drink, strollers or weapons of any kind are allowed inside The Spheres and all bags must not be larger than 12”x12”. Our best advice? Put your babe in his front pack carrier and leave your bulky diaper bag in the car. And don’t bundle up either. The inside temperature hovers right around 72 degrees, with 60 percent humidity.

The Spheres 2111 7 th Ave. Seattle, Wa 98121 Online: seattlespheres.com

Have you seen the inside of The Spheres? Planning to go soon?  Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

—Jeffrey Totey (all photos courtesy of the writer)

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Meet Downtown Seattle's Newest Landmark: The Amazon Spheres

The latest addition to Amazon’s Seattle campus has just opened, the three glass biosphere domes transforming the cityscape with their gleaming, orb-like exteriors. Inside, employees and guests will find a veritable rainforest. 

Connected via canopy to the second tower of the new Amazon headquarters, the Spheres also  provide public benefits, such as public access to the entire first floor, street-level retail, and parkland (including a public dog run).

The Spheres have no enclosed offices , conference spaces, or desks. Instead, employees can hold meetings in tree houses suspended under 40-foot trees, or in sitting areas and walking paths alongside cascading waterfalls. The multi-story, glass-enclosed structures are also home to more than 40,000 plants from around the world—a botanical immersion that transports visitors far away from downtown Seattle's urban landscape. 

Three fabricators across the Pacific Northwest collaborated to create the structure. 

The project created more than 600 full-time jobs and is part of Amazon’s more than $4 billion investment in the design, development, and construction of its Seattle headquarters. The design is a result of innovative thinking about the nature of the workplace: studies have suggested that spaces that embrace biophilic design can inspire creativity and even improve brain function.

The structural steel was then shipped to the site and assembled by the ironworkers crew. Thanks to the exacting fabrication process, all the components fit together almost perfectly, with very few adjustments necessary.

"Our goal with the Spheres was to create a unique gathering place where employees could collaborate and innovate together, and where the Seattle community could gather to experience biodiversity in the center of the city," said John Schoettler, Amazon vice president of global real estate and facilities. 

NBBJ Design worked with Amazon to design the Spheres, and construction was handled by Sellen Construction .

The Spheres form a dramatic addition to the Amazon headquarters and a landmark in downtown Seattle, demonstrating the company’s long-standing commitment to the city.

Design computation helped to generate the spheres, each a pentagonal hexecontahedron formed by tessellating a pentagon across its surface. Algorithms enabled the team to quickly generate a steel-and-glass structure that could be constructed efficiently and cost-effectively.

In addition to the plants themselves, the interior also includes tree houses, bridges, a waterfall, and a conference room enclosed by greenery.

Exposure to nature is proven to put people at ease and help them think more creatively, so the Spheres are designed to help Amazon employees feel and work their best.

The Spheres address the direct link to nature that is typically missing from urban offices.

The Understory is a 360-degree immersive and interactive exhibit at the base of The Spheres and open to the public by appointment only. All appointments are free and can be booked  here .

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I visited the Amazon Spheres, an indoor rainforest in the heart of Seattle — here's what it's like inside

A rainforest is thriving in one of the most unlikely places: Amazon's campus in downtown Seattle. 

It's called the Spheres, and it's a trio of massive glass domes that sit amid Amazon's business center. The Spheres are intended to serve as a space for Amazon employees to work and collaborate with their colleagues, all while relaxing among flora and fauna from across the globe. 

The Spheres officially opened earlier this year and are part of the $4 billion construction of Amazon's Seattle headquarters. 

Business Insider got a chance to wander around the Spheres during a recent visit to Seattle. Here's what they're like inside. 

The Spheres sit adjacent to Amazon's Day 1 tower, a 521-foot-tall skyscraper in the heart of downtown Seattle. There are technically three spheres, although they're all fused together.

