Photo credit: Diane Bondareff/AP Content Services for Tishman Speyer
Rockefeller Center opened its new rooftop ride this week, adding another attraction to the Top of the Rock observation deck. From the 70th floor of 30 Rock, Skylift brings visitors up an additional three stories on a revolving open-air platform for a front-row view of the New York City skyline. Floating above the rooftop, the glass platform offers a unique 360-degree perspective of the city at 900 feet above street level.
With its marble-inspired tiers and bronze base, Skylift, which officially opened on October 1, echoes the Art Deco design found throughout Rockefeller Center.
Once reaching its pinnacle, the platform rotates 360 degrees for uninterrupted views of Manhattan and beyond. As the sun begins to set, Skylift’s 96 LED pixel flutes start to light up; the light show can be customized for holidays and other special events.
“Rockefeller Center is a beacon for culture in New York and for the entire world, and we were honored to work so closely with Tishman Speyer on this reimagining of the entire Top of the Rock guest experience,” Phil Hettema, founder and CEO of THG Creative, the design team behind the attraction, said.
“Skylift is not only the cherry on top of NYC’s most coveted observation deck, but will also add a new dazzling attraction to the city’s iconic skyline that will capture the attention of both locals and visitors for years to come.”
While selfies are a must, Skylift also captures photos and a video of each guest on the ride, available for purchase at the gift shop or by scanning the QR code after the experience.
The entire experience takes about five minutes and has a capacity of 13 guests, including an attendant. There are no height restrictions and it is wheelchair and mobility-device accessible.
Tishman Speyer calls the Skylift the “crown jewel” of the revitalization of Rockefeller Center, which has undergone a campus-wide transformation over the last five years. The Beam at the Top of the Rock, a 69th-floor rooftop ride that lets guests recreate the iconic “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” photograph, debuted in 2023 and this summer, a new welcome gallery detailing the history of Rockefeller Center opened.
Plus, a new private park on the rooftop of Radio City Music Hall opened in 2021 and several fine dining options and retailers have been added.
Skylift will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m., with the last entry at 11:10 p.m. Tickets start at $35 as an add-on to Top of the Rock general admission and express passes. Buy tickets here.
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