Inside the New 102nd Floor Observatory on the Empire State Building

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If you’ve been paying attention, a new addition has been underway at the top of the Empire State Building. Opening tomorrow, a fully renovated 102nd floor observatory now has floor to ceilings glass windows and a 360 degree view of New York City. Our Untapped Cities Insider, Mickey Blank, who runs the page New York Live with Mickey, got a sneak peek in advance of the official opening tomorrow. You can see in the video and photographs, it’s a great way to get even higher views of the city, compared to the 86th floor observation deck, and stay out of the wind.

The interior design has appropriately Art Deco floors and decorative details, and the observation deck is the second phase of a large renovation at the Empire State Building which includes a new lobby, a 10,000 square foot museum, and now the new 102nd floor observatory. It costs an extra $20 to get up to this observatory. You’ll ride in a brand new glass elevator from the 86th floor to 102nd where you’re invited to “step right to the edge of ‘the World’s Most Famous Building.”

View from the 102nd floor observatory

Renovation to this observatory required building a suspended “cocoon,” a scaffolding structure that surrounded the deck, one of the highest of its kind ever built in New York City.