The Empire State Building is one of the best things you can do on a trip to New York City. Visiting this iconic monument gives you a panoramic view of the city, an appreciation of the architecture of an Art Deco building and a fascinating history. Now, in our experience, such an activity requires you to prepare your visit well, in particular by consulting the essential information about the site. To help you plan your visit, here’s everything you need to know about the Empire State Building before you go.
Overview of the Empire State Building
Located in the heart of Manhattan, on bustling 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets, stands an impressive building: the Empire State Building (ESB). At 381 metres high (443m with the aerial), the building is sure to catch your eye. ESB has 102 floors, 73 lifts and 6,500 windows. Although it is no longer the tallest building in the city, the Empire State Building has broken several records over the years.
Although it houses offices up to its 85th floor, the building is a major tourist attraction. With its two observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors, it offers a breathtaking view of Manhattan day and night. More than 4 million people come here every year to see this monument up close.
Not only is the view unbeatable from the top, but the building itself is a spectacle from the outside. As night falls, the top 30 floors of the imposing skyscraper light up and take on a new appearance depending on the event. This really is a not-to-be-missed event if you’re travelling to New York City, so make sure you keep an eye on it every night.
As well as being one of the city’s main tourist attractions, this splendid building is a symbol of New York architecture and culture. Since 1981, the ESB has been on New York’s list of National Historic Landmarks. It is therefore of great historical importance to the city.
History of the Empire State Building
If you’re fascinated by the Empire State Building, you’ll certainly want to relive the history of this iconic monument when it was first conceived.
Construction began in March 1930 and was completed in May 1931. The mastermind behind this titanic project was none other than John J. Raskob, CEO of General Motors. To achieve this, he entrusted the design of the Empire State Building to architect William Lamb.
Construction began on 17 March 1930. At the same time, construction began on two other major buildings, 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building. A battle was waged between the architects of the two skyscrapers, H. Craig Severance and William Van Alen, with the latter winning out with the 319-metre Chrysler Building, completed in 1930. But Van Alen ‘s success was short-lived, as less than a year later the Empire State Building became the world’s tallest building. More than 3,000 workers were employed to meet this ambitious challenge. Working 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 18 months, the teams set an unprecedented pace of 4 storeys a week to complete the building. It was a colossal undertaking, requiring more than 60,000 tonnes of steel and 10 million bricks.
After 410 days of hard work, construction of the skyscraper was finally complete. The Empire State Building was inaugurated on 1 May 1931. At the time, the building was 381 metres high. Then, in 1952, it reached a height of 443 metres after the installation of its antenna. This gave it an even greater lead over its rivals, as it remained the tallest building in the world until 1967, when the Ostankino Tower (537 metres) was built in Moscow.
Visiting the Empire State Building: what can you expect?
Visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the city from the Empire State Building’s observatories, admire the building’s architecture and discover its fascinating history and 12 interesting exhibits. Let’s take a look at the highlights of the attraction.
The Empire State Building Museum
As well as the observatory floor, the Empire State Building offers other attractions. You can take an audio tour to learn more about the history of this famous building.
There are also several interactive exhibitions to help you discover the history of New York City and the Empire State Building. The 2nd and 80th floors are home to a museum that opens up the secrets of the iconic monument to visitors. Covering an area of 1,000m², the gallery features a dozen original exhibitions. Among the most noteworthy exhibitions are those centred on King Kong and those highlighting the films in which the ESB appears, and the various stars who have graced the ESB with their presence.
The observation decks
The Empire State Building has two observation decks, located on the 86th and 102nd floors. Both offer breathtaking views of New York City. Ideal for your photos.
From the main platform at 86th, visitors can enjoy 360-degree views of famous New York landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and Times Square.
The area is outdoors with railings for safety, making it a perfect place to take photos without annoying reflections. However, the downside is that the lack of windows makes it quite windy during the colder months. But who knows, it might be a plus for you, getting that authentic feeling of being in the New York skyline.
The upper observation deck, on the 102nd floor, offers an even more spectacular view of the surrounding landscape.
New York Observatories
Event
The Empire State Building is the setting for the Empire State Building Run-Up. This annual race brings together runners from all over the world to climb the 86 floors of the famous tower. The current record holder completed the race in an impressive time of 9 minutes and 33 seconds.
Finally, during your visit you can take a stroll around the restaurants and shops inside the building.
Useful information
How much does it cost to visit the Empire State Building?
| 86th floor observatory | Observatory 86th 102nd floor | Sunset 86th floor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | 46€ | 88€ | 59€ |
| Children | 39€ | 82€ | 52€ |
| Senior ( 62 years) | 43€ | 86€ | 56€ |
| Under 6s | Free | – | Free |
Opening times: daily from 08:00 to 02:00
Please note: the queue-jump tickets allow you to avoid the queues and go straight to the lifts. Please note that they are for people who are only interested in the view of NYC. To take full advantage of the whole ESB experience, including its museums and exhibitions, we advise against buying express tickets.
Tips for a successful visit to the Empire State Building
If you plan to visit the Empire State Building during your trip to New York, it’s important to plan your visit. You should buy your tickets in advance to avoid long queues and to choose the time that best suits your schedule. We advise you to consult our page on Passes if you wish to visit another observatory or museums, as city passes allow you to save up to 51% on the purchase of tickets for each activity.
Save on your visit to the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is in the 4 Passes, order one of them to visit attractions at the best prices.
Frequently asked questions
To get to the Empire State Building, visitors can use Manhattan’s public transport system.
Underground
Lines B, D, F, M, N, Q, R and W – 34 Street Herald Square stop
Lines 1, 2 and 3 – stop at 34 St Penn.
Lines 4,5,6 and 7 from Grand Central Terminal
Bus
Lines M2, M3, M4, M5, M16 and M34
We recommend taking the metro, which is the quickest way to arrive on time. All stations are less than 10 minutes’ walk from the attraction.
To avoid the crowds, we recommend visiting the Empire State Building early in the morning (between 8am and 10am) or late at night (between 10pm and 2am).
The Empire State Building has 103 floors, but access to the general public is limited to 4 floors. Floor 2 houses the museum, floor 80 provides further explanations of the building and floors 86 and 102 are the observatories.
ESB welcomes visitors every day from 8am to 2am, but the last lift goes up at 1.15am. The attraction remains open all year round, including public holidays.
The average visit takes between 1 and 2 hours.
To be honest, opinions are divided, depending on individual preferences. Personally, I much prefer the Empire State Building.
The timing of your visit can also make a difference. While the view of Central Park from the Top of The Rock is magnificent during the day, the light show that Times Square offers at night from the ESB is not the same as a visit in the morning.
