There aren't many city halls as majestic and beautiful as Buffalo's. It has a unique profile and makes the skyline magical. If you have the opportunity, take one of the free guided tours so you can learn more about the history, architecture and building of this masterpiece. There are so many incredible details and so much outstanding art. You can view it on your own (there is some signage about what it is) but you really get a better understanding and experience if you take one of the tours. They are offered on weekdays at noon and are free! The 13th floor houses the council chambers and there is a gorgeous sunburst skylight that is absolutely worth seeing. The thing not to miss is the observation deck. The views from the 28th floor are simply spectacular! You will have to take some stairs to reach the observation level, so keep that in mind if you have difficulty with mobility. Whether you tour the inside or just catch a glimpse from the street of the majestic columns and imposing structure, don't come to Buffalo and miss a visit to City Hall! read more

Excellent tour. Go here at noon daily for a free tour. You will get a wonderful narration with lots of historic and art deco details. There is an observation deck that wraps around the entire top. Beautiful view of city. read more

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It was a FREE 1-1/2 hour toured with an experienced guide from Explore Buffalo. Buffalo has so many beautiful buildings, having been designed by the most famous artists and architects of the time, don't waste a minute - go explore. Don't miss the climb to get a birds-eye view of the city's radial layout read more

A gorgeous structure and a FaBuLous view from the observation deck way up at the top next to the dome! The 3D deco is also in the lobby with murals read more

City Hall - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I found myself being a part of Doors Open Buffalo, an event I never even knew exhisted through Explore Buffalo. My mom always wanted to tour city hall and check out the view of our lovely city. After seeing the event, I knew it was something I had to do in her honor and memory...so onward I went and was greatful that I did. Never realized the history, art-deco and how beautiful our city hall was until this past weekend. It only took a short three year to be built, which was amazing from 1929-1932. During the event was able to check out the lobby, 13th floor, and observation deck. The flights of stairs were a little bit much, all security and covid precautions were followed with masking wearing, 4 in elevator and security check point. An amazing place that I was pleased to check out after living here my whole life 38 years, beautiful view and great experience. read more

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I WAS so excited to start my New York trip in buffalo but it soon turned sour when I entered buffalo city hall. I heard about the free tours and was so excited to see the history. When I walked in, I was greeted by the rudest man. I told him I have numerous medical devices that can't go through the scanners and can't be taken off. I asked if I could be patted down for entry and he claimed it would be "sexual assault" and refused to let me in. Never in my life have I experienced such a disgusting man. read more

I was born in Buffalo as well as my father and grandfather, so when I was visiting, I decided to check out the top floor of the city hall as it offered the best views of Buffalo and is a free excursion. Super cool, super interesting, and very historic. If you want to experience a cool and unmatched view of the city, do not miss this location. I enjoyed the outdoor view from all corners and imagined that my father and even grandfather looked up at this beautiful building hundreds or thousands of times and can only wonder if they ever went to the top, like I did. read more

I saw there were free tours of this art deco style building. Loved hearing about the history of Buffalo and inspirations for this architecture. Tour guide was very good about answering questions to the best of his ability. It was raining outside so it was nice to be inside. The tour is mostly accessible for everyone but I don't believe there is an elevator to the observation deck and the paths outside would be too small for any type of wheeled mobility aid, just something to consider. Also there are only public restrooms in the basement, suggest making a stop before going on the tour. We found parking on the south west side of the building. read more

City Hall - From observation deck - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Due to a change in my employment, I was needing my birth certificate. Ugh! I had a feeling it was going to be a long tedious affair with lots of unfriendly faces. What a pleasant surprise. Of course, masks are required and only 4 people per elevator. I had a nice conversation with a woman while waiting and riding up to the 13th floor. Everything was well marked and paperwork was in the hall to fill out. After completing this, the whole process took 5 minutes! I couldn't believe how quick and easy this was! read more

