Empire State Building
Built in just 410 days, it was the tallest building in the world for almost forty years.
Photo: DanielPenfield · CC BY-SA 4.0
Empire State Building guide: the 86th-floor open-air deck, the 102nd floor, the Art Deco lobby, tickets, the best time to go and alternative views of the tower.
The Empire State Building opened in 1931 after only about thirteen and a half months of construction, at times rising more than four floors a week. At 443 meters to the tip of its antenna, it remained the tallest building in the world until 1970, and it is still the symbol of the New York skyline.
Inside, the Art Deco lobby glows with gold and marble. The museum on the 2nd floor tells the story of its construction, and then the elevators shoot up to the open-air observation deck on the 86th floor, where the wind and the 360-degree view are unforgettable. The 102nd floor offers floor-to-ceiling windows and an even higher view.
Every night the tower lights change colors to celebrate holidays, events and causes. It has starred in hundreds of movies, from King Kong in 1933 to modern romantic comedies.
Don’t miss
- 1The open-air deck on the 86th floor
- 2The view from the 102nd floor
- 3The Art Deco lobby
- 4The tower lights after dark
Insider tips
- Buy timed tickets online to skip some of the line.
- For a photo with the Empire State in it, go to Top of the Rock or a rooftop bar.
- Clear days after rain offer the best visibility.
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