The largest sphere, the one in the middle, is 90 feet high and 130 feet wide. Amazon used 620 tons of steel, 12 million pounds of concrete, and 2,642 glass panes to build the Spheres.

Source:  Business Insider

Amazon broke ground on the building in June 2015, and it took nearly two and a half years to complete.

Source: Amazon

While the inside of the Spheres is intended to serve as communal space for Amazon employees to help them feel more productive and creative, there's space right outside that anyone can use. It has lawn games and plenty of seating.

There's also a small dog park that anyone can access. While it was empty early in the morning when I visited, it was full of pups of all sizes later that afternoon.

The inside of the Spheres is known for its foliage, but the greenery extends to the perimeter of the building as well — lush ferns, shrubs, and palm trees line every sidewalk.

When you enter on the back side of the Spheres, this waterfall is the first thing you'll see.

As you climb the stairs, you'll pass small ecosystems like this one. It's a paludarium, a tank that incorporates both plants and fish. This one contains organisms from a stream habitat in Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia.

Amazon took every opportunity to incorporate plants into the Spheres — even the support beams have vines snaking their way to the ceiling.

The Spheres can hold up to 800 employees at a time, and the facility contains four floors. As you climb up, you'll get a view of the living wall that spans all four stories.

Source: Business Insider

The 60-foot-tall living wall is a sight to behold. It contains more than 25,000 plants and covers 4,000 square feet. In total, there are 200 different species of plants growing out of this vertical garden.

The Spheres contain more than 40,000 plants and 400 species in total. The plants hail from 30 countries

Amazon chose a specific type of ecosystem for inside the Spheres: "cloud forests," or plants that grow at high elevations, which allows them to get their moisture directly from the clouds.

Amazon chose these types of plants because they thrive at temperatures that are also comfortable for humans.

And while it did feel a bit balmy inside the Spheres — and, to be honest, smelled quite gamey and tropical — it wasn't overly warm.

There are pathways that wind through the Spheres, which allows you to take in the plants up close.

If you look up, you'll see raised platforms like this, which make it feel like you're heading toward a treehouse. There's even a meeting room called the Bird's Nest where you can gaze out over the rest of the forest.

You can't see it here, but the Bird's Nest has a  blue oval skylight on the floor. It represents a robin’s egg, and it lets light through to the plants below. 

Source: The Spheres/Instagram

The Bird's Nest is situated next to Rubi, a 55-foot-tall ficus tree. Rubi is the tallest tree inside the Spheres.

Brightly colored blossoms like this one dot the pathways.

Elsewhere, exotic blooms grow out of living walls.

Every so often, the plants are watered with a gentle mist.

Amazon included these placards that say the type of plant you're looking at.

There are also these helpful signs on the floor to help you find your way among the foliage.

While wandering around, I stumbled upon this guy: a titan arum, commonly known as a "corpse flower" for its pungent odor reminiscent of a rotting carcass. The flower only blooms every so often, but I overheard a Spheres employee saying she expects this one to bloom any day now.

But plant life isn't the only thing that resides inside the Spheres — there are fish, too! A big tank on the second floor houses dozens of tropical fish swimming among plants and rocks.

And if you get hungry or thirsty, there's a cafe on the third floor called General Porpoise. You can buy coffee, tea, and baked goods here.

Anyone can take a tour of the Spheres for free, but a reservation is required and it may be tough to get in — right now, there are only a few available reservations online.

You can learn more — and plan your own visit — on the Spheres' website.

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A Visit to The Spheres in Seattle, Washington

The next time you’re in the Pacific Northwest, please visit The Spheres - it truly is an amazing place.

Recently, while on a business trip to Seattle, I had the opportunity to visit The Spheres  for the first time. They're three spherical conservatories that are part of the Amazon headquarters campus. The domes range from three to four stories tall and are covered in pentagonal hexecontahedron steel panels. Designed by NBBJ and the landscape firm, Site Workshop , the structure was created to hold more than 40-thousand plants from the cloud forest regions of more than 30-countries as well as an employee lounge and meeting place for Amazon employees, additional retail stores and an exhibition area on the ground floor. 