It took me 32 years to get on this tour. I had a random day off during the week. Our tour guide from Preservation Buffalo was fantastic and very knowledgeable. The architecture and decor in City Hall is phenomenal. Who knew that such a gem was in our city? The tour lasts for an hour with it ending at the observation deck outside. I am afraid of heights, but there was plexiglass up, so it was fine. The width isn't that big though, so moving by people is slightly awkward. Beautiful views though. read more

When I was dining at Five Points Bakery, I asked the cashier for any recommendations on what to see in Buffalo and she suggested the Buffalo City Hall public tour. Parking near the City Hall was hard to come by and I finally found a 2-hour parking meter after driving about 3~4 blocks for 15 minutes. The public tour is free (donations accepted) and starts at noon on Monday to Friday. The meeting point is inside the City Hall's info booth located on the 1st floor. You will have to go through the security check in order to get into the building. This is a 32-story tall building with many colorful murals on the 1st floor and the observation deck on the 28th floor. During the tour, our guide talked about the history of Buffalo, saw different murals on the 1st floor, went up to the 13th floor to see the ceiling of the Common Council Chambers, took elevator to the 25th floor and walked up few flights of stairs to the Observation Deck. Up here you get to see 360° aerial view of downtown Buffalo and there's an eight-foot-high protective glass wall that goes around the Observation Deck in order to protect visitors from falling. The tour ultimately lasted about 1 hour and I was able to get back to my car within the 2-hour limit. Canalside and the City Hall tour are two of the Buffalo attractions that you should visit while you are in the city. read more

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One of the architectural gems of Buffalo, this art-deco designed building is a must-see. I think back to 2007, when the Buffalo Bills were playing the Dallad Cowboys on Monday Night Football. After a commercial break, then commentator John Madden was in utter disbelief of how big Buffalo's City Hall was as ESPN showed overhead views. In 2019, this building serves as a great reminder of Buffalo's past greatness. The Observation Deck on the top floor (I believe the 28th floor) offers stunning 360 degree views of the city and surrounding region. On clear days, you can easily see the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario and beyond. You do not have to be on a guided tour to get to the observation deck and it is free of charge. Simply visit during City Hall operating hours and you'll be able to go right up, via elevator. You will have to go through a brief security check and metal detector as soon as you enter City Hall. Once you get reach the top floor via elevator, you will have to take a few half-flights of stairs to reach the observation deck. I am not sure if it accessible by wheelchair, so call ahead if you are wondering about that! This place has become a staple to take those visiting from out-of-town to; the views are always a hit. Who knows, the honorable Mayor Byron Brown might even stop in the elevator on your way up (that did actually happen once). Between the architecture, interior design and views from the top, this is a can't miss in downtown Buffalo. read more

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An extremely worthwhile trip for locals and tourists alike! This building is amazing, between the sculptures and the murals and the very detailed exterior, you can spend a lot of time playing I-Spy if you wanted to. :) Anyone can go inside during business hours without being questioned (you just need to go through a metal detector). Once you're in, take a few minutes on the first floor to walk around and look up at all the murals - beautiful! Then using the set of elevators to the right, take them to the top (30th) floor, walk up another 2 flights of stairs to the observation deck and GO OUTSIDE! Views are worthwhile and always impress my out-of-town friends. 360 view of the city and Lake Erie. On a clear day, you can see the city of Niagara Falls, perhaps maybe the Falls themselves if you brought binoculars. On your way down, stop on 13 and peak into the council chamber and look up! If you need help, there's an information desk on the first floor to ask questions. There are also free tours during the day. The bathrooms are down in the basement. read more

