The Empire State Building has 102 floors.
Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, the New York skyscraper was built in an extraordinary 13 months between 1930 and 1931. Its Art Deco form rises from a broad lower section into a setback tower and spire, reflecting both the period’s visual language and the race to build the world’s tallest skyscraper.
The standard architectural count ends at the 102nd floor, which contains an enclosed observatory. The building’s lower levels hold offices and commercial space, while much of the upper spire contains mechanical areas rather than conventional occupied floors. The 86th floor also has a famous observatory with an open-air viewing deck.
The number 103 sometimes appears in discussions of the building because a small level or balcony exists above the 102nd floor, and historical descriptions have used different numbering. That does not change the conventional floor count used in building records and quiz questions: 102. The pinnacle and antenna also add considerable height, but they are not extra floors.