New York City’s iconic 1,454 foot Empire State Building has undergone an enormous change, revealing the second phase of its completely reimagined “Observatory Experience”, which now includes the city’s only museum open seven days a week from 8am to 2am.
A 10,000 square foot series of galleries now occupies the second floor of the mammoth building, tracking guests through the Empire State’s construction all the way through to the present. Featured here are a number of immersive and interactive exhibitions, prefacing the famed 86th floor observatory with a thorough overview of the most instagrammed landmark in the country.
The opening of this museum follows the completion of Phase One, which was revealed in August of 2018 and is centred around a brand-new Observatory entrance at 20 West 34th Street.
Guests heading along to the museum can expect black-and-white panoramic images dating back to the late 1920s, photography by Lewis Hine accompanied by the quintessential sounds of New York City streets, interactive cast sculptures, a look at the building’s opening day, a dedicated exhibition to the building’s original Otis elevators (including the experience of walking through an actual elevator shaft), and more. There’s even a bit dedicated to King Kong, and various A-list celebrities who have visited the 86th floor.
The Empire State has also revealed a reimagined 102nd floor, now with a glass-encased elevator to zip guests from the 86th floor up to the very top.
For more information on the new museum and everything else at the Empire State Building head to esbnyc.com
