The Empire State Building celebrated its opening on May 1, 1931 and has been embellishing the Manhattan skyline ever since. At 381 m high and 102 floors, it was the tallest building in the world at the time. To this day, the Empire State Building remains one of the best examples of the influence of American architecture .
The Empire is open 365 days a year, so there is no excuse not to visit on your vacation. ;) Below we have put together all the information about the most famous building in the world:
The address:
The Empire State Building is located in the heart of Manhattan at 350 5th Avenue, New York NY 10118 , between 33rd and 34th Streets. There are a total of 5 entrances at 33rd Street, 34th Street and 5th Avenue
Arrival with the New York subway:
The Empire is super centrally located and there are many major stops, such as Pennstation, near the building:
- Subway: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E to 34th Street/Penn Station
- Subway: B, D, F, N, R, Q or the PATH (the train) to 34th Street and 6th Avenue/Avenue of the Americas
- Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 33rd Street-Lexington Avenue
You can find the three stops marked in green here:
You can find all the important information about Subway in our blog “Subway driving made easy” by CLICKING HERE
Attractions in the neighborhood:
The Empire State Building is located in central Midtown Manhattan and is therefore surrounded by several other attractions. You can combine the following with a visit to the building:
- New York Public Library - 476 5th Avenue (42nd Street and Fifth Avenue).
- The Morgan Library and Museum - 225 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
- Herald Square - 1 Herald Sq, New York, NY 10001 (there are also many great shops here such as a large Vicotria's Secret Store and the main branch of Macy's - an absolute must, especially at Christmas time! :) ))
Plan your stay:
The Empire State Building is one of New York City's most famous and popular attractions and receives more than 3.5 million visitors every year. Unfortunately, there can be long waiting times if you have to queue for an admission ticket. Visit our homepage or come directly to our travel center and get your ticket from us in advance .
Tip: With the City Pass you can visit the viewing platform once before and once after 10 p.m.
Opening hours:
The Empire State Building is open every single day of the year . All holidays and all weather conditions are also included. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.
The last elevator goes up to the observation deck at 1:15 a.m.
Tips for the best times to visit:
- Do you want to enjoy at least a little bit of space on the viewing platform and look around in peace? Tomorrow from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. the building will be less busy.
- If you like it particularly romantic or are even planning to propose to your beloved partner, then you should do it on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening (from September to May between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. and from May to September 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.) on the viewing platform. Then it's particularly nice because your experience is accompanied by a saxophone player .
- Visit the building at night and watch the LED lights constantly change color .
Ticket information
There are many different options of tickets that you can choose from. There are VIP tickets that allow you to skip all the lines in the building. There are also some passes that already include admission.
Below we will show you the different options:
Main Deck (main deck on the 86th floor)
The Standard Pass
Here you have the opportunity to walk on the observation platform on the 86th floor and enjoy the view
The ticket prices are:
Adults - $34
Children - $27
Seniors - $31
Standard VIP Express Pass
Skip all the queues and immediately go up to the 86th floor.
Prices start at $60 per person.
Top And Main Deck (102nd & 86th Floors)
Standard pass
Visit both viewing platforms at once.
The prices are:
Adults - $54
Children - $47
Seniors - $51
VIP Express Pass
Visit both observation decks... without having to wait in line for even a minute.
Prices are then $80 per person.
Experience the sunrise at the Empire State Building (86th floor)
Express Pass
Enjoy your personal and unforgettable sunrise over the city of your dreams.
The price here is $100 per visitor.
Premium Experience (102nd & 86th Floors)
The Express Pass : This includes a 90-minute guided tour, VIP access and a souvenir photo. The price for this pass is $175.
AM/PM Experience (86th Floor)
Standard pass
See the Empire twice in one day. During the day and then again at night from 9 p.m.
Ticket price:
Adults: $49
Children: $39
Ticket tips:
- Be careful : In front of the Empire you will find many people on 5th Avenue trying to sell you tickets. These are not employees of the building and may try to trick you. So please play it safe and buy a ticket directly in the building or with us.
