Empire State Building: A Deep Dive
The Empire State Building at 350 Fifth Avenue was the world's tallest building from its opening in 1931 until the World Trade Center's North Tower was completed in 1972. It has remained the most atmospheric of all New York observation decks — the building that defines the genre and continues to outsell its newer rivals on the strength of its place in twentieth-century mythology.
Architecture and history
Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built in just 13 months during 1930-31 at the height of the Great Depression, the Empire State stands 381 metres to roof height and 443 metres including the broadcast antenna added in 1953. The Art Deco façade in Indiana limestone and stainless steel was the canonical New York commercial form for the next twenty years. The building has been continuously occupied since opening — a rare track record for a New York landmark.
The 86th-floor observatory
The primary observation deck on the 86th floor sits at 320 metres elevation, with an open outdoor walkway around the building's setback. The deck looks in all four cardinal directions: north up Fifth Avenue past the Park, east to Queens and the East River, south down to Lower Manhattan and the harbour, west across the Hudson to New Jersey. The deck has a 3-metre safety railing that does not obscure the view.
The 102nd-floor observatory
The smaller 102nd-floor deck at 380 metres is enclosed in glass and provides a slightly higher view that includes the 86th- floor deck below as part of the composition. The 102nd-floor ticket is significantly more expensive; the photographic benefit over the 86th floor is modest. The deck reopened in 2019 after a renovation that introduced floor-to-ceiling glass.
The view at night
The Empire State Building's night view is the canonical reason to visit. The full Manhattan grid stretches in every direction; the bridges to Queens and Brooklyn are lit from below; the Hudson River glints with reflections of the West Side; and the Statue of Liberty is visible 8 km south in the harbour. The deck stays open until 1 a.m. in summer; the post-midnight visit sees Manhattan at its quietest.
Crowds and timing
The 86th-floor deck receives roughly 4 million visitors a year. The first hour after opening (typically 9 a.m.) and the last two hours before closing are the quietest. The sunset window is the most popular and books out a week in advance in summer. Sunset arrival 45 minutes before for sufficient time on the deck before the gold-to-blue transition.
The Empire State Building Run-Up
The annual Empire State Building Run-Up — a stair race from the lobby to the 86th-floor observatory — has been held since 1978. The 86-storey, 1,576-step course is climbed by elite stair runners in under 10 minutes. The race is held in February.
Photography from the deck
The 86th floor's open setback means tripods are not permitted inside the deck but handheld telephoto shots through the railings work. The most-photographed angle is north up Fifth Avenue to the Chrysler Building (290 m, one block east of Fifth) and on past to the Park, with the MetLife Building visible behind. Sunset turns the Chrysler's stainless steel crown gold against the cobalt sky.
Photographing the building itself
For exterior shots of the Empire State Building, the best vantage is from the south, where the 86th-floor setback and the 102nd-floor mast create the classic Art Deco silhouette. The Top of the Rock at 30 Rockefeller Plaza is the canonical exterior photo position — its deck faces south directly across to the Empire State, and includes the Empire State in its view (which the Empire State's own deck cannot).
Lighting traditions
The building's tower lights change colour to commemorate events, holidays, and causes; the schedule is published on the building's website. The classic white (or red-white-blue on American holidays) view is from any of New York's other observation decks. The Empire State's light schedule changes sometimes nightly.
Ticket and access
The standard 86th-floor ticket includes the 80th-floor exhibits (the historical displays on the building's construction and mythology). The 102nd-floor combined ticket adds the higher deck. Both are timed entry; advance online booking required in peak season. Express lines (premium ticket) skip most queues.
Plan your next trip
The Empire State is one of three major Manhattan observation decks alongside Top of the Rock and the Edge at Hudson Yards. Each has a different orientation, height and price band. The interactive map shows them together, with the One World Observatory in Lower Manhattan and the SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt to help plan a multi-deck New York day.