Shi**y Hall is named as such because many of the politicians contained within, treat the general population of WNY in a very shi**y way, and unfortunately there seems to be a resigned feeling of inevitability to the corruption and mismanagement among many. But this is not a review of that. It's a review of the building itself. It's easily one of the most beautiful City Halls I've ever seen. It looks like a worn out, grand, old, tired, beautiful armchair, overlooking the city, with the spokes of the wheel (the various roads going out in different directions across WNY) potruding to the East and North from it. Right behind it is the lake. It's been many years since I've been up inside, but the view is absolutely stunning and unmissable, so make sure you check it out. But even from the street below, for example if you get finished dining at Taki's and then come out and just crane your neck and stare up at it... it towers over Buffalo and gives you a warm feeling (actually a cold feeling most of the year but hey). Probably my 2nd favourite building in Buffalo, or maybe my 3rd. Every City Hall should look as magnificent as this. Driving by on the 190, it's the clear highlight of downtown, and you can see it in all its grandeur from Canada, across the river, and as far south as Angola and Dunkirk (on a clear day) and as far north as Niagara Falls (on a clear day eh). If Buffalo does not get its act together politically though, then perhaps we shall rename it Pity Hall. read more

City Hall - Shrouded in mist - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Most of the visitors I saw at City Hall seemed to be disgruntled locals paying fines or tax bills. I was one of the few folks with a smile on my face because my commitment here wasn't financial. I was just a humble tourist checking out one of the great Art Deco civic buildings of the 20th century. This monumental 1931 structure appears like a Meso-American pyramidal complex and it hugs Niagara Square (with McKinley Monument at its center). It was designed by John Wade. (Eliel Saarinen came in at second place at the design competition. He and his son later designed the acoustically superb Kleinhan's Music Hall.) City Hall, at over 560,000 square feet, expresses the supreme optimism and confidence of the city at this time. A grand granite, sandstone, and limestone exterior with Native American motifs leads to an interior whose lobby is adorned with stunning mythological murals and colorful sculptural details. This space is a treasure. The drama is topped by the 13th floor council chamber. Walking into the semi-circular amphitheater reveals an incredible stained glass ceiling: a glorious representation of the sky. This colossus preceded the more minimalistic style of architecture that followed so it's loaded with more details than can be mentioned in a simple review here. I took the additional time to visit the observation deck. This city sat essentially moribund for decades but changes are finally arriving and the skyline is showing signs of growth. It's an interesting time to visit Buffalo as a tourist. read more

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A City Hall that incorporates motives from Native American tribes in Art Deco style. Great views from free observation deck. What it makes it beautiful is people working in it (who went out of their way to open a chamber with amazing skylight for a group of interested people). What makes it beautiful is laugh and happiness of two young women who just got married there. What makes it beautiful is its peaceful message to Canadians (entrance mural) and its tribute to the Native American tribes who lived there before. Pictures will tell the rest. read more

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The most beautiful and impressive city hall I have ever seen. The observation deck on 28th floor is a must visit! read more

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I was on a layover in Buffalo, New York and decided to walk around the city to get my 10,000 Fitbit steps! I love historical architectures, so when I saw this art deco building. I made it a mission to check it out. Glad I did! This building has been here since 1931 and is the second tallest building in Buffalo. When a building is this tall, I knew there has to be an observations deck, so I went inside to explore. The artwork that makes up the building is very informative and includes a tale of the history of Buffalo as a city. The Art Deco design also includes Native American highlights. During business hours on weekdays take the elevators to the 25th floor and, eventually, stairs to the 28th floor leading to the observations deck. The observation deck on the top floor is awesome and gave me an excellent 360-degree view of the whole city. You can see the west village, Lake Erie and Niagara Square from up there. I took some snap chat pictures that were worthy of Instagram. Unlike other tall buildings in other countries or cities in America, it is free to go up there! read more

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One of the highlights of the Buffalo skyline, City Hall is a beautiful building with plentiful indian motifs and a great view on the top floor. They offer free tours every weekday at noon which will take you through the entire building and up to the top viewing deck for a beautiful birds eye view of the city. I'm pretty sure if you're just wanting to get up to the top floor, you don't actually have to stay for the tour but can just make your way up there. If you're not coming here to pay a parking ticket, you will come away with a sense of wonder for this building and the beautiful city it represents. If you haven't stepped foot inside this magnificent structure yet, do it. Hopefully it's not to pay or fight a parking ticket, but instead to visit the top floor and check out the gorgeous views. read more