- Are you traveling with a group? There is a volume discount for groups of 20 or more people. :)
- You can direct any questions to the employees. You can recognize them by their uniform:
When you arrive:
The security area/security check:
The building is staffed by security personnel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you want to go to the viewing platform, you first have to go through security. This is structured similarly to the security area at the airport. You have to scan your bag, take off your belt and also take off any metal jewelry. You too have to go through the scanner.
Things you should leave at home.
There is a list of things that are not allowed in the building. There is no way to include anything. So make sure you don't have any of the following things with you:
- All different forms of weapons (knives, scissors, etc.)
- Glass vessels
- alcohol
- bottles and cans
- Professional camera equipment
- Spray cans and markers
- musical instruments
- Large packaging or a suitcase
- costumes or masks
Small strollers are provided. However, these are not allowed to come out onto the platform.
And once you're there, there's still the following to discover:
The lobby
Explore the building's impressive and venerable lobby. It is one of the most important historical sights. Also take a look at the ceilings decorated with gold leaf.
The “Visitor’s Center” (tourist information)
If you don't have tickets yet, you can buy them here. You can also ask the staff any questions you can think of about the building :)
Exhibitions:
“Sustainability” exhibition
You can find this on the 2nd floor of the building.
It is an installation that is intended to explain to visitors what innovative techniques went into the construction of the Empire State Building to make the building environmentally friendly and save energy costs.
“Dare to Dream” exhibition Dare to dream)
You can find this on the 80th floor.
In this exhibition you will learn everything about how the Empire was created and what it looked like when it was in the middle of construction. You will see lots of photos and labeled walls that explain everything.
The viewing platform
You can find this on the 86th floor.
There is a reason why this place in particular is a filming location in so many films and series: it is simply impressive to stand up there and the view leaves you speechless. From the observation deck you have a view of Times Square, The Statue of Liberty, Central Park and much more. The platform is surrounded by a wall, which is partly made of glass. There is a covered and an uncovered outdoor area.
Great deck
Above the observation deck there is the Top Deck on the 102nd floor. From here you can discover even more and, above all, have an even more beautiful view of Central Park. You also have more freedom here because fewer visitors go onto this deck. However, it costs an additional fee.
Souvenir shop
You can only find souvenirs on the 80th floor of the building. If you leave the building after the viewing platform, you will automatically be guided through the store. Choose a pretty keychain or perhaps a glittery coffee mug as a nice reminder of New York. :)
Shops & Restaurants
The Empire State Building is home to many shops, restaurants and bars. Among others, the following:
State Grill and Bar
This is a modern American style restaurant. There's a great bar and three lovely dining rooms.
Sushi teria
Here you will find one of the tastiest shushi to go (take away) in the city.
A shop with beautiful and classic women's clothing.
Visitors with a physical limitation:
The Empire State Building offers wheelchair access in all areas. There are wheelchair-accessible toilets on the 86th floor. Everything on the viewing platform itself is wheelchair accessible and the binoculars can also be accessed from a wheelchair. Barriers are always covered with ramps to make movement easier. Guide dogs are allowed to enter the building.
A few more tips if you are in the Empire:
- The restrooms for visitors are located exclusively on the 86th floor. Especially if you have planned further sightseeing in the city afterwards, you shouldn't miss the opportunity. ;)
- On the entire 86th floor you will find some binoculars with which you can get a great view of the city.
- With every ticket you will receive a free multimedia tour, which you can download from the AppStore (Apple Store or Google Play).
Interesting facts about Empire State Building:
- The 381 m high building was originally designed to be used as a docking station for airships. At the time, scientists believed that zeppelins would be the means of transport of the future. However, this dream was quickly discarded when the weather conditions around the Empire were analyzed and it was discovered that it is often very windy here.
- After its opening, the Empire was not particularly popular. Comparatively few people wanted to look at the building and only around 25% of the total area was rented. It was named the “Empty State Building.” It took a while for this to change and today one of the most expensive office rents can be charged.
- Every year, the Empire State Building hosts a Valentine's Day Wedding Contest in which 14 lucky couples can win a ceremony on the Observation Deck on the 86th floor.