Built in 1903 in a spanish mission style, to designs drawn up by prominent lighthouse architect Carl Leick, Admiralty Head had an incredibly short working life of less than 20 years. Deactivated in 1922, its lantern was removed in 1927 to replace the old lantern room at New Dungeness Lighthouse, which was undergoing major rebuilding, including a reduction in its tower's height, following an earthquake.

The tower is a straight-sided brick structure with a stucco finish, housing an iron spiral staircase. Other lighthouses in the state had previously been damaged by earthquakes, so Admiralty Head's tower was built specifically to withstand seismic activity, as well as the shockwaves generated by the adjacent artillery battery. The keepers' house, which incorporates decorative arches and a red roof, is attached to the tower by a corridor.

During World War II, it was feared that the bright white structure might reveal Fort Casey's location, so it was painted olive green for camouflage. During this time, the keepers' house served as barracks for the U.S. Army's K-9 Corps. The camouflage paint was removed quite soon after the war, and Washington State Parks took over the site in 1955.

In the 1960s, as part of the lighthouse's restoration (which by that time had fallen into disrepair), the Island County Historical Society installed a new faux lantern. However, it employed vertical astragals around the glazed section, as opposed to the more complex diamond and triangle pane style of the original. While the 1960s lantern was a valiant effort that helped restore the lighthouse's silhouette, a more accurate replica of the original lantern (now located at New Dungeness Lighthouse) was constructed in 2012 by local high school metalworking students. It was installed on August 24th of that year. A major restoration of the tower and exterior of the house occurred in 2020, repairing masonry, stucco, and ironwork.

Today the house serves as a visitor centre, and the tower is open to the public.