Event · City Hall Area
New in Civic Center, NYC: Centre 360 Opens the Dinkins Building Cupola for Free 360° Views
The cupola of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street has opened to the public for the first time since 1914. Centre 360 offers free, reservation-only 15-minute weekday visits, with a 360-degree balcony walk about 580 feet up, directly beneath the gilded Civic Fame statue.
By NBT Editors · 2026-10-19
The cupola of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, at 1 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan's Civic Center, is now open to visitors as Centre 360. The city's Department of Citywide Administrative Services runs it, and it is the first time the view has been public since 1914. PIX11 reported that the first viewings coincided with the opening FIFA World Cup match on June 11. Admission is free.
Each visit takes about 15 minutes, ascent included. Groups meet at the CityStore on Centre Street, show photo ID to building security and hear a short welcome. An elevator goes to the 24th floor, where visitors switch to the tower elevator that rises to the cupola. The balcony sits roughly 580 feet above the street, and it is the only spot where a visitor can stand directly beneath Civic Fame, the 25-foot gilded statue sculpted by Adolph Weinman and installed in 1914. She holds a five-pointed crown for the five boroughs, plus a laurel branch and a shield.
The balcony allows a full walk-around. North looks to Midtown and the Empire State Building; east, to the East River and the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges; south, to the harbor; west, to the courthouses, City Hall and the Hudson. A phone-based Landmark Hunt helps visitors pick out the sights.
Visits run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., departing hourly on the hour, and the cupola is closed weekends. Reservations are free and parties are limited to five, though each session is listed as holding eight visitors. Bring photo ID and wear closed-toe shoes. Children under 18 need an adult and must stand at least 42 inches tall. Tripods and drones are not allowed, and access depends on the weather. Tribeca Citizen reported that new slots open on the first of each month, and that spots through July 2 were already gone when the launch was announced.
McKim, Mead & White designed the building, which was constructed between 1909 and 1914 and incorporates a subway station in its base. The agency spent $6 million on the cupola restoration, which included glass safety barriers. The nearest stop is Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall, served by the 4, 5, 6, J, Z, R and W trains.
(Details are drawn from points that agree across reports by Tribeca Citizen, PIX11.)
Date
Hours
Price