Gorgeous building. When I'm here for some paperwork, employees super nice and polite. This is a well organized building. They offer free tours daily at noon. I think they take national holidays off, but the rest of the time, you just show up and take a tour. The table to wait at is well marked and very clear. Your tours guides will vary, its all volunteer, so if you go a few times you will learn all sorts of different things. The tour starts outside with a little history of the building and the architecture etc. Then you move inside and learn all about the mosaics inside, the craftsmanship that is evident throughout, and the history of some of the US Presidents and Buffalo mayors etc. You visit the council-room where you can see meetings happening, open to the public. The room has not been renovated since it was built, so the chairs are all smaller than you might expect today. Men can put their hat underneath the chairs, there's a special wire for it. That was for back when men did not wear hats indoors. Then you go to the observation deck. On a clear day you can see Toronto in the distance. The views of Lake Eire are impressive You can see the street layout of Buffalo, it was a spoke one, clearly from this high up. The architecture is amazing here. The tours they run are well done and worth it. If you live in Buffalo stop by and try this one day. If only for the view. If you are visiting come and get a 360 view of the city and water from the observation desk. Parking is street (meter) or one of the paid lots that are around. 1600 read more

Probably the coolest spot in Buffalo. Open from 8am - 4:30pm on weekdays only, this place is one of the only places in Buffalo where you can check out a rooftop observatory for free. When first coming here, it reminded me of the Empire State Building's observatory, but no waiting, no security, no hassle, and no crowds...ever :P Once you get to the top, there's plenty of guides to tell you what you're looking at so it's pretty neat to actually know what stuff you're exactly looking at. The Art Deco architecture and urban vista of this building alone makes it a site to see. The free observatory is only an added plus that comes along with coming to see this historic building. read more

I've lived in Buffalo a majority of my life and never realized that taking a trip to City Hall could be so fun! City Hall is as unique inside as it is on the outside. Not only is it loaded with various city/government offices/departments it is packed with history and gorgeous architecture. The most intriguing part of City Hall, to me, is the view from the top. Take an elevator (or two), and then climb a couple flights of stairs all the way to the observation deck at the top of City Hall. On a clear day the 360 degree view of Buffalo is amazing. The best part is it's free (at least for now!) read more

City Hall - A view of the waterfront from the observation deck at City Hall. Visit yourself to check out more beautiful views of the city! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Had some time to kill and decided to go check out City Hall. Glad we did! The architecture, both inside and out, is stunning. Even better, the observation deck (free access) provides an excellent 27th story view of the city, in all directions. You can usually even see the mist of Niagara Falls to the North. Everyone should go at least once. read more

Been in this place many times for traffic violations (tents, parking) it seems lighter than I remember in its dimmer days. Some days are busier than most. Usually you can get in right away to see the judge and get hearing for traffic violations. Besides that it has sole beautiful architecture that people from around the world come to tour and view. Funny, I've never taken a city hall tour before. Maybe I'll go on my own soon... read more

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This is an easy place to give 5 stars! This building has the most beautiful view of the city and its FREE. You really can't beat that. Today's visit was primarily to get the view from the top. If you take your time to look around or get a tour, you can see the incredible beauty inside the building but on a nice day, I wanted to spend my time looking at the view. I only put three quarters in the meter so there wasn't time for both! Pick a day with less fog so you can see even more in the distance. read more

City Hall - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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This building inspires. Even going to pay a water bill can steal your breath. The observation deck is like none other. You can just walk up there, like you own it. No one is there to bug you or make you wipe your feet or anything else annoying. There's great information on the history of Buffalo and the particular views that you can see. All for FREE! An of course, the view. It's super. read more

