The view itself is unique and astonishing. Unobstructed for 360 degrees from the 70th floor, the breathtaking landscape stretches for miles in every direction. It includes a panorama of Central Park and the northern half of Manhattan that cannot be found anywhere else. New York's other landmarks are visible as well, including the Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Hudson River, the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty. It is, quite simply, the most spectacular view in New York City.

Construction of the Rockefeller Center — America's largest privately owned business and amusement complex of the pre-war period — began in 1931. In total, ten different units were constructed on the twelve-acre site, the last of which (the National Cash Register Company's offices) was completed in 1940. Situated on a block that lies between New York's busy 5th and 6th Avenues and 48th and 51st Streets, the development represents the culmination of pre-war skyscraper design and comprehensive planning. Public and private activities are brought together in the scheme and the whole design creates an atmosphere that is a direct and positive contribution to urban life. The great RKO motion picture theatre was the first building completed (designed by the main architects with Corbett, Harrison) and MacMurray, Hood and Fouilhoux) and opened in 1932. It seats over 3,500 patrons and has a full stage."

— Dennis Sharp. Twentieth Century Architecture: a Visual History. p257.