The Sunsphere is going back to its original colors, and a new visitor experience is coming

Ryan Wilusz, Knoxville News Sentinel
·3 min read

The Sunsphere is returning to its original color scheme, meant to represent the center of our solar system while blending in with the Earth's sky, and visitors soon will have double the space to explore when they visit.

When it was built for the 1982 World's Fair, the Sunsphere's 26 stories featured a golden sphere atop a blue tower. The tower was later painted green but soon will return to its original color, partially using money raised by visits to the structure.

Once that work is complete, a new visitors center will be waiting in the wings as the next Sunsphere renovation.

Visits to the Sunsphere were previously a free experience, but visitors have been paying $5 since February 2022, when the Sunsphere reopened for the first time since closing during the early months of COVID-19.

Money from admission fees goes into the Sunsphere Fund, established in 2019 by Visit Knoxville to preserve, maintain and upgrade the iconic structure.

The painting process, which is expected to begin Oct. 1, will be the first project to use these funds.

Blue tower on Sunsphere would blend in with the Knoxville sky

Renovations are planned for the Sunsphere in downtown Knoxville, starting with repainting the tower to its original blue color. Once that's complete, a new visitors center would be constructed on the third floor, one story below the observation deck.
Renovations are planned for the Sunsphere in downtown Knoxville, starting with repainting the tower to its original blue color. Once that's complete, a new visitors center would be constructed on the third floor, one story below the observation deck.

While Knoxvillians were accustomed to popping up into the Sunsphere for free and were critical of the entry fee, they also have been critical of the green color.

Painting should wrap up by the end of the year, according to a Visit Knoxville news release, and access should not be "heavily impacted."

The exact blue color is PANTONE 19-4052 or, simply, "classic blue." This color was named the 2020 PANTONE Color of the Year for "instilling calm, confidence and connection."

"This enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era," reads PANTONE's explanation.

The Sunsphere is about to enter a new era of its own.

New visitors center planned below the current Sunsphere observation deck

Once the paint job is complete, construction will begin next year on a new visitors center on the third level. That's one story below the observation deck, where renovations debuted when the Sunsphere reopened last year.

The observation deck now includes a 1982 World's Fair timeline, gallery, memorabilia and gift shop. The new visitors area will have more retail space and views of World's Fair Park. Additional information for tourists will be available.

Since reopening, the Sunsphere has welcomed 78,000 visitors from more than 50 countries, according to the news release.

"Visit Knoxville participated in the conceptual process with the East Tennessee Community Design Center and through this partnership the vision was vetted, and organizations were connected to develop the planning for both phases of this project," according to the news release.

The visitors center planned for the Sunsphere, pictured here, would be one story below the fourth-floor observation deck. The deck reopened in 2022 for the 40th anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair, which was celebrated in Knoxville with museum exhibitions, a visit from the Budweiser Clydesdale horses and a festival at World's Fair Park.
The visitors center planned for the Sunsphere, pictured here, would be one story below the fourth-floor observation deck. The deck reopened in 2022 for the 40th anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair, which was celebrated in Knoxville with museum exhibitions, a visit from the Budweiser Clydesdale horses and a festival at World's Fair Park.

McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects will serve as architects and engineers, while the Christman Company will be construction managers. Both were involved in the creation of the Sunsphere, designed by Community Tectonics.

The visitors center is expected to be finished by the end of next year.

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Sunsphere in Knoxville goes back to blue and adds visitors' floor