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For Immediate Release
Heather Groll 518-474-5987 | heather.groll@ogs.ny.gov
September 01, 2015
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OGS CAPITOL TOURS RECIEVES CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE FROM PROMINENT TRAVEL WEBSITE |
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New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced the OGS Capitol tours program was awarded a “Certificate of Excellence” by TripAdvisor®. The award was earned by OGS for the consistently great reviews people submit to the TripAdvisor travel website after taking a free tour of New York’s statehouse.
“This ‘Certificate of Excellence’ serves as proof that Governor Cuomo’s efforts to make the Capitol more accessible to the public are making a difference,” Commissioner Destito said. “We love showing off the recently restored Capitol and all of the 19th century architectural details and interesting historic items displayed within it, and we are honored that so many people who have been on one of our free tours have taken the time to write positive reviews.”
“New York’s vast history and diverse culture are big draws for tourism in Upstate,” said ESD Division of Tourism Executive Director Gavin Landry. “We are honored to be recognized by TripAdvisor for the OGS Capitol tours program and look forward to welcoming more and more visitors to the Capital Region as the tours continue to build momentum and grow in popularity.”
In the years following the January 2013 completion of the Capitol restoration project, the average number of visitors taking a tour of the Capitol each year increased by 16 percent, from an average annual attendance of 24,520 in 2011-2012 to an average of 28,436 in 2013-14. Based on attendance figures for the first seven months of 2015, it is estimated 32,302 visitors will take a tour of the Capitol in 2015.
Tours of the Capitol are designed with families and students in mind, and kids of all ages are welcome. The Capitol features museum-quality exhibits on New York State’s history that have been installed throughout the building.
TripAdvisor awards a Certificate of Excellence to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers. A tour of the Capitol is currently listed on the website as the second most popular thing to do in Albany, with the New York State Museum at the opposite end of the Empire State Plaza listed as number one.
Capitol tours are offered Monday through Friday at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Earlier this summer, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the Capitol tours program was being expanded to include tours on the second Saturday of each month, starting at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. There are no public tours on Sundays or holidays.
For weekday tours, reservations are required for groups of 10 or more and can be made online at www.empirestateplaza.org or by calling (518) 474-2418. Saturday tours are limited to 25 people, and visitors must make online reservations in advance at www.empirestateplaza.org, though walk-in visitors will be accepted on the tours if space allows. In addition, visitors may download a self-guided audio tour to use while visiting the state Capitol.
There are also a limited number of spaces left on OGS’ final special summer tour. The special tour of the Capitol titled “A Flag for the Ages, Abraham Lincoln and the New York State Capitol” is being offered for the last time on Thursday, September 3 at 5:30 p.m. People can register online for this tour at www.empirestateplaza.org or by calling (518) 473-7582.
All Capitol tours last from 45 minutes to an hour and start at the Empire State Plaza visitor center and gift shop, located at the north end of the Plaza’s concourse level closest to the Capitol.
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