Opened: 1931

Height: 102nd floor 1,250 feet (381 meters).

86th floor  1,050 feet (320 meters.)

What makes it special

It’s the oldest observation deck in the city, located in one of the world’s most celebrated buildings. The Empire State Building features not one but two observation decks. The main deck observatory on the 86th floor is the open-air observation deck that wraps around the building’s spire, providing 360-degree views of New York. These unforgettable views stretch up to 80 miles on a clear day.  
The 102nd floor also offers 360-degree views thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides. Sixteen stories above our 86th-floor observation deck, it’s accessed through a one-of-a-kind glass elevator.

The experience includes unique exhibits on the history of New York, skyscrapers, the construction of the Empire State Building, and movies that feature the ESB. There is a special exhibit dedicated to “King Kong” – the movie that saved the Empire State Building from demolition. The exhibits are on the 80th floor and open to all ticket holders.  The observatory is open until late, and it’s a special treat to come around sunset to see the city change colors from day to night. The ESB also offers a unique sunrise experience where you can see the sun rise over Gotham City from a sky-high iconic vantage point.

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Opened: 2020

Height: 93rd Floor 1,210 feet (368 meters)

Observation platforms 1,100 feet (336 meters)

What makes it special

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt was conceived as an immersive art experience designed to make you question your perceptions and immerse yourself in a world where art and reality merge. Designed to engage all your senses, SUMMIT uses mirrors, sound, and cutting-edge design to create a surreal environment that transports you into a different world.
The short elevator ride to the 91st floor with a light show sets the tone for what’s to come. As the doors open, visitors are invited into a vast, surreal space where mirrored surfaces reflect the sunlight, moonlight, skyline, and bright lights of New York City. As you advance through the various floors of SUMMIT, you’ll discover interactive and whimsical exhibits that invite you to explore and play.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt offers a variety of experiences, including: 

• AIR (ART INSTALLATION BY KENZO DIGITAL) is one of the largest, most mind-bending cultural experiences in NYC. You emerge into a world of reflection and experience the sense of boundless space as you peer down to and look upon 30,375 square feet of mirrors.
• AIR AT NIGHT As the sun sets, the magic of dramatic waves of color turns SUMMIT One Vanderbilt into an immersive light show.
• Levitation: You can step into one of the two transparent glass sky boxes suspended 1,100 feet above Madison Avenue. 
• Après: A wraparound outdoor terrace with views that stretch up to 80 miles 
• Ascent: The world’s largest outdoor glass-bottomed elevator that takes visitors 120 feet above the observation platforms.

Additionally, the Summit provides unique views of the famous Chrysler Building, which is located in close proximity.

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Opened 2020

Height: Sky Deck, 100th floor 1,131 feet (345 meters)

The Apex Edge, City Climb 1,271 feet (387 meters)

What makes it special

Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere with a one-of-a-kind design. The deck is suspended mid-air, giving you the sensation of floating in the sky above the city. Sky Deck’s unique glass floor allows you to look 100 stories down.
If that is not thrilling enough, there is the City Climb – the highest open-air building ascent in the world. This experience allows you to scale the outside of a skyscraper over 1,200 feet above the ground, then lean out and look down from the highest outdoor platform in New York City. It’s an adventure unlike any other in the world that you will remember for the rest of your life. Your friends and family can get SPECTATOR TICKETS and cheer you on. After your Climb, you can meet on the Sky Deck and have a champagne toast in the sky.

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Opened: 1933

Height: 70th floor 850 feet (260 meters)

What makes it special

Top of the Rock, a quintessential New York experience, has been offering awe-inspiring views of the city since the early 1930s. Its three decks provide sweeping 360 vistas, with terraces facing east, west, north, and south. Since its location is the most central to Manhattan out of all the other decks, this one allows the best views of the Empire State Building and Central Park. While waiting to go up, the visitors are treated to a film that delves into the rich history of Rockefeller Center. The journey up is also a unique experience, with the elevator ceiling transforming into a movie screen.
Famously, the iconic “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photo was taken at the Rockefeller Center. The Top of the Rock offers “The Beam” experience where the visitors, lifted 12 feet above the deck on a beam, can recreate the iconic photo.

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Opened: 2015

Height: 104 floors 1,776 ft

What makes it special

Soaring 1,776 feet above Manhattan, One World Observatory offers breathtaking 360-degree views from the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Built on the site of the original World Trade Center, it stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, renewal, and hope.

The experience begins the moment you step into the elevator. Visitors ascend in Sky Pod elevators, which reach the 102nd floor in under a minute while projecting an immersive time-lapse of New York’s skyline over 500 years as you ascend. “See Forever Theater” is a short film that culminates in a dramatic reveal of the skyline.

At the top, exhibits and interactive displays highlight the city’s history and landmarks, while floor-to-ceiling windows showcase views stretching up to 50 miles on a clear day.

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