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A mooring mast for air-ships, now the base of a TV tower, was built to ensure the 102-story, 1,454 ft (443 m), building would be taller than the Chrysler Building.

Visitors can ride to the 86th floor in 45 seconds – 1,400 ft (427 m) per minute – in one of 73 Art Deco elevators. The last elevator leaves at 11.15pm.

Visibility on a clear day from the deck on the 102nd floor is up to 80 miles (130 km), but this has been closed to the public since 1999.

Breathtaking views from the 86th floor’s glass-enclosed pavilion and surrounding pavilion 1,050 (320 m) above the city attract more than 3.5 million visitors each year. For visibility updates call 1888 NYC VIEW.

The spire is lit to honor holidays, seasons, and the many ethnic groups of New York: red, white, and blue for national holidays; green for St. Patrick’s Day; blue and white for Chanukah.

The 34th Street lobby houses eight 3D panels, created in 1963 by Roy Sparkia and Rene Nemerov, depicting the seven wonders of the ancient world and a wonder of the modern world, the Empire State Building.

Five display windows in the lofty marble-clad Fifth Avenue lobby exhibit art and memorabilia from New York City’s many museums, galleries, and artists. The exhibits are changed on a regular basis.

Several couples are married in the 80th floor Sky Lobby on February 14 and become members of the Empire State Wedding Club, with free entry every Valentine’s Day.

A virtual reality, big-screen simulation of a helicopter ride takes viewers over, under, and through some of the city’s best-known landmarks.

Each February, following a tradition dating to 1978, 150 runners race up the 1,576 steps from the lobby to the 86th floor. The record is 9 minutes, 33 seconds.