Empire State Building: Tickets

Empire State Building - Tickets and Visitor Information

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What is the Empire State Building?

The Empire State Building is one of New York City's most famous skyscrapers and a popular attraction in Midtown Manhattan.

• The Art Deco skyscraper was completed in 1931 after just 1 year and 45 days of construction.
• The building has 102 floors and stands 1,250 feet (381 metres) high to the roof.
• Including its antenna, the Empire State Building reaches 1,454 feet (443 metres).
• Tickets can be bought to access the 86th Floor Observation Deck and the 102nd Floor Observation Deck.
• The observation decks offer views across Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Hudson and East Rivers and much of the surrounding New York area.

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Quick Information

• Address: Empire State Building, 20 West 34th Street, 10001, New York
• Opening Hours: Daiiy - varies by date and ticket type.
• Suggested Visit Duration: 1.5-2 hours
• Observation Decks: 86th and 102nd floors
• Nearest Subway Station: 34th Street–Herald Square
• Empire State Building Ticket Options

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Is the Empire State Building Worth Visiting?

The Empire State Building is a good choice if you want panoramic views of New York City from one of the city's most famous skyscrapers.

• The Empire State Building is a good choice if you want to experience an open-air observation deck.
• The 86th Floor Observation Deck is popular because it is outdoors and provides 360-degree views of New York City.
• The 102nd Floor Observation Deck is enclosed and has floor-to-ceiling windows, giving you a higher viewpoint and a different experience.
• It is also worth allowing some time for the exhibitions on the 2nd and 80th floors, which explain the building's construction and history.

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What You Can See at the Empire State Building‍

The two separate observation decks offer different experiences:

• 86th Floor Observation Deck: The 86th Floor is the Empire State Building's main observation deck and the only one of the two decks with an open-air viewing area. The observation deck is 1,050 feet above street level and offers panoramic views, so you can see many of New York City's major landmarks, including: Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, the Hudson River and the East River, amongst other sites.
• ‍102nd Floor Observation Deck: The 102nd Floor is an enclosed observation deck at 1,250 feet above street level. It has floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides and provides a higher view over Manhattan. On a clear day, the views can extend for up to 80 miles. You can see: Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, the Hudson River and the East River, amongst other sites.

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About the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan is one of the most famous landmarks in the world and one of the original New York City skyscrapers.

Built during the Great Depression, construction began on March 17, 1930, and it was completed in just 1 year and 45 days. It was officially opened on May 1, 1931. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest building in the world, standing at 1,454 feet (443.2 metres) including its antenna. It retained the title for nearly 40 years until the completion of the North Tower of the original World Trade Center in 1970.

The 102-storey building was designed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built by Starrett Bros. & Eken. Construction progressed at around 4.5 floors per week.

The building's lights are often used to celebrate holidays and special events as they can change the colours of the lights to celebrate the different occasions, such as red, white, and blue for Independence Day or green for St. Patrick's Day.

The building also became famous around the world through photographs, films and television, with its appearance in the 1933 film King Kong helping to establish its place in popular culture.

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