Lucas J Smith

Seattle Sundial Tour

Compiled by Lucas Smith. Have fun tracking down these sundials!

📄 Printable checklist [PDF] - click here!

Seattle has a lovely collection of various sundials. I started looking into them a couple years ago, and have since led a few group bike rides to visit many of them.

This year, I discovered the Montlake Library (home of the Skylight Aperture Sundial by Rebecca Cummins) distributes a Sundial Tour printout. Based on that tour document and my in-person research, I have compiled this updated list of the Sundials of Seattle that are currently actually there in 2025.

The prior sundial tour was prepared by UW Astronomy Professor Woody Sullivan, who was also involved in creating many of the sundials we still enjoy around town. Thanks to Professor Sullivan for the starting point of this list and your contributions to sundials in this city!! Additional links are included at the end of this page.

🚊🚌 Transit connections current as of July 2025. Check current Metro & Sound Transit routes/schedules.

The List

1. University of Washington, Physics/Astronomy Building

Facing the Burke-Gilman Trail. Large vertical dial on building wall with explanatory plaque.
Woody Sullivan, Larry Stark & Mihaly Turbucz, 1994.
🚊① UW Station | 🚌 43, 44, 48, 65, 67, 75, 255, 271, 372, 542, 556, 586 | 🚲 Burke-Gilman Trail

2. Gas Works Park

At the top of Kite Hill. Seattle’s sculptural sundial crown jewel. Large analemmatic dial on the ground–stand on the date to act as the gnomon.
Chuck Greening, 1978.
🚌 31, 32 | 🚲 Burke-Gilman Trail

3. University Prep

North side of NE 80th St, east of 25th Ave NE, outside main entrance. In the style of a shepherd's or pillar sundial but 10 feet tall. Use the handle to rotate the gnomon.
Peggy Dow, Ray Monnat & Woody Sullivan, 2002.
🚌 372 | 🚲 25th Ave NE paint bike lane

4. Montlake Public Library, Skylight Aperture Sundial

24th Ave E and E McGraw St, indoors. Colored discs in the ceiling cast spotlights on the floor.
Rebecca Cummins (w/ assistance from Woody Sullivan), 2006.
🚌 43, 48 | 🚲 22nd Ave E Greenway

5. North Seattle College

Outside immediately south of the main building in some bushes, near the N 95th St bus stop. Equatorial dial. Memorial to George Lewis.
Daryl Smith, ~1990.
🚌 40, 61, 345, 365 | 🚊① & 🚌 67, 75, 303, 322, 345, 348, 512 @ Northgate Station | 🚲 N 92nd St & College Way NE protected bike lanes, John Lewis Memorial Bridge, N 92nd St & N 100th St Greenways

6. Olympic View Elementary School

504 95th St (east of 5th Ave NE). Large vertical dial on south wall of school. Student-painted tiles corresponding to students’ birthdays.
Bill Fetterley, Cynthia Livak, Melanie Olsen, Woody Sullivan & grades 4-5 students, 1999.
🚌 40, 61, 345, 365 | 🚊① & 🚌 67, 75, 303, 322, 345, 348, 512 @ Northgate Station | 🚲 1st Ave NE PBL, 5th Ave NE & Roosevelt Way NE sharrows/paint bike lanes

7. Greenwood Elementary

NW 80 St between 1st & 3rd Aves NW, at east entrance. Horizontal dial with circular nodus.
2003.
🚌 5, 28, 45, 61 | 🚲 1st Ave NW Greenway

8. Epiphany School

3611 E Denny Way – inside fenced schoolyard but visible from 36th Ave. Large vertical dial on the south wall of the school.
2010.
🚌 2 | 🚲 34th Ave/E Denny Way/Madrona Dr paint bike lanes

