October 2024 to Feature a Full Month of Hauntings Tours

Online Registration is Now Open at www.empirestateplaza.ny.gov 

New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy today announced the annual return of the Capitol Hauntings tours. Online registration is now open for the Capitol Hauntings tours, which will be offered from Wednesday, October 2, through Friday, November 1. These unique tours delve into the legends, folklore, and tales of sightings and strange things connected to the historic state Capitol.

New to this year’s Capitol Hauntings schedule, the building will be open for Albany First Fridays. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on October 4 and November 1, visitors can experience a self-guided tour and interact with guides sharing spooky stories and other tales of the unknown as they move throughout the building.

“Our Capitol Hauntings tours are a great way to celebrate the Halloween season, with a blend of the history and supernatural,” Commissioner Moy said. “These free tours fill up quickly, so I encourage everyone to register early and avoid missing out on this fun tour.”

Combining history and the macabre, tour guides share stories about the night watchman who died in the 1911 Capitol fire and who some believe still makes his rounds today. They also recount tales of the two United States presidents who paid a visit to the Capitol after they died.

Find out where the Assembly Chamber’s “lost” murals are located and what happened to the tormented artist who created them. Walking among the gargoyle-like carvings and strange carved faces, visitors will discover the location of the Capitol’s “secret demon” and evidence of a curse the demon may hold on the Capitol will be revealed, along with other dark secrets.

The tour lasts about an hour, but the chilling, ghostly tales might haunt you forever.

The free Capitol Hauntings tours will be offered:

• 5:30 p.m. Capitol Hauntings Open House on Friday, October 4, and Friday, November 1. This is a self-guided experience. Reservations are not required.
• 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from Wednesday, October 2 through Friday, October 25. These tours start at the information desk in the Capitol’s State Street Lobby
• 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday from Monday, October 28 through Friday, November 1. These tours start at the information desk in the Capitol’s State Street Lobby.

No tours will be offered on Columbus Day, Monday, October 14.

Space on each tour is limited, so pre-registration is required. Individuals and groups of 10 or fewer may register online at www.empirestateplaza.ny.gov, beginning on Friday, September 13. Larger parties should call (518) 474-2418 to register.