Here are just a few of the photos from our tour - enjoy.

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How to visit the Amazon Spheres in Seattle and the best time to book if you want to buy donuts at the Spheres too

• October 28, 2019

More and more I’m finding that we have to pre-book and pre-plan things for travel . Are you finding this too? Everything is just a whole lot busier than it used to be. We like to be “go-where-the-wind-blows-us” travelers and we usually plan our days by the weather or what we feel like doing that day but that isn’t always possible. It took me forever to actually get around to visiting the Amazon Spheres in our city because you can’t see them without a reservation and the Spheres are one of the coolest places you can visit in Seattle right now. If you are planning a trip to Seattle and looking for something amazing and inexpensive to do, visiting the Amazon Spheres is definitely inexpensive (it’s free!) but you do have to pre-plan if you want them on your Seattle Bucket List.

Amazon Spheres Hours-when can you visit?

If you don’t happen to know someone who works at Amazon, the Amazon Spheres are open to the public approximately 24 times a year. The openings fall on the first and third Saturdays of each month. You need a reservation and you make that reservation on the Seattle Spheres website . I tried to check how far in advance they post the listings and it seems like they post about 15 days before the first and third Saturdays and they book up really quickly. Make sure you know who is going to go with you to the Spheres when you book because adults on the reservation need to bring government-issued ID’s that match the names that you book them under.

When we visited I thought we would be going on a tour, but it is an unguided visit and there didn’t seem to be a time limit. This made our visit really less stressful than most touristy things and it was actually quite peaceful to wander around even though there were many people visiting at the same time we were there. You are free to explore or lounge or hang out. I think we took about an hour on our visit but we were one of the last bookings of the day. The Spheres are open from 9am-6pm on their opening days with the last reservation at 5pm.

PS if you’re wondering how much does it cost to go to the Seattle Spheres? When I booked it was absolutely free!

General Porpoise Donuts at the Amazon Spheres

I really wanted to visit General Porpoise Donuts on our visit to Amazon Spheres but the donut store is only open from 9am-3pm. This means if you want a donut to be part of your day, you need to book a tour before 3pm. I love General Porpoise Donuts and between 9am and 3pm every other Saturday, I can’t imagine a more beautiful donut shop anywhere else in the city. (Having access to General Porpoise donuts in the Spheres during the week makes me really envious of Amazon employees.)

The Corpse Flower at the Amazon Spheres

I don’t know if the Corpse Flower is always at the Amazon Spheres, but we happened to visit when a Corpse Flower there was almost fully bloomed. We were told to sign up on an email list and we would be notified if it opened up and we would be able to revisit. Because the corpse flower opened on a weekday, we ended up being able to visit the Spheres on a day other than a Saturday visit.

Sadly, the Corpse Flower was already finished blooming by the time the public visits happened and it looked a lot like it did the day we were first saw it. I was disappointed but really thankful because I’ve heard they smell absolutely terrifying. Have you ever seen (or smelled) a corpse flower in bloom? I wonder if having these flowers at the Amazon Spheres will be a regular event?

Willmott’s Ghost at the Spheres

I didn’t realize that Wilmott’s Ghost was open to the public until I passed by a sign as I was walking to Assembly Hall one afternoon. That sighting inspired me to book a reservation for my parents when I couldn’t get us into the Spheres when they were visiting. I thought that maybe we would be able to peek in and see a bit of what was going on in the Spheres from the restaurant. We found out that although Wilmott’s Ghost is within the walls of the Spheres, it’s zoned off so all you can see is the restaurant but it is pretty much as close as you can get to the Spheres without having a timed entry. The food is magnificent and it was fun coming here to eat and if you order a big pizza you can cut your slices with scissors. I haven’t tried dessert here yet because Lady Yum is within walking distance.