Some might say Buffalo is solidly within the Rust Belt and its hey day has passed... but you cannot deny the beauty of city hall. It's quite a substantial building and makes up a big chunk of our skyline. You really can't miss it. The entry is dim but beautiful. The elevators are super old school and maybe a little scary. Lots of rooms here- mostly I come to city hall to pay parking tickets. You can also get recycling bins and a marriage license! The marriage license place is moderately cheery, despite being a government building. I don't think I'd choose here for a ceremony, but you can. There's a few little flowers hung up right in the office. It's cute. While normally I'd give this place 1 star due to my anger and frustration of paying yet ANOTHER parking ticket, my experience getting my marriage license was much more pleasant! read more

A lot of people just think of city hall as a governmental building, but this is a true architectural gem right in the center of downtown. (It's even featured in several nationally published architecture/art deco textbooks) I thought of myself as very lucky to have worked here (on the 24th floor with an amazing view), and I learned so much more about my city just from walking around the halls. However, you don't have to work here to learn a lot. They give FREE TOURS every day, which are super interesting and really give you a lot of background information on the design of the building. I promise you, it's not boring at all. Even if you're not a fan of architecture, the murals inside are absolutely gorgeous (and kind of terrifying), and you can't leave the city without checking them out. read more

Took the tour here before and thought it was decently entertaining. This building is a architectural mega building. A lot of people don't understand the history of this building, and I don't expect many people to because it's not really pushed out to the public to get people interested, which might be an idea to do an ad campaign and see how it works out for peoples interest. I know this is a short review, but not much for me to say here. Great building. read more

Buffalo's City Hall: the symbolic manifestation of Buffalo's rich history and industrial prowess it once touted at the turn of the 20th Century stands tall on the banks of Lake Erie. Its magnificent design, structure and ornamentation all serve together to create a practical and relatively functional depiction of the grandness Buffalo once had, and its aggressive ambition it was to enact for decades to come. FROM THE OUTSIDE: Donning the top of this near century old Art Deco Buffalonian icon is a multi-colored cap that is reminiscent of a Native American tribal chief's headdress. I'm sure that this is by no accident; it's likely an ode to the very rich Native American heritage within Western New York. Moreover, the friezes carved into the sandstone facade depicts images of working class people, and again by no accident, as Buffalo was once one of the leading industrial cities in the nation. A proud statue of Grover Cleveland - Buffalo's most famous & successful politician - stands on the northeast corner of the building. There are numerous etched/carved recesses adorning the sides that are often go unnoticed due to the scores of unsightly air conditioner units protruding from so many of the buildings windows. Buffalo's City Hall, in an attempt to be more cost effective, was designed to take advantage of the winds from Lake Erie to cool the building with an elaborate nature powered cooling system... apparently it doesn't work all that well. FROM THE INSIDE: It only gets better on the inside. The lobby is fraught with expensive looking emerald green and black marble, anchored together using brass tie-in that shine like gold from years of traffic and polish. There is another statue of Cleveland, this one in bust form, near the entryway (Did you know Cleveland himself once hanged a man while serving as the Erie County Sheriff? How many presidents can add "killing a man" to their legacies?). The intricate carvings and colorful decorations running up the walls and across the ceilings carry over from the same themes from the outside: industry and Native American heritage. I had business on the 13th floor, which was the top floor of the south end elevator bank; the north end goes from 13-25, with access to the observation deck after a few flights of stairs on the 25th, but I didn't know that at the time. The wait for the elevator was a long one, and I began to sweat from my impatience and the hot air of the building. I started to think that if I walk up the thirteen floors I might make it to my destinations quicker and less sweaty. The elevator did eventually come and I crammed on; it appeared that was the only elevator in service on the south side. Once on the elevator I still waited as someone pressed floor 2, then someone got on at floor 3 and pressed floor 4... this continued on and on until I finally made it to the top disgruntled and ornery. The elevator itself was pretty cool though. It's an old Otis lift with its walls covered in more brass and a rich, unknown wood species, possibly cherry. I also took a trip to the observation deck, which was refreshing. There you can see the City of Buffalo in all its flat and underwhelming glory! Ok, Buffalo might not have a superb skyline, but it makes up for it with character, history and charm... Or at least that's what I tell myself. I was pleased to see that the observation deck was free and easy to access: just take the north side elevator to the 25th floor -- which wasn't a long wait -- and walk up three flights of stairs. At the top, the view is nice, but like most nice views, it's spoiled by idiots: people have tagged their stupid names into the sandstone of the building and there is a clear barrier up so people can't throw stuff/themselves over the top. The barrier prevents you from looking straight down and really putting the height in perspective. It's a shame. IN CLOSE: I saw on my way out that there is a tour available Monday through Friday from 12-1pm with reservations. The tour is also free! MY RATING: It's was tough to decide between 4 or 5 stars, but the droves of air conditioner units pocking up the sides and the elevator situation were enough to round it down to 4. But then I remembered how Buffalo City Hall always reminded me of the building that the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man climbed in the movie Ghostbusters, and I used to think that if he were to attack Buffalo he would climb City Hall, and that makes me smile. So, I upgraded it to 5 stars. But then, I also realized that City Hall looks like an inverted hand with its middle finger raised, and looks curiously like it's giving the city of Cleveland the middle finger, and I like Cleveland + feel bad for them because I wanted Lebron to win the NBA finals this year, so I downgraded it back down to 4 stars. (This is the genius that is my brain). read more

