Rockefeller Center

Diego Rivera was originally hired to paint the main lobby mural at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. When the work was nearly complete, Rockefeller’s representatives asked him to remove Lenin’s portrait from the composition. Rivera refused. The mural was chiselled out in 1934 and replaced with a less politically complicated substitute by José Maria Sert. The Rivera mural was later reconstructed from photographs in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. That story is not told in the lobby where it happened, but knowing it before you arrive gives the Art Deco grandeur a more complicated context.

Top of the Rock

The observation deck at the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza is the best practical reason to visit. The view south toward the Empire State Building, which you cannot see from the Empire State Building’s own observation deck, is what distinguishes it. Tickets are around USD 40, timed entry, available online. Evening slots from 6pm in summer give the best light; the night view of Midtown is also very good.

The three-level viewing area includes an outdoor top deck. Book online to secure a preferred slot and skip the box office queue.

The Plaza and the Christmas Tree

The Lower Plaza operates as an ice rink from October to April (tickets USD 13 to 16, skate rental USD 11) and as outdoor dining in summer. The Christmas tree goes up in late November; the lighting ceremony draws large crowds, but the tree itself stays until early January and is viewable throughout. The Channel Gardens running east-west between buildings, with seasonal plantings, are the most consistently pleasant part of the complex.

Radio City Music Hall

Radio City, on 6th Avenue at 50th Street, is an Art Deco theatre seating 6,000. Stage Door Tours run daily for around USD 30 and include the main auditorium and backstage. The Christmas Spectacular runs November through January and requires advance booking.

NBC Studio Tours

The 70-minute tour covers the Today Show studio, Saturday Night Live’s Stage 8H, and production facilities. Around USD 35. SNL standby tickets require queuing from very early in the morning on the day of taping.

Getting There

B, D, F, and M trains to 47-50 Sts/Rockefeller Center. Mid-January through March is the quietest time to visit. The Christmas period is genuine winter atmosphere and also genuine December crowds.