A HQ tour might also get you into the Seattle Spheres too

If you’re not in Seattle on the first and third Saturday of the month, or if you missed getting a booking online, you might not be totally out of luck. There are HQ tours listed on the Seattle Spheres website on Tuesdays and Thursdays and these 90 minute guided tours might still get you into the Spheres as well. (I will keep you updated on this one-the “ schedule a tour ” link was broken when I was working on this write-up, but maybe it will work for you!)

And the Understory ?

The Understory within the Spheres but not within the big garden dome area seems too learn-y to me. I’ve passed by and seen people reading big signs in a room. One day if I’m in the area, I might walk through. (And if you’ve been and think I’m wrong please tell me)

(PS. If you are looking for yummy things to eat after you visit the Amazon Spheres, you might try Mamnoon Street , GH Pasta ,or Shake Shack )

(PPS. I really really wish there was a sloth in the Amazon Spheres. Even instead of the Corpse flower or maybe especially instead of the Corpse Flower. Amazon can sell full-fledged backyard houses online so surely they can house sloths in the spheres.) (PPS. You can find out more about me and this blog on my about me page and if you are looking for Seattle family travel ideas, I have a bunch on my instagram too .)

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)

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MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Coldplay brings Music of the Spheres tour to Seattle’s Lumen Field

Sep 20, 2023, 11:40 AM | Updated: 2:49 pm

Chris Martin of the band Coldplay performs at the Mundo Stage during the Rock in Rio Festival at Cidade do Rock on September 10, 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

(Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

BY FRANK SUMRALL

MyNorthwest Content Editor

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour will come to Seattle’s Lumen Field Wednesday with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the concert itself beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The world famous band is set to take the stage following opening performances from two acts — H.E.R. and 070 Shake. H.E.R. has previously opened for Coldplay during this tour.

More on Lumen Field concerts : Beyoncé sends off summer with Renaissance World Tour at Lumen Field

The Music of the Spheres tour originally started in May and June 2022, with North American stops in Chicago, New York and other major cities. Coldplay returned to North America this month and will make stops in Vancouver, San Diego and Pasadena, California, after their stop in Seattle. The tour is set to last through 2024.

This tour marked the band’s return to performing live after deciding not to tour for their previous album, “Everyday Life,” which was released in 2019. The band stated they were putting all shows on hold until they could devise an environmentally friendly approach to their tours.

According to a plan they developed for over two years, CO2 emissions are meant to be reduced by 50%.

“Make the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible by funding a portfolio of nature- and technology-based projects and by drawing down significantly more CO2 than the tour produces,” the band’s website stated on the environmentally conscious decisions the Music of the Spheres tour is undergoing. “We have pledged to cut the tour’s direct emissions by more than 50% compared to our previous tour (2016-17) and work with our partners and suppliers to reduce their impacts and emissions as much as possible.”

More on concerts in Seattle : Ed Sheeran breaks Taylor Swift’s 1-month-old Lumen Field crowd record

Coldplay, working in tandem with DHL , is attempting to minimize its emissions by flying commercially, using electric vehicles or biofuel, and building stages out of lightweight, low-carbon and reusable materials, including recycled steel.

“Something Just Like This,” “A Sky Full of Stars,” “Viva la Vida,” “Adventure of a Lifetime” and “Clocks” have been the most performed songs during this tour, according to Setlist stats .

According to the Billboard ‘s  August 2023 ranking, the Music of the Spheres World Tour has grossed $617.8 million from 6.3 million entries sold, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing concert run of all time.

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Amazon Spheres

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Vegas, US tour and more signings: Wrexham has plenty of fun and work ahead after latest promotion

Wrexham and its Hollywood owners are halfway to the promised land.

Playing in the Premier League — the world’s richest and most popular soccer league — might not be such a fanciful notion, after all, for a club that not so long ago was success-starved, financially stricken and languishing in the fifth tier of the English game.

