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Can You Bring a Water Bottle Into Attractions? Compared

Of the 15 attractions we have verified for water bottles, 8 allow them, 3 allow them with limits, 3 ban them and 1 does not say. Rules can change by event, so check the event page for your date too. Each venue below shows its own rule, the official page it comes from and the date we read it.

Last updated

At a glance

Attractions compared
15
State a rule
14
Last check
Oct 5, 2026

How the verified attractions treat water bottles

Allowed outright: Space Needle, CN Tower, National Museum of Natural History, Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, Alcatraz Island, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History and National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Allowed with limits: Statue of Liberty, Washington Monument and Top of the Rock.

Not allowed: One World Observatory, Griffith Observatory and Empire State Building.

Not mentioned on the pages we read: Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We do not guess for these, so ask the venue or check the event page.

A verdict here is a summary of the venue's own wording, and the rows below give that wording. Rules can change by event, so a game and a concert at the same venue can differ. See the water bottles guide for how every kind of venue treats them.

What each of the 15 attractions says

Each row is the venue's own rule, with the official page it came from and the date we read it.

Water bottle

  • Alcatraz IslandAllowed

    Bottled water in non-glass containers is allowed and is the only drink allowed beyond the dock.

    Alcatraz City Cruises prohibited items page, checked

  • CN TowerAllowed

    Outside non-alcoholic beverages are allowed, though the Tower encourages guests to use its on-site dining.

    CN Tower common questions page, checked

  • Empire State BuildingNot allowed

    Glass items, cans, bottles, flasks or similar containers are prohibited and must be discarded before or at security.

    Empire State Building FAQ page, checked

  • Griffith ObservatoryNot allowed

    No food and drinks are allowed inside the building, including the roof. Cafe seating is for paying cafe customers.

    Griffith Observatory guidelines page, checked

  • Independence Hall and Liberty BellAllowed

    Bottles with screw-on lids are permitted through screening.

    Liberty Bell Center visit page, checked

  • Mount Rushmore National MemorialNot stated

    The pages do not mention water bottles.

    Mount Rushmore safety page, checked

  • National Air and Space MuseumAllowed

    Bottled water is on the allowed list.

    National Air and Space Museum entry and guidelines page, checked

  • National Museum of African American History and CultureAllowed

    Visitors may bring a bottle of water into the museum.

    NMAAHC frequently asked questions page, checked

  • National Museum of American HistoryAllowed

    Water is permitted throughout the building, and spilled liquids should be reported right away.

    National Museum of American History visit page, checked

  • National Museum of Natural HistoryAllowed

    Bottled water is on the list of items permitted in the museum.

    National Museum of Natural History visit page, checked

  • One World ObservatoryNot allowed

    No food or beverage may be brought into the Observatory.

    One World Observatory FAQ page, checked

  • Space NeedleAllowed

    Plastic and metal water containers are allowed and glass containers are prohibited. Bottle filling stations are available at the top.

    Space Needle FAQ page, checked

  • Statue of LibertyConditional

    In the pedestal, water is allowed only in a clear plastic bottle, and metal and glass bottles are prohibited. Crown ticket holders may carry water only in a clear plastic container.

    Statue of Liberty safety and security page, checked

  • Top of the RockConditional

    Outside food and beverages are not permitted, and glass bottles are listed among the prohibited items.

    Top of the Rock tickets and FAQ page, checked

  • Washington MonumentConditional

    Food and drink are not allowed, except sealed food, water and baby formula in clear plastic containers. Glass and ceramics are not allowed.

    Washington Monument restricted items page, checked

Keep comparing

Questions about water bottles at attractions

  1. It depends on the venue. Of the 15 attractions we have verified, 14 state a rule for water bottles, and the rows above show each one with its source.

  2. One World Observatory, Griffith Observatory and Empire State Building ban them, according to the official pages we read.

  3. Often. The venues we have verified say rules can change by event, so check the event page for your date and the venue page linked above.

Sources for this page

Every rule above comes from one of these official pages. They open in a new tab.

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Not affiliated with any venue. Always confirm with the venue for your event. How we verify