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Whether you are headed to City Hall for business or pleasure, you won't be disappointed. There is a front and back entrance, and be prepared to go through metal detectors. Make sure to look up when walking the halls or waiting for an elevator. The ceilings are gorgeous, as are most floors. The first floor has most of the offices residents may be looking for, whether to obtain a copy of a bill or pay an outstanding bill. The basement has a nicely appointed cafeteria that serves hot foods with the menu changing daily. The burgers and soups are stand outs. If you are looking for a historical tour, head to the main lobby on a weekday at noon. They start at the bottom and take you all the way to the top, which is the observation tower. The views around the city are magnificent from this vantage point. Even if you have lived in the city your whole life, a trip to the top for the view is a must see! read more

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"Visit the City Hall observation deck" was one of the activities listed on the top hundred things to do in Buffalo. I was so happy that I finally got the time to go do something as cool as take in views of my whole city. It was such a great experience and really made me take the time to appreciate the beauty of my city. Unfortunately, in my hustle and bustle life, I don't do that nearly as much as I should. Sometimes to explore and see and smell and taste, you don't need money. This is the perfect little activity to do if you need a sense of adventure. Inexpensive... the most you'll need to pay for is street parking. My god, is this building beautiful. It's structure is archaic but elegant. I'm not totally in the know on my architecture but I'm sure this building can be studied. Even the elevators tell a mysterious story. Four elevators on either side of the entryway, four of them go to the first twelve floors and the other four go up to the highest floor. You have to walk a couple flights to get to the top of the observation deck, but well worth it. The observation deck is laid out by cardinal directions, with each direction given an explanatory map with interesting buildings to look at. Several of the panels have water damage from the windows being left open, so some special interest points (particularly north and south) are hard to make out. I couldn't tell you what my favorite view is because all of it made me fall in love with Buffalo all over again. Seeing the skyway and the windmills are pretty cool, as well as looking out and seeing all of Buffalo. There are some pretty cool buildings you can look down upon that you forgot were out there. Shoutout to the Buffalo Central Terminal, I see you over there... The history lesson I got from checking out all the panels was just as important as the views I took in. It highlighted some really cool things, like planning and finishing the Erie Canal, the end of industry (steel) in Buffalo, and Fillmore's funeral procession. What a cool history we have, if only we took the time to appreciate it! I would definitely go back to take it all back in. This was an experience I'll never forget. Next time I'd like to explore more of the building itself, perhaps take that fancy tour of the building. Even if I don't manage to do that, I'm just really glad I took the time to go experience this. Every Buffalonian needs to do this once in his/her life. read more

