4. A public observatory on the 71st Floor is no longer accessible to the public
In 1931 when the Chrysler Building opened, anyone willing to pay $0.50 could visit the 71st-floor observatory and take in views of the city from all four sides. The celestial-themed observation deck that was located in the building’s spire closed in 1945. According to Moses Gates in his book Hidden Cities, the deck is now occupied by a private firm.
Rumblings of a new skydeck for the Chrysler Building surfaced in 2022, according to Curbed New York. The observation deck, which some estimate will cost up to $40 to enter, would allow access to the currently private building. Though there are no finalized construction plans for the Chrysler Building’s new observation deck, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved its construction in 2020.
