Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the free Capitol Tours Program has been expanded to include tours on the second Saturday of each month. The tours, which last from 45 minutes to an hour, will start at the Empire State Plaza visitor center and gift shop located on the concourse at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month.

“The newly restored state Capitol stands as a symbol of our efforts to restore confidence in our government and make it work better and more efficiently,” Governor Cuomo said. “By expanding the Capitol Tours Program, we are giving more visitors the opportunity to experience this historic landmark and welcoming them to be a part of their state government.”

“The Capitol is home to many of New York State’s historic treasures, and by expanding the Capitol tours program, we are giving more visitors the opportunity to experience this magnificent landmark,” Governor Cuomo said. “I encourage New Yorkers and visitors alike to book a tour of the Capitol in the near future so they can see for themselves the remarkable architecture and exhibits within it that tell the story of New York’s history.”

Saturday tours will be limited to 25 people, and visitors must make online reservations in advance at www.empirestateplaza.org. If space allows, walk-in visitors will be accepted on the tours.

“The expansion of our Capitol tours program continues Governor Cuomo’s efforts to make this magnificent building and all the historic items that are on display within it more accessible to the public,” Commissioner Destito said. “We’ve heard many requests from the public for weekend tours of the Capitol. We listened, and we are excited to make New York’s statehouse the newest weekend destination in Albany.”

All weekday tours of the Capitol and Empire State Plaza will begin at the visitor center and gift shop, located on the concourse level at the north end of the Plaza closest to the Capitol. The visitor center and gift shop is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Saturdays that tours are being offered.

Traditional Capitol tours are offered Monday through Friday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m, 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. There are no public tours on Sundays, or holidays. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more and can be made online at www.empirestateplaza.org or by calling (518) 474-2418. In addition, visitors may download a self-guided audio tour to use while visiting the state Capitol.

A special tour of the Capitol titled “A Flag for the Ages, Abraham Lincoln and the New York State Capitol” is also being offered the first Thursday of each month from July through September. The hour-long tour currently starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Capitol’s State Street lobby, but will begin at the Plaza visitor center, starting on September 3. Space is limited, so people are encouraged to register in advance online at www.empirestateplaza.org or by calling (518) 473-7582.

Visitors to the Capitol will be required to pass through metal detectors and have any bags scanned through an x-ray machine. Personal belongings such as backpacks and large bags should not be brought on the tour. Sharp objects, such as pocket knives and nail clippers, will not be allowed into the building.

OGS is also offering a new free tour that focuses on the history and design of the Empire State Plaza. This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the June 1965corner stone laying for the Plaza. The 30-minute tours start at the visitor center at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, through September 4, and no registration is required.

For more information, call the Plaza Visitor Center at (518) 474-2418, email plaza.visitor.center@ogs.ny.gov, or visit www.ogs.ny.gov.