Empire State Plaza is Nelson Rockefeller's great monumental folly, and it is extraordinary. Completed in 1976, the complex consists of four identical glass office towers, the curved dome of the New York State Museum, the Legislative Office Building, and "The Egg" — a performing arts centre shaped like a giant ellipse on a narrow pedestal. The whole ensemble is built on a massive platform above a concourse level that contains shops, cafés, and what is claimed to be the largest collection of New York State art displayed in a single public space.
The Egg (officially the Performing Arts Center) is the most visually striking element — a brutalist form that looks like it landed from elsewhere. It houses two theatres and hosts classical music, jazz, and theatre events. The New York State Museum, in the curved tower at the south end, is free and covers the natural history, geology, and cultural history of New York State.
From street level the plaza can feel inhuman in scale. Walk the concourse level, then come up to the open esplanade for views of the Capitol and, on clear days, the Adirondacks to the north.