30 Rockefeller Plaza Building

Address: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112, USA

Website: https://www.topoftherocknyc.com

Hours: Daily 9:00am-11:00pm (observation deck hours)

Admission: Admission to the Top of the Rock observation deck (at 30 Rockefeller Plaza) is paid - typical adult general-admission price around $35-$45 (prices vary)

30 Rockefeller Plaza is the central, landmark skyscraper within Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan and serves as a major commercial and media hub. Constructed during the early 1930s, it has long housed prominent broadcasters and corporate tenants and features a widely visited public observation deck.

Built as the RCA Building and completed in 1933, the skyscraper was the centerpiece of John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s Rockefeller Center project and quickly became a hub for radio then television broadcasting. Over time the building’s identity and primary tenants evolved, and it remains a working office tower as well as a major visitor destination.

The building occupies a full city block bounded by Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) in Midtown Manhattan, directly between 49th and 50th Streets and immediately west of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and east of Radio City Music Hall.

• Best time for views: Observation tickets are sold with timed entry; sunset hours are especially popular and often require advance booking to avoid long queues.
• Construction era: Completed during the early 1930s as the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center, it houses major television studios and corporate offices.

What to See#

• Top of the Rock observation deck: A multi-tiered public observation area on the upper floors offering north-south views across Midtown Manhattan including clear sightlines to Central Park and the Empire State Building.
• Rainbow Room: A historic private event venue with panoramic city views, located within the building and notable for its Art Deco interior and long-standing social history.

30 Rockefeller Plaza sits in Midtown Manhattan between 49th and 50th Streets, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Take the subway to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center (B, D, F, M) and it’s a short walk to the building; it’s also an easy 8-15 minute walk from Times Square/42nd Street. Many Manhattan buses (along Fifth and Sixth Avenues) stop nearby as well.

• Buy timed Top of the Rock tickets online and aim for first entry slots at opening to avoid long queues and to catch clear morning light; sunset is beautiful but much busier.
• Enter for the observation deck via the Top of the Rock entrance on 50th Street (off the plaza) to reach the elevators quickly; keep your Top of the Rock time slot-security lines are enforced.
• Don't skip the lobby and Channel Gardens-many visitors rush straight to the deck and miss the building's Art Deco murals, the lower-level concourse, and views of Radio City Music Hall and the skating rink from the plaza.