Empire State Building King Kong ready 22 hours ago Masks are now optional for visitors to the ESB. Many interactive exhibits and elements – including the iconic 86 th Floor Observatory viewfinders – have fully reopened. “The Empire State Building is ready to welcome guests to explore its newly-reimagined Observatory Experience in its entirety,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, President of the Empire State Building Observatory. “Our touch installations, just completed in November 2019, are now in full operation for the first time since our shutdown in March 2020. To appreciate fully the International Icon of New York City, you must come inside and visit the Observatory, and we can’t wait to welcome you.”