NYC expands free rooftop tours at historic Manhattan Municipal Building
Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
Larger groups are now permitted to attend the city’s free tours of the historic David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building following growing demand. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei on Friday announced expanded access to “Centre 360,” a panoramic experience inside the Beaux-Arts government building’s 36th-floor cupola, increasing the maximum group size from five to eight. The move comes just months after the tours launched in June following a $6 million renovation, with reservations for the experience selling out in less than two minutes.
Designed by William K. Kendall of McKim, Mead & White, the firm behind the original Penn Station and Brooklyn Museum, the Municipal Building was constructed to serve the growing city following the consolidation of the five boroughs in 1898, as 6sqft previously reported.
Influenced by the City Beautiful movement’s call for grand civic buildings, the structure features a towering classical exterior with Roman-inspired details, including a central arch modeled after the Arch of Constantine.
The first building in New York to incorporate a subway station at its base, the Municipal Building was designated an individual landmark by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966. The station entrance was modeled after the arched entrance of the Palazzo Farnese in Rome and features vaulted Guastavino tiles.
Perched atop the building is the “Civic Fame” statue, a gilded copper figure designed by Adolph A. Weinman. The 25-foot-tall statue carries a shield bearing the city’s coat of arms, a branch of leaves, and a mural crown with five points symbolizing each borough.
The building was renamed the David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building in 2015 in honor of the former mayor.
Mamdani first announced in February that the rooftop would open to the public following a $6 million restoration that repaired the cupola, installed glass safety barriers, and restored the rotunda landing. Though intended to be accessible to the public when the building first opened, the cupola had been off-limits for nearly 100 years.
Launched in June, the tour allows visitors to walk a full circle around the cupola for 360-degree views of the city from nearly 600 feet above the ground, with many famous landmarks visible in the distance. Reservations initially allowed groups of up to five people.
According to the city, the tours have been immensely popular, with reservations selling out within two minutes each month after they open. Groups of up to eight visitors will now be permitted, allowing as many as 2,000 people to visit the cupola each month.
To further expand access, DCAS will also offer first-come, first-served walk-in spots when last-minute cancellations or no-shows create availability.
“Since we opened the cupola this summer, New Yorkers have shown us just how much they want to experience this iconic landmark,” Mamdani said. “When demand is this strong, our job is to find a way to open the doors wider.”
“Today we’re doing just that by expanding reservation groups from five to eight and adding walk-in access when space becomes available, so hundreds more people can take in these incredible views each month,” he added.
DCAS offers eight tours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each session has two reservations available, with groups of up to four people permitted per reservation. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and be at least 42 inches tall.
Visitors must reserve tickets through the online reservation system and present a valid photo ID upon arrival. Reservations open on the first day of each month. Learn more about the experience and make a reservation here.
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