AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin will begin accepting early reservations next week for public tours of the Tower observation deck, which will begin on Sept. 16.
The first public tours will begin the day after the official reopening of the Tower observation deck on Sept. 15, which will be held in conjunction with the University’s 116th birthday celebration.
The reservations telephone number is (512) 475-6633, or 1-877-475-6633, toll free for calls from outside the Austin area. The phone line will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The first public tours on Sept. 16 will be special “Twilight Tours” offered for a limited time. They will be held Monday through Friday at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. through Oct. 1. The evening tours from Oct. 2 through Oct. 29 will be at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will be no evening tours after Oct. 29.
Regular weekend tours begin on Sept. 18 and will be conducted every Saturday and Sunday, except during holidays and University closings. Tours will begin at 10 a.m. and proceed on the hour, with the last tour beginning at 5 p.m.
The ticket price for all tours is $3 per person, payable at the Information Center in the Texas Union building, corner of 24th Street and Guadalupe. Payment may be by cash, check, MasterCard or Visa or money order in the exact amount.
Reserved tickets may be picked up only on the day for which a tour is scheduled. Reserved tickets not claimed 20 minutes before a tour starts will be made available for general sale. Depending upon availability, non-reserved tickets may be purchased at the Information Center immediately preceding each tour, on a first-come, first-served basis.
The ticket price is non-refundable if the ticket owner does not show up for a scheduled tour. Rain checks will be issued in the event a tour is canceled.
The 307-foot tall UT Austin Tower, designed by Paul Cret of Philadelphia, was completed in 1937. Through the years, the Tower has served as the University’s most distinguishing landmark and as a symbol of academic excellence and personal opportunity.
In 1974, after several suicides, the observation deck of the Tower was closed to the public. In response to numerous requests by students and alumni, UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner obtained permission and support from the UT System Board of Regents to reopen the observation deck. In preparation for the re-opening, a protective stainless steel lattice has been installed to help prevent suicide attempts and an elevator system has been added to provide access to people with disabilities.
For additional information about the tours, contact Texas Union representative Hoa Nguyen at (512) 232-6009.
