The Egg, Albany NY

The city of Albany, NY, is home to the Egg— a performing arts center that's become an important part of the city's culture. The Egg is a unique and iconic building that has been hosting performances and events for over 40 years. It is part of the Capital Complex and was the last building to be completed in the Empire State Plaza, which is home to a variety of attractions such as the New York State Museum and Corning Tower, in addition to government buildings and offices.

Appearance & History

Standing at approximately 112 feet high, the Egg easily stands out from all surrounding buildings due to its unique design. Visitors may mistake it for a large sculpture, while local descriptions have included a radar dish, a flying saucer, a cantaloupe or grapefruit half, a cereal bowl, and, of course, an egg.

Urban legend states that the idea for the Egg's design was born when then-Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller (the driving force behind the creation of the Capital Complex and Empire State Plaza) asked architect Wallace K. Harrison to design a unique building that would stand out from the rest of the plaza. They were meeting over breakfast, so to give an example of what he was envisioning, Rockefeller put a grapefruit half on top of a teacup.

Regardless of the source of inspiration, the result is undoubtedly one of the most striking buildings in Albany. The stem of the building is 6 stories, supporting an egg-shaped structure made from reinforced concrete and supported by a girdle, or reinforced concrete beam. Inside the building, there are no windows and almost no straight lines, vertical walls, or corners. Instead, the walls curve into concave ceilings. Even chairs and elevators are circular to match the rest of the building. Construction took 12 years, from 1966 to 1978. The iconic structure gained additional fame as the subject of the song "Albany" by They Might Be Giants, in which the singer looks up at the Egg and comically inquires, "What were they thinking?"

Local Performing Arts Venue

Although it is easily the most recognizable structure in downtown Albany, New York, visitors wondering about the "weird building in Albany" probably wouldn't guess that it is a state-of-the-art performing arts venue. Managed by the nonprofit Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation, the Egg's unique design and intimate theaters allow it to boast great acoustics, and there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Since it opened in 1978, the Egg has offered numerous theater performances, concerts, kids’ shows, and dance performances in its theaters and lounges. The Egg's resident company is the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company, and it is also home to the New York City-based Ajkun Ballet Theatre during July and August. Acclaimed choreographers, musicians, comedians, and other performing artists have performed on the Egg's stages.

Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre

The Hart Theatre is the larger of the two theaters inside the Egg, with a capacity of 982 seats. This stage hosts larger productions, including dance performances, concerts, and music theater. The theater is named in honor of Kitty Carlisle Hart, an actress and champion of the arts who served as chair of the New York State Council on the Arts for 20 years.

Lewis A. Swyer Theatre

Named after a local developer and art patron, the Swyer Theatre seats 450 and is used for chamber music, lectures, multimedia presentations, readings, recitals, and small theatrical productions.

The Hart & Swyer Lounges

Outside the Hart Theater, the Hart Lounge offers an area for patrons to gather after events. The uniquely curved space is 10,000 square feet, making it large enough for seminars, parties, receptions, graduations, and other smaller events. The smaller Swyer Theatre Lounge offers space for small receptions or parties.

Lower Levels

The lower levels of the Egg have a number of classrooms, dance spaces, and practice areas that are used by local organizations and groups.

Located in Empire State Plaza

The Egg is part of the Capital Complex, located in the Empire State Plaza in the heart of downtown Albany. For those planning a trip from out of town, there are plenty of other local attractions nearby to catch your interest, as well as local restaurants, breweries, hotels, shops, and businesses offering a variety of services. Visit the New York State Museum, explore the businesses and neighborhoods on Western Avenue, State Street, or Central Ave, enjoy the outdoors at Washington Park, and finish your day by catching a concert or show at the Egg Performing Arts Center. Your trip to Albany, New York isn't complete without seeing the Egg!

For more information about the Egg, check out upcoming shows or watch the virtual tour on their website.

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