AMAZING view of the city! I fall in love with the city more and more each time I go. Whether you're a born and raised Buffalonian or just visiting the city, it's certainly a must see. The architecture of the building itself is absolutely gorgeous inside and out, and the observatory on the top floor is an added bonus. read more

FREE Tour (2 Stars) -- but did learn some interesting things -- Why are there no pigeons in downtown buffalo? Is the monument modeled after the monument in the capital? Why did they build all those glass structures in front of the surrounding buildings? What is the oldest hotel in Buffalo and can you eat there? Despite all the Native American Influences in Upstate New York what Native Americans were the designs here actually inspired by? What did the city use to look like and who designed it? So tour was pretty dry but building and view were really cool. Can go up for free and no one will bother you. Even the elevators look cool. Warning, you do have to climb 2-4 sets of stairs at the top so not the most handicap friendly. Although during the week this may be different because there is a man who controls different elevator access. Circular observation deck at top has wonderful free view of buffalo. https://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/home/leadership/mayor/cityhallhistory (details on architecture) Open: 8-4 on weekdays and Saturdays between 11am-1pm (tour 12-1pm). Probably closed Sunday. read more

A Great Art Deco Style Building, Lots To See Inside And Out. Free Informative Tours Weekdays, That take you to the roof top viewing deck (Tour Not Required To Get To) and other spots like the Council Chambers with the great stained glass ceiling and the Mayor's Office Door. So much to see and learn about. Worth the stop, if you don't mind paying to park... If you are on the roof top deck, see if you can find the Buffalo In The Harbor!!! read more

Took the free tour of city hall. It was very interesting. The building is fascinating and a true work of art. Visited the treasury, mayor's office, council chamber and observation deck. Nice way to spend an hour. read more

I encourage everyone who visits buffalo to come check out City Hall. It is an architectural gem. You can also go up to the observation deck and get a breathtaking view of the city and waterfront. Is not very touristy which is great because no one is there to annoy you with long lines etc. I believe they also give tours. They also host events and press conferences for the mayor here. read more

If you're visiting Buffalo, you should stop by City Hall. The interior design is very nice and old. You can go all the way to the top and get a fantastic view of the city. It is free to go in! read more

Buffalo City Hall is well worth the visit...full of architectural gems. Don' t miss the observation deck (elevator to the 25th floor and stairs for the last 3 floors) and the council chambers on the 13th floor. I didn't make it for the tour--maybe next time! read more

So yes, this is an amazing old building and worth seeing for sure. And yes, in theory the tours are free, although when we showed up at noon on Friday we were told the tour was "canceled". No idea why but I've read other reviews that said the same thing. Sort of a disappointment considering we drove down town specifically for this and had to deal with parking (there's a reasonable garage right next to the building) and security (had to go through an airport like screening to get into the building. Not a huge deal but add 10 minutes to your trip). Although the tour was canceled, we were told we could go to Council Chambers and someone would be up to unlock the room. It took a bit of time but eventually they did unlock it. It's a neat space but without knowing the history behind it or what it is used for today it was kind of a letdown. Then we headed up on our own to the observatory. The views are great, I want to make that very clear. And yes, it is free which is awesome. I do however want to point out a few negatives. First, it's, well, gross up there. The building is old and rundown and they've tried to spruce it up with some posters and historical photos and what not but it's just not a pleasant place. When you go outside, the "walkway" is tiny. If someone wants to pass you, you basically have to press against the wall. Also, be aware that there are insane amounts of gigantic spiders out there. I'm guessing the building attracts a lot of bugs at night because of lights and it's clear the spiders are taking advantage of it. I wouldn't mention it if it weren't really notable. These spiders are HUGE and they are everywhere, mostly above your head on the netting. My wife and kids were freaked out and really didn't want to be out there. If you have a spider phobia, keep that in mind. And it's just dirty on the observatory. There was a rotting dead bird up there, trash, graffiti, etc. Anyway, if you can deal with all of the above then yes, go here and check it out. I only wish we got to see the actual tour, I'm sure that would have added a lot to the experience. read more