The Empire State Building Unveils Star Wars-Themed Takeover with a Dynamic Light Show, Interactive Fan Experiences, Celebrity Visit, and More

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Empire State Building (ESB), in collaboration with Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm, today unveiled a Star Wars^™-themed, villains-inspired takeover for fans in New York City that featured a dynamic light show, immersive experiences for visitors, character appearances, and participation from actor Hayden Christensen in a morning lighting ceremony. Fans who visit ESB this month will have the opportunity to immerse themselves into the Star Wars galaxy photo opportunities which feature a range of new Star Wars consumer products through April 29.

"We are so pleased to unite Star Wars fans in New York City and throughout the world with this epic trip to a galaxy far, far away….,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. “This one-of-a-kind takeover at the ‘World’s Most Famous Building’ allows fans to come face to face with pop culture’s most iconic villains in an authentic New York City way.”

Star Wars in Lights

This evening, a dynamic light show that featured fan-favorite scenes of Star Wars villains debuted on the building’s south side façade from 8 p.m. in continued intervals until 11 p.m. The montage was synched to the iconic “The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme),” and was streamed simultaneously on iHeartRadio’s Z100 New York radio station and on the iHeartRadio app.

Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen visited the Empire State Building earlier this morning to tour the world-famous Observatory Experience and flip the ceremonial switch ahead of the dynamic light show.

Step into the Scenes

The Empire State Building’s iconic Fifth Avenue Lobby windows now feature special Star Wars-themed artistry that depicts scenes of Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and stormtroopers surrounded by a range of Star Wars merchandise, in collaboration with Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm. The window exhibit will remain on display until April 29.

At the base of the building, visitors can also join Hasbro and Amazon for a Star Wars fan experience on March 21-22 from 1-9 p.m. and on March 23 from 10-8 p.m. The experience highlights the villains of the Star Wars galaxy and features photo opportunities with costumed characters, which include Darth Vader and stormtroopers — as well as photo backdrops that recreate iconic scenes and locations inspired by the films like the opening hallway scene from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the Star Destroyer bridge, and Emperor Palpatine’s throne. Guests can also pose in the blister card packaging of a Star Wars Vintage Collection figure. Additionally, attendees will be able to check out the latest Hasbro Black Series helmets or wield their favorite character’s FX Elite or Kyber Core Lightsaber^™ adult and kid collectibles.

To celebrate 25 years of the LEGO^® Star Wars^™ collaboration, the Empire State Building features a museum-quality display of life-sized Star Wars villains like six-foot tall brick-built recreations of Darth Vader and Darth Maul on the building’s 80^th Floor. Fans also have the chance to pose with a 3D LEGO^® Star Wars^™ mural of Luke Skywalker and other fan-favorite characters from the film series. This exclusive LEGO^® Star Wars^™ exhibit will remain on display in the Observatory until April 29.

Once they reach the iconic 86^th Floor Observatory, fans can pose for a photo with a life-size Darth Vader-themed POP! Figure from Funko with ESB’s unmatched New York City views as a backdrop until April 29. On March 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dairy Farmers of America will treat guests to samples of their new TruMoo Star Wars Blue Milk – inspired by the blue milk that made its first appearance in Star Wars: A New Hope.

“The Empire Strikes Back”

The Empire State Building Observatory will host a movie screening of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on the 80^th Floor on March 22. Guests who purchase tickets to the exclusive movie night will receive complimentary drinks and snacks to enjoy with the movie and access to the famed 86^th and 102^nd Floor Observatories. Tickets can be purchased here.

The Empire State Building Observatory recently underwent a $165 million reimagination that included the addition of a dedicated visitor entrance, an immersive museum with nine galleries, brand-new, bespoke Observatory Host uniforms, and a new 102^nd Floor Observatory with unmatched views. The reimagined Observatory Experience has been voted the #1 attraction in the U.S. in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best for two consecutive years.

Text CONNECT to 274-16 to receive real-time information about the Empire State Building’s tower lights.

Hi-res imagery and video can be found here. More information about the Empire State Building can be found online.

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

About the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102^nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86^th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, the #1 attraction in the U.S. in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best for two consecutive years, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.

Source: Empire State Realty Trust
Category: Observatory

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