9. Cowen Park

Play area at northwest corner of Ravenna Blvd NE & Cowen Pl NE. Large horizontal dial and metal gnomon. David Eckert, 1999.
🚊① Roosevelt Station | 🚌 45, 65 | 🚲 NE Ravenna Blvd, 15th Ave NE, 11th/12th Ave NE & Roosevelt Way NE protected bike lanes, 12th Ave NE Greenway

10. Webster Park

NW 68th St between 30th and 32nd Aves NW. Equatorial dial. Chuck Nafziger, 1997.
🚌 17, 40 | 🚲 32nd Ave NW sharrows, 24th Ave NW paint bike lane

11. Pacific Science Center

At Seattle Center, admission fee required. Vertical glass panel with dial mounted in one of the central courtyard ponds. Ron Karzmar, ~1994.
🚊 Monorail | 🚌 Ⓓ Line, 1, 2, 4, 8, 13 | 🚲 1st Ave N, 2nd Ave, & Thomas St protected bike lanes

12. Sam Hill Mansion

814 E Highland Dr (just west of Broadway E); vertical dial at SE corner of house. 1909.
🚌 49 | 🚲 10th Ave E paint bike lane

13. Weather Watch Park

Beach Dr SW at SW Carroll St (West Seattle). Small vertical dial on south side of concrete obelisk. Lezlie Jane, 1991.
🚌 Walk from 50, 56 | 🚢 Water Taxi + 775 bus + walk | 🚲 Beach Dr SW sharrows from Alki Trail

14. Evergreen Washelli Cemetery

11111 Aurora Ave N. Multiple horizontal dials on graves (west side of Aurora Ave N). Apparent oldest is from 1925 on the grave of Richard W. Richards.
🚌 Ⓔ Line | 🚲 Interurban Trail, Fremont Ave N & N 110th St Greenways

15. University of Washington, Drumheller Fountain*

Just south of the fountain. “Class of 1912” pedestal & plaque are there but the sundial is missing.

Not Quite Sundials…:

16. Mt. Baker Ridge Viewpoint

31st Ave S between S Day St and S Atlantic St. Split basalt “Sunset Stones” perfectly align with the sunset on solstices, equinoxes, and one day each month. With explanatory plaque.
Woody Sullivan, 2009.
🚌 14 | 🚲 31st Ave S sharrows/paint bike lane

17. Fremont Peak Park

Palatine Ave N, south of N 45th St. Lines align with the summer and winter solstice sunset.
🚌 5, 44 | 🚲 Phinney Ave N paint bike lane

18. Solstice Park

7400 Fauntleroy Way SW (West Seattle), hike a short path from parking lot or 45th Ave SW. Stonework and earthworks align with sunset on solstices and equinoxes.
🚌 C Line | 🚲 Fauntleroy Way SW sharrows/paint bike lane

No Longer Present

These sundials were included in other lists or websites, but based on my visits to the locations in 2025, they are not present.

Lakeside School
N 145th St & 1st Ave NE, just south of gym building. Concrete bench with terrazzo dial panels and bronze gnomon. Ross Brown, Peter Bevis, Woody Sullivan, and Class of 1995 students (especially Rachel Sullivan and Etienne Lebailly). Demolished 2011.

Smith Cove Park
Just E of 3rd Ave W and W Marina Pl; horizontal dial (in memory of Richarrd Mohn, Port of Seattle executive); Noonmark Industries, 1978.

Pathways Park (Burke-Gilman Playground Park)
No longer present after the playground’s (stunning!) 2024 remodel.

Billings Middle School, former location
Two vertical dials on southeast corner of building at 4273 Woodland Park Ave N bldg. Woody Sullivan and grades 3-6 students, 1995. Billings School has since moved to 12351 8th Ave NE, and the sundials are not present on the old or new buildings.

Suyama Space (George Suyama Architects Office & Gallery), former location
2324 Second Ave, interior tracings on walls, floors and stairway for aperture dial; George Suyama and Woody Sullivan, 1996.

Notes, Links, & Further Information

← Back to Blog …