Editing Empire State Building (section)

====Observation decks====
[[File:EmpireStateBuilding202080thFloorSouthEastCorner.jpg|thumb|80th floor observation deck]]
The 80th, 86th, and 102nd floors contain observatories.{{sfn|Al-Kodmany|2017|p=71}}<ref name="Lepik 2008" /><ref name="CBS News 2019">{{cite web |date=November 27, 2019 |title=Empire State Building's 80th Floor Renovations Offer New Visitor Experience |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/empire-state-building-80th-floor-165-million-renovations-complete/ |access-date=January 24, 2020 |publisher=CBS News |archive-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222025308/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/empire-state-building-80th-floor-165-million-renovations-complete/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The latter two observatories saw a combined average of four&nbsp;million visitors per year in 2010.<ref name="CNN 1">{{Cite news |title=Empire State Building Fast Facts |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/11/us/empire-state-building-fast-facts/index.html |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101213938/https://www.cnn.com/2013/07/11/us/empire-state-building-fast-facts/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bagli 2011">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/nyregion/empire-state-building-observation-decks-generate-startling-profits.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/nyregion/empire-state-building-observation-decks-generate-startling-profits.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |url-access=limited |title=Empire State Building Observation Decks Generate Startling Profits |last=Bagli |first=Charles V. |date=December 24, 2011 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=October 24, 2017}}{{cbignore }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bagli |first=Charles V. |title=3.3 Million Were Expected at Trade Center Attraction; A Million Haven't Shown Up |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |date=May 28, 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/28/nyregion/3-3-million-were-expected-at-trade-center-attraction-1-million-havent-shown-up.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/28/nyregion/3-3-million-were-expected-at-trade-center-attraction-1-million-havent-shown-up.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |url-access=limited |access-date=October 24, 2017}}{{cbignore }}</ref> Since opening, the observatories have been more popular than similar observatories at [[30 Rockefeller Plaza]], the Chrysler Building, the first One World Trade Center, or the [[Woolworth Building]], despite being more expensive.<ref name="Bagli 2011" /> There are [[Dynamic pricing|variable charges]] to enter the observatories based on demand and time of day.<ref>{{cite web | last=Small | first=Eddie | title=Empire State Building observatory to try out surge pricing | website=Crain&#039;s New York Business | date=February 20, 2025 | url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/empire-state-building-owner-launch-dynamic-ticket-pricing | access-date=February 23, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Schiffman | first=Zach | title=Surge Pricing Comes to the Empire State Building | website=Curbed | date=February 21, 2025 | url=https://www.curbed.com/article/empire-state-building-dynamic-pricing-observation-deck-tickets.html | access-date=February 23, 2025}}</ref> Though most tickets allow visitors to go to the 86th floor, an [[upcharge attraction|additional fee]] is charged for access to the 102nd floor. Other ticket options for visitors include scheduled access to view the sunrise from the observatory, a "premium" guided tour with VIP access, and the "AM/PM" package which allows for two visits in the same day.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.esbnyc.com/tickets/index.cfm |title=ESB Tickets |publisher=Empire State Building |access-date=July 10, 2010 |archive-date=May 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512193246/https://www.esbnyc.com/tickets/index.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{multiple images
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| footer = Interior and exterior observation decks at the 86th floor
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The 86th floor observatory contains both an enclosed viewing gallery and an open-air outdoor viewing area, allowing for it to remain open 365 days a year regardless of the weather. The 102nd floor observatory is completely enclosed and much smaller in size. The 102nd floor observatory was closed to the public from the late 1990s to 2005 due to limited viewing capacity and long lines.{{sfn|Fodor's|2010|p=154}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Mates |first=Rich |title=City That Never Sleeps Is Full of Unexpected Treasures |newspaper=The Citizens' Voice |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48518102/ |date=October 12, 2003 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> The observation decks were redesigned in mid-1979.<ref name="Mouat 1979">{{Cite news |last=Mouat |first=Lucia |date=November 28, 1979 |title=No Longer The Tallest, 'Most Famous' Building in World |page=14 |work=Olean Times-Herald |publisher=[[The Christian Science Monitor|Monitor News Service]] |url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252024%2FOlean%2520NY%2520Times%2520Herald%2FOlean%2520NY%2520Times%2520Herald%25201979%2FOlean%2520NY%2520Times%2520Herald%25201979%2520a%2520-%25201143.pdf |access-date=October 29, 2017 |via=[[fultonhistory.com]] }}</ref> The 102nd floor was again redesigned in a project that was completed in 2019, allowing the windows to be extended from floor to ceiling and widening the space in the observatory overall.