Seattle Space Needle painted for 50th anniversary

SEATTLE, April 17 (UPI) -- Seattle's iconic Space Needle has gotten something of a tan to celebrate its 50th anniversary, officials say.

The Space Needle will adopt a hue of "Galaxy Gold," called thus by designers, as a callback to its 1962 debut when it last wore the sienna shade, the Seattle-Post Intelligencer reported.

The Space Needle Facebook page Monday enthusiastically announced, "The Space Needle is going RETRO tomorrow afternoon in preparation for our 50th Anniversary on Saturday, April 21!"

The color, scorned by Prince Charles in 1962 as "the protective paint used on bridges," didn't receive an all-together positive reception at the World's Fair.

Knute Berger, writer in residence at The Space Needle, said 50 years later, the needle is like a time capsule.

"If you come on a busy day to the observation deck or the restaurant it's just like 1962," Berger told KING-TV, Seattle. "The elevator ride up, the food, the crowds of people speaking different languages -- it's a real World's Fair experience."

The needle cropped up in little over a year, which sent excitement through the city.

"It was about 400 days of construction," Berger said. "They called it the 400-day wonder."