Participants must make reservations and follow COVID-19 protocols

In response to their overwhelming popularity, New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner RoAnn Destito today announced that the exterior Capitol architecture tours, outdoor Empire State Plaza Art Collection tours, and tours of the Plaza itself will continue to be offered through October 23.

The 45-minute tours were initially offered just on Fridays and were scheduled to end for the season on October 2. Under an expanded schedule, tours will take place on  Fridays, October 2, 9,16, and 23, and on Wednesdays, October 7, 14, and 21.

New Tour Schedule:

Free Exterior Capitol Architecture Tours – 10 a.m., Wednesdays & Fridays

Sitting atop Albany’s State Street hill, the New York State Capitol has served as the seat of government for New York since the 1880s. The building is a marvel of late 19th-century architectural grandeur, built by hand of solid masonry over a period of 32 years.

This tour will focus on the building’s unique architecture as well as the superior craftsmanship of the stonemasons who carved faces, animals, and designs throughout the structure’s façade. The tour will also highlight points of interest around the Capitol, including the State Education Building, Albany City Hall, and the site of the 1809 Capitol, which was replaced by the existing statehouse.

Free Empire State Plaza Art Collection Outdoor Tours – 11 a.m., Wednesdays & Fridays

Art historians have called the collection “the greatest collection of modern American art in any single public site that is not a museum.” The collection was formed under the direction of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller during the construction of the Empire State Plaza (1966–1978).

A highlight of the art tours is Triangles and Arches by Alexander Calder, who is considered by many to be one of the most influential American sculptors of the 20th century. The 55-year-old artwork, which weighs approximately 8,000 pounds, recently made its return to the Plaza after being temporarily removed in 2018 for much-needed conservation work.

The tour focuses on the creation of the collection, as well as highlights of the outdoor works of art on permanent display throughout the Plaza. The Empire State Plaza Art Collection is a public collection owned by the people of New York State and cared for by the New York State Office of General Services.

Free Empire State Plaza Tours – Noon, Wednesdays & Fridays

The Empire State Plaza is at the center of one of the most spectacular capitals in the world: a 98 1/2-acre city-within-a-city that includes one of the greatest public collections of modern American art in the country, a cultural education center, and a unique performing arts center, The Egg. On this tour, discover this world-class complex. Learn how government and culture are housed within the Modern architecture of the Empire State Plaza, including the Plaza’s memorials, and receive an overview of the Plaza Art Collection.

Where: All three tours start outside at the main entrance to The Egg Center for the Performing Arts on the Empire State Plaza.

Reservations by phone required: A maximum of 10 people will be allowed to participate in each tour. To make a reservation, call (518) 474-2418.

Special Protocols for COVID-19

At the time of the reservation, guests will be informed of safety protocols in place to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus, including mandatory wearing of masks or facial coverings, mandatory social distancing, and mandatory verbal screenings on the day of the tour. Guests will be asked:

• If they have any symptoms or are feeling ill.
• If they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past two weeks.
• If they have traveled out of New York State in the past 14 days.

Guests are directed to cancel if they are experiencing any virus symptoms. 

For updates on Empire State Plaza and Plaza Art Collection tours, visit   empirestateplaza.ny.gov; @NYSCapitolVisit on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or @PlazaArtCollection on Instagram, or call (518) 474-2418.