<ref name="Wallace 2019">{{Cite web |last=Wallace |first=Elizabeth |date=October 11, 2019 |title=The Empire State Building's View Just Got Even Better |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/empire-state-building-observatory-new-york/index.html |access-date=November 5, 2019 |website=CNN Travel |language=en |archive-date=November 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105180832/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/empire-state-building-observatory-new-york/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Russell 2019" /> An observatory on the 80th floor, opened in 2019, includes various exhibits as well as a mural of the skyline drawn by British artist [[Stephen Wiltshire]].<ref name="Ricciulli 2019">{{cite web |last=Ricciulli |first=Valeria |date=December 2, 2019 |title=Empire State Building Completes $165M Revamp with New Observatory |url=https://ny.curbed.com/2019/12/2/20991515/empire-state-building-new-observatory-redevelopment-nyc |access-date=January 24, 2020 |website=Curbed NY |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224040829/https://ny.curbed.com/2019/12/2/20991515/empire-state-building-new-observatory-redevelopment-nyc |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CBS News 2019" /> An interactive multimedia museum, with multiple hands-on exhibitions about the building's history, was added during this project.<ref name="CBS News 2019a">{{cite web |date=October 11, 2019 |title=Exclusive Look Inside the Empire State Building's $160 Million Makeover |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/empire-state-building-massive-renovation-exclusive-look-inside-new-observatory/ |access-date=September 29, 2023 |publisher=CBS News |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003012727/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/empire-state-building-massive-renovation-exclusive-look-inside-new-observatory/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The design of the {{cvt|10000|ft2}} Observatory Experience was inspired by the plans and designs of the original Empire State Building.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mayes-Osterman |first=Cybele |date=July 29, 2019 |title=Inside the Empire State Building's New Interactive Museum, The Observatory Experience |url=https://untappedcities.com/2019/07/29/inside-the-new-empire-state-buildings-new-interactive-museum-the-observatory-experience/ |access-date=October 6, 2023 |website=Untapped New York |language=en-US |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110020024/https://untappedcities.com/2019/07/29/inside-the-new-empire-state-buildings-new-interactive-museum-the-observatory-experience/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to a 2010 report by [[Condé Nast Traveler|Concierge.com]], the five lines to enter the observation decks are "as legendary as the building itself". Concierge.com stated that there were five lines: the sidewalk line, the lobby elevator line, the ticket purchase line, the second elevator line, and the line to get off the elevator and onto the observation deck.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.concierge.com/ideas/hotspots/tours/500723?page=3 |title=Ten Things Not to Do in New York |publisher=Concierge.com |access-date=October 23, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316041809/http://www.concierge.com/ideas/hotspots/tours/500723?page=3 |archive-date=March 16, 2010 }}</ref> In 2016, New York City's official tourism website made note of only three lines: the security check line, the ticket purchase line, and the second elevator line.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nycgo.com/tours/empire-state-building-tickets-observatory-and-optional-skip-the-line-ticket |title=Empire State Building Tickets – Observatory and Optional Skip the Line Tickets |date=May 10, 2016 |work=The Official Guide to New York City |access-date=December 11, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=December 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211160853/https://www.nycgo.com/tours/empire-state-building-tickets-observatory-and-optional-skip-the-line-ticket |url-status=live }}</ref> Following renovations completed in 2019, designed to streamline queuing and reduce wait times, guests enter from a single entrance on 34th Street, where they make their way through {{convert|10,000|ft2|m2|adj=on}} exhibits on their way up to the observatories. Guests were offered a variety of ticket packages, including a package that enables them to skip the lines throughout the duration of their stay.<ref name="Russell 2019">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/arts/design/empire-state-building-observatory.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/arts/design/empire-state-building-observatory.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |url-access=limited |title=The Empire State Building: Renewing the Affair |last=Russell |first=James S. |date=September 19, 2019 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=November 5, 2019}}{{cbignore }}</ref> The Empire State Building garners significant revenue from ticket sales for its observation decks, making more money from ticket sales than it does from renting office space during some years.<ref name="Bagli 2011" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/no-threat-from-large-gorillas-hhq8vn2zmck |title=No Threat from Large Gorillas |first=David |last=Robertson |date=April 23, 2012 |newspaper=[[The Times (London, England)|The Times]] |access-date=April 21, 2012 |quote=According to details prepared for the proposed initial public offering of Empire State Realty Trust, the skyscraper earned $62.9&nbsp;million from its observation deck in nine months last year, compared with $62.6&nbsp;million from the rental of office space. |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129121900/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/construction-property/article3391920.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

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{{wide image|Skyline-New-York-City.jpg|2000px|A 360° panoramic view of New York City from the 86th-floor observation deck in spring 2005. East River is to the left, Hudson River to the right, south is near center.}}