What to Know
- The Empire State Building is reopening its Observatory on Monday with limited capacity and new safety protocols, which have become the new normal during the pandemic.
- For the first few weeks, hours of operation will be reduced to 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Tickets for set times can be purchased at www.esbnyc.com.
- Initial capacity will be reduced by more than 80 percent to only 500 guests at a time in the Observatory's 70,000 square foot space, and well below the 25 percent capacity guideline set forth in Phase IV.
The Empire State Building is reopening its Observatory on Monday with limited capacity and new safety protocols, which have become the new normal during the pandemic.
The limited reopening is also accompanied by employee training as well as compliance with all government requirements.
Visits to the Observatory will be limited to New York State’s Phase 4 capacity guidelines and will prevent crowds through a shift to timed, online reservations only. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that New York City will move to Phase IV Monday, hours before Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the final word confirming the move to Phase IV.
For the first few weeks, hours of operation will be reduced to 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Tickets for set times can be purchased at www.esbnyc.com.
Initial capacity will be reduced by more than 80 percent to only 500 guests at a time in the Observatory's 70,000 square foot space, and well below the 25 percent capacity guideline set forth in Phase IV. This policy allows for social distancing among groups by more than 18 feet.
Additionally, air quality-related components found at the Observatory as part of its redevelopment, include Merv-13 air filters, air purification, and constant ventilation through the introduction of fresh air to, and the exhaust interior air from, the Observatories.