Under the ownership of celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney since 2021, Wrexham has achieved two successive promotions — the latest being clinched on Saturday when the team was assured of going up to third-tier League One.

Two more promotions and Wrexham will be mixing it with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United in the Premier League.

That, though, may take some time.

Before that, Wrexham’s players have a league title to go for, some post-season celebrations to enjoy — Las Vegas, anyone? — and another U.S. preseason tour to make before starting their bid for a third straight promotion.

Here’s what lies ahead for the Welsh team whose extraordinary journey is being chronicled in the popular show “Welcome to Wrexham”:

TITLE CHANCE?

Claiming one of the three automatic promotion spots in League Two was the first aim and that has been achieved with two games to spare. Now, Wrexham has a chance to win some hardware by finishing in first place and capturing the title. It won’t be easy. Wrexham is in second place, four points behind Stockport, which has three games left. If Stockport isn’t able to clinch first place by winning either of its next two matches, the title could be up for grabs when Wrexham hosts Stockport at the Racecourse Ground on the final day of the season. It’s expected that Reynolds and McElhenney will be there for an occasion which will be a day of celebrations whatever happens.

POST-SEASON PARTY

The season hasn’t finished yet but the promotion party has already begun. Wrexham’s players were pictured — and filmed — enjoying themselves in a town-center pub on Sunday, a day after beating Forest Green 6-0 to spark a pitch invasion at the Racecourse Ground. Paul Mullin, the star striker and top scorer, was seen in the pub standing on a chair with his arms out and his eyes closed in front of his smiling teammates, who mixed with members of the public. After winning the fifth-tier National League last year, the squad was treated to a trip to Las Vegas by the owners — and the players might be headed to Sin City again. Asked what message was sent to Reynolds and McElhenney after sealing promotion, midfielder Elliot Lee said: “We’ve just told them to fire up the jet for Vegas!”

Wrexham has already booked in another preseason tour of the United States, just like last year. Only one match has been confirmed so far, and that’s against Chelsea in Santa Clara, California, on July 24. Wrexham played Chelsea and Manchester United as part of a four-match preseason trip to the U.S. in July 2023 that contained fixtures in North Carolina, Los Angeles, San Diego and Philadelphia in a 10-day span. It might have helped Wrexham grow its fanbase but might not been ideal in terms of travel and season preparation. Wrexham may choose to stay in and around the west coast this time and ensure the squad is back home in plenty of time to prepare for the start of the League One season on Aug. 10.

LIFE IN LEAGUE ONE

So what awaits Wrexham’s players in League One? For starters, they’re likely to have home and away matches against Shrewsbury, one of their big local rivals. They haven’t been in the same league since 2008, though Wrexham did beat Shrewsbury in the FA Cup this season. Wigan, a Premier League team and FA Cup winner barely a decade ago, is in the third tier, as might be Bolton and Blackpool — other teams who have been in the top flight this century. Wrexham is set to receive a cash boost of around $2 million from being in League One — more than half of which comes in the form of a “solidarity payment” handed down by Premier League clubs — that will help pay for some new signings. Deloitte has reported that the average League One team generates around $11 million in revenue but Wrexham is on course to top that, helped by its wider appeal likely making the team a popular watch on iFollow — the streaming service used by the English Football League. Indeed, Wrexham’s latest accounts showed that its turnover in the financial year of 2022-23 was $13.3 million, even if its losses increased to $6.4 million. Meanwhile, Wrexham will look to push on with the renovation of its Kop stand at one end of the Racecourse to boost its capacity, and therefore its gate receipts. There is a temporary stand in place at the moment, helping to lift attendances for home matches to more than 15,000. If Wrexham wanted any inspiration on its journey through the leagues, it just needs to look at Luton, which went from the fifth tier to the Premier League in nine years (2014-2023).

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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