The Chrysler Building was the world's tallest building until the Empire State Building came along. The 77-floor building is located in midtown Manhattan, and it can be seen from Brooklyn and New Jersey. The Chrysler Building was done in an Art Deco style, and William Van Alen, the architect, embellished it with gargoyles and eagles. Ironically, the best view of the building, which was finished in 1929, is from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.
Go to Manhattan. You can fly to a nearby airport and take a cab or train into the city. You can also get to Manhattan via train from other parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, all of which go to Grand Central Station, which is right across from the Chrysler Building. Take a ferry from Staten Island or Jersey City, or drive across one of New York City's many bridges, such as the George Washington Bridge or the Brooklyn Bridge.
Plan your visit. The lobby of the Chrysler Building is open to the public Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (as of August 2010). Arrange to go during those hours.
Make your way to Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street. The Chrysler Building is at 405 Lexington Avenue, a short walk from Grand Central Station. The S, 4, 5, 6 and 7 subway trains stop at Grand Central Station, as do trains from Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as Amtrak trains from across the nation. You can also ask a cab driver to take you to the Chrysler Building.
Enter the Chrysler Building lobby. Unfortunately, unless you have an appointment with one of the private companies housed in the building, you cannot go beyond the lobby. But the lobby itself is worth the trip. Check out the Art Deco detailing, and be sure to look up: there's an amazing mural on the ceiling.
