Observation lounge The observation lounge or conference lounge was a special designation referring to the briefing room on " Galaxy " - and starship s as well as on the Reman warbird " Scimitar " . It included an expansive view of space on one side of the room . ( ; ) The term " observation lounge " was used , as well , for Ten Forward on the " Galaxy " - class starship . On a schematic of the craft ( viewed , in 2368 , at Commander William T . Riker ' s station on the " Enterprise " - D bridge ) , the location of Ten Forward was labeled as an observation lounge . ( ) Starfleet design . Aboard Starfleet vessels , the observation lounge was used as a meeting place for the ship ' s senior staff as well as special events and gatherings . Some went to the observation lounge simply for the view . Admiral Jameson usually found himself in the ship ' s observation lounge , looking out at the stars , just prior to a mission . ( ; ) On both the " Galaxy " - and " Sovereign " - classes , the room was elongated , spanned the entire area aft of the bridge on Deck 1 and featured a large conference table . There was also a series of seven viewports , composed of transparent aluminum . ( ) These viewports spanned from close to the floor to up along the angled ceiling , which faced the rear of the ship . ( ) " Galaxy " - class . The observation lounge on the " Galaxy " - class was connected to the bridge through a short , ramped corridor , which originated at the upper starboard alcove of the bridge and led to a door on the starboard side of the conference lounge . Another door , on the port side of the room , led to another corridor , ( ) at the end of which was a turbolift . The shape of the conference table matched the curvature of the exterior hull , and had seating and data pads for ten individuals . The captain usually sat at the head of the table , at either side . In 2365 , two display screens were added and located at either side of the room , behind the table and adjacent to the doors . The observation lounge was decorated by plant s , and had two replicator terminals . ( ) The room was also fitted with audio and visual recording devices behind a panel . ( ) USS " Enterprise " - D . For a number of years , the wall opposite the windows on the featured an - style display of scale sculptures of six of the Earth vessels previously commissioned as the USS " Enterprise " as of 2364 . ( ) " In 2366 of an alternate timeline , the battleship " Enterprise " - D had an observation lounge which omitted the display of " Enterprise " models and seemed to have only one door . However , the conference table was still a feature of the room , as was a row of windows built into one of the walls . The conference table was at waist height so that occupants stood at the table . One addition was a large tactical graphic of the " Enterprise " - D , illustrated in blue and yellow on a transparent , vertical stand . " ( ) The display of " Enterprise " s was removed , for unspecified reasons , in 2368 . Also at this time , ribbed light vents were added below the windows . ( ) In 2369 , the display screens were permanently illuminated , with the port display showing information about the " Enterprise " systems and the starboard display giving status reports of various Starfleet vessels . ( ) The conference lounge served a multitude of purposes ; in addition to being a meeting place , it could also host informal parties ( ) and held events for " Captain Picard Day " . ( ) In late 2367 , the observation lounge was decompressed after the transparent aluminum of a window was temporarily phased out of normal space by pockets of subspace instability in a dark matter nebula . ( ) In 2370 , effects due to the D ' Arsay archive transformed the observation lounge into a swamp . ( ) " Sovereign " - class . The layout of the " Sovereign " - class observation lounge was similar to that of the " Galaxy " - class ; the conference table was curved in a similar manner , and there was also the same number of seats . However , the room connected directly to the bridge via two doors on either side of the master systems display . Steps inside the lounge led down to the table level . The room also lacked viewscreens during the early 2370s . USS " Enterprise " - E . In 2373 , the conference lounge also had a " past " Enterprise " s " display , though it took the form of a large glass case enclosing seven full models on stands ( the " Enterprise " - D being the most recent ) . The display was damaged when Captain Jean - Luc Picard smashed the case with a phaser rifle in a fit of hysteria following an attack from his one - time abductors , the Borg . ( ) By 2379 , the case was split to either side of a new , large computer terminal and the doors were relocated . ( )