The One World Trade Center Observatory Officially Opens Today!
The view from above. Image via World Trade Center Progress
We couldn’t have dreamt up a more picturesque day for the opening of One World Trade Center‘s sky-high observatory. Today visitors will get a new bird’s eye view of New York City with panoramic views stretching 50 miles past the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty from a three-story perch 1,250 feet up in the air.
The new observatory takes up the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors of the tower with the main viewing space situated on the 100th floor. In addition to sweeping vistas, visitors will get to enjoy a 47-second, 23 mph elevator ride to the top featuring a 515-year time-lapse view of the NYC skyline, a video called ‘Voices’ about those who constructed the building, and a simulated experience that will have them walking across video screens showing the street view way down below. There’s also a restaurant on the 101st floor and an event space on the 102nd.
Although a visit to the observatory doesn’t come cheap with its $32 admission (kids get in for $26 and seniors for $30), it is without question one that comes unrivaled—1WTC is the nation’s tallest building, rising 1,776 feet, and you really can’t argue with what’s on the other side of the glass. Officials expect that the observatory will bring in three to four million visitors annually.
If you’re looking to experience it for yourself, you can get tickets on-site or online. Admission is free for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who were part of the rescue effort.
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