Empire State Building Audio Guide

Empire State Building: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to the Empire State Building

   Welcome to the heart of Manhattan. You are standing before the Empire State Building at 350 Fifth Avenue, a structure so legendary it often stands as the universal symbol for New York City itself. Rising 1,454 feet into the clouds, including its massive antenna, this one hundred and two-story masterpiece has dominated the skyline since 1931. As you look up from the sidewalk or prepare to enter, take a moment to orient yourself. You are at the crossroads of history, where the luxury of Fifth Avenue meets the vibrant energy of Koreatown just a few blocks south. For over 40 years, this was the tallest building in the entire world, a title it held longer than any other skyscraper in history. Today, it remains a bustling office building and a world-renowned observatory, welcoming millions of visitors who come to witness the pulse of the city from its famous heights. Take a deep breath and prepare to journey upward through time and steel.

2. 02

   The Race to the Sky

   The story of this building is one of incredible speed and resilience. Construction began on March seventeen, 1930, right in the middle of the Great Depression. In a staggering feat of engineering, the framework rose at a rate of four and a half stories every single week. Around 3,400 workers, including many Mohawk ironworkers legendary for their bravery at great heights, completed the entire structure in just one year and 45 days. This Race to the Sky was a fierce competition against the nearby Chrysler Building and the building at forty Wall Street. When it finally opened on May first, 1931, President Herbert Hoover officially turned on the lights by pressing a button all the way from Washington, District of Columbia. Initially, however, the building struggled to find tenants during the economic downturn, leading locals to mockingly call it the Empty State Building until it finally became profitable in the early 1950s.

3. 03

   Art Deco Elegance and the Wedding Cake Design

   If you look at the building's profile, you will notice its distinct stepped or wedding cake shape. This was not just a stylistic choice by architect William Frederick Lamb; it was a legal necessity mandated by the 1916 Zoning Resolution. The city required buildings to have setbacks as they got taller to allow sunlight to reach the streets below, preventing the city from becoming a permanent canyon of shadows. The materials used here are as grand as the design itself: over 200,000 cubic feet of blonde Indiana limestone and granite for the facade, along with 10 million bricks and 730 tons of aluminum and stainless steel. Before you head to the elevators, make sure to admire the lobby. It is an Art Deco masterpiece featuring a twenty-four-karat gold and aluminum leaf mural on the ceiling that honors the mechanical age with depictions of stars and gears. The back wall even showcases a famous bronze and aluminum relief of the building itself, radiating beams of light from its mast.

4. 04

   Observatories, Airships, and King Kong

   The Eighty-Sixth Floor Observatory is where you can truly feel the breeze of New York. It is an open-air deck, 1,050 feet above the ground, offering three hundred and sixty-degree views. This is the same deck where King Kong swatted at biplanes in the 1933 movie and where countless cinematic reunions have occurred. If you choose to go higher, the 100 and second floor offers a floor-to-ceiling glass-enclosed view that can stretch up to 80 miles on a clear day, potentially revealing six different states. A fascinating historical secret lies in the spire above you: it was originally designed to be a docking station for dirigibles, or giant airships. Passengers were supposed to disembark onto the 100 and second floor, but dangerous wind currents and safety concerns quickly grounded that ambitious idea. A practical note for your visit: the eighty-sixth floor is fully accessible and includes restrooms for your convenience, which you should use before heading further up.

5. 05

   A Beacon for the Modern Age

   As the sun sets, the Empire State Building transforms into a glowing beacon. Since the 1970s, the tower has used colored lights to celebrate holidays and special causes—like pink for breast cancer awareness or red and yellow for the release of The Simpsons Movie. In 2012, the system was upgraded to a computer-controlled LED display capable of producing over 16 million colors. Interestingly, during the spring and fall, the building dims its lights to protect migrating birds from becoming disoriented. Even if you leave the building now, your experience is not quite over. As you walk through the streets of Manhattan tonight, look up. The colors you see on the spire will tell you a story about what the city is celebrating or mourning today. What colors do you think you will see tonight, and what story might they be telling? New York is ever-changing, and from this vantage point, you have seen how it all fits together.