Heidi Klum on the Perfect Empire State Building Photo

• Klum returned to the Empire State Building for the fourth time. 
• The 2026 visit marked her third Halloween celebration at the building. 
• She called the Empire State Building “the most important building in the city.” 
• Klum described the view from the Observation Deck as magical. 
• She explained how a visit to the top creates an iconic New York photo moment. 
• She rated a zombified Empire State Building costume a six out of ten. 
• Klum teased a “gigantic” costume before her 2026 reveal as a giant severed hand. 

For Klum, each return to the Empire State Building offers a new moment to remember.

“It never gets old,” she said. “It is the most important building in the city.”

Klum has visited the building with her husband, Tom Kaulitz, and associates the landmark with meaningful personal memories. Its place in the Manhattan skyline, world-famous architecture, and panoramic views give each visit a sense of occasion.

“It is a magical building,” she said. “It is so beautiful to be on top. You really feel like you are on top of the world, and you see everything.”

That view also creates the backdrop for an unmistakable New York City photo. Klum said guests should prepare for the image they will capture at the top before they visit.

From the Observation Deck, the streets, landmarks, and neighborhoods of New York extend in every direction and place each guest at the center of the city. 

Klum arrived in New York City in 1994 and has lived in different parts of the city throughout the years. From the Empire State Building Observation Deck, she retraced that history across the skyline. 

“You look around, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I used to live over there, and now I live down there,’” she said. “You kind of reminisce when you look down into the streets and see the different buildings.” 

Her comments capture what makes a skyline photo so meaningful. A first-time visitor may recognize a landmark from a movie, while a longtime New Yorker may spot a former apartment, favorite neighborhood, or place connected to an important memory. The resulting photo records a person’s relationship with New York at a specific moment in time. 

Klum also connected that sense of possibility to the spirit of the city. 

“New York has always been a place where you can dream, where dreams come true, where magic happens, and where individuality gets a spot in the limelight,” she said. 

No visit from the Queen of Halloween would feel complete without an expert costume review. During the interview, Klum gave an honest critique of the zombified Empire State Building costume from her 2024 Halloween party. 

Klum praised the color and level of detail in the face paint, rather than the simpler black-and-white makeup that often appears in zombie costumes. 

“The face paint is pretty good,” she said. “I think whoever painted you here did a fantastic job.” 

Her final score was a six out of ten. 

“The face paint really saved it,” Klum joked.

At the time of her Empire State Building visit, Klum kept the identity of her 2026 Halloween costume a secret. She did, however, offer one major clue.

“Hands down, it’s going to be huge,” she said. “It’s going to be gigantic.”

Klum explained that the costume would feel so large that she did not know how she would fit through a door or into a car. After the interview, fans learned just how literal those clues were: Klum transformed into a giant severed replica of her own hand for her 25th annual Halloween party.

The elaborate costume featured long red nails, oversized rings, and gruesome details at the wrist. It delivered the scale that Klum promised, and made “hands down” the clearest clue of all. 

A visit to the Empire State Building offers more than a skyline backdrop. The Observation Deck combines New York City history, pop culture, architecture, and the best New York City views in one destination. 

It stands apart among immersive NYC experiences because guests become part of the story throughout the visit. The immersive museum features interactive exhibits and memorable photo moments before guests reach the Observation Deck. 

Discover Indoor Places to Take Pictures in NYC

For visitors who search for indoor places to take pictures in NYC, the Empire State Building’s immersive museum offers several distinctive settings. Guests can pose with Kong, step into exhibits that celebrate the building’s construction, and explore its role in global pop culture. 

The museum also makes the experience a strong option in any season or weather. Every general admission ticket includes museum access, so guests can capture photos indoors before they see the skyline from above. 

Capture the New York City Skyline from the 86th Floor

The open-air 86th Floor Observation Deck delivers the iconic photo opportunity that Klum described. Its 360-degree layout lets guests find a skyline perspective in every direction. 

Daytime visits showcase the city’s architecture and avenues. Sunset adds warm color across the skyline, while a nighttime visit reveals a city full of lights. Each time of day offers a different version of the “perfect shot.” 

Heidi Klum has visited the Empire State Building four times, yet she says the experience never gets old. Her return for Halloween 2026 offered another chance to look across the city, revisit personal memories, and capture an iconic New York photo.

Explore the immersive museum, step onto the open-air 86th Floor Observation Deck, and create a New York City moment of your own.