While the observation deck is rich in both history and detail, I personally found the lobby to be move visually interesting. It's pretty swanky.
As far as views go, those from the observation deck of Smith Tower (known as the Chinese Room) are decent. The metal bars that keep people from falling off the building are somewhat visually disruptive, and views north are limited by other skyscrapers in downtown.
The Chinese Room is named so because of the elaborately decorated wood and porcelain ceiling, as well as the carved Blackwood furniture, both of which were gifts to the owner of the building from the Empress of China. The chair pictured below is known as the "Wishing Chair." Supposedly, a single woman who sits in the chair will be married within the year.
