Empire State Building

Rising 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building remains the quintessential emblem of the New York City skyline, offering a multi-sensory experience that bridges Art Deco glamour with unrivaled urban scale.

What to expect

The visitor experience begins in the restored Art Deco lobby on 34th Street, featuring gold-leaf and aluminum ceiling murals. You will ascend through a series of interactive, multimedia exhibits detailing the building's original construction before reaching the observation decks.

Most visitors head to the 86th-floor open-air observatory, which wraps around the building’s spire. Here, the experience is visceral: you feel the rush of the wind and hear the muffled hum of traffic thirty blocks below. For a more exclusive vantage, the 102nd-floor indoor deck offers floor-to-ceiling glass windows that provide a quieter, climate-controlled view reaching up to 80 miles on a clear day.

History & significance

Completed in just 410 days during the height of the Great Depression, the building opened in 1931 as the world’s tallest structure—a title it held for 40 years. Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, the building serves as a masterclass in the "setback" architectural style, dictated by 1916 zoning laws. Beyond its structural fame, it is a pop-culture icon, immortalized in films like King Kong and An Affair to Remember, representing the ambition and verticality that defined 20th-century New York.

Practical tips

Tickets: Always book timed-entry tickets online in advance to bypass the physical ticket desk. Consider an "Express Pass" if visiting on a weekend or holiday to skip the security and elevator lines.
Timing: To see the city transform, arrive 60 to 90 minutes before sunset. You will capture the "golden hour" light, the transition to twilight, and the eventual lighting of the city grid.
Hours: Generally open daily from 9:00 AM to midnight, though last elevators usually depart 45 minutes before closing. Check the official website for seasonal shifts.
Security: Like an airport, expect strict security screenings. Large suitcases are not permitted, so travel light.

Getting there

The building is located at 20 West 34th Street, at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. It is highly accessible via public transit:

Subway: Take the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, or W lines to the 34th Street–Herald Square station and walk one block east. Alternatively, the 6 train stops at 33rd Street.
Walking: It is centrally located in Midtown South, making it an easy walk from Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal.

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