No longer will you have to crane your neck and look up at One Times Square to imagine what’s happening inside one of the world’s most famous New Year’s Eve landmarks. The building has officially opened a brand-new immersive attraction to the public for the first time ever, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the history of Times Square and its iconic New Year’s Eve celebration.
On August 7, 2026, One Times Square officially unveiled Times Travel, a multi-level, multi-sensory experience that transports visitors through the history of Times Square before ending with sweeping river-to-river views from the Times Square Skywalk, a 360-degree wraparound viewing deck located 19 floors above the Times Square plazas.
And considering the experience is open 365 days a year–and, well, features actual indoor plumbing–there’s zero bundling up in sub-zero temperatures or diaper-wearing required. Cue the collective sigh of relief.
While the iconic ball has dropped over the heart of Midtown every December 31st for more than a century, it has remained a closed-off mystery for the rest of the year. Now, that’s officially changing—and tickets are officially on sale.
What is Times Travel?
Times Travel is a multi-sensory, experiential journey through the history of Times Square and the New Year’s Eve Ball, combining interactive exhibits, historical reconstructions, virtual experiences, and immersive storytelling.
From there, visitors can board the “Times Machine,” a tech-enabled glass elevator that takes them through centuries of Times Square history as they ascend toward the 19th floor.
Along the way, guests can:
- Celebrate Eternal Midnight: Experience the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration from different perspectives, including among past revelers and through a virtual zipline ride through Times Square as the clock counts down to midnight
- See One Times Square being built: Experience the construction of the building as the headquarters of The New York Times through the eyes of its then-owner, Adolph Ochs, and the workers who helped make it the tallest structure in New York when it was completed in 1904
- Fly above 1930s Manhattan: Take a virtual airship ride over bridges, the seaport, and other parts of Manhattan as they appeared nearly a century ago
- Travel down Broadway: Hop into a virtual taxi and zip through decades of Broadway history, passing old theaters, marquee signs, and scenes from historic events
Starting at $44 per person, the experience includes:
- The Times Machine: Ascend 19 stories in NYC’s tallest exterior glass elevator for sky-high Midtown views
- Times Square Skywalk: Take in 360-degree panoramas from the wraparound viewing deck 19 floors up
- The Glass Sidewalk: Dare to look straight down through an all-glass floor hanging over the plazas below
- Eternal Midnight: Celebrate New Year’s Eve 365 days a year and get face-to-face with historic NYE Balls
- Airship & Time Taxi: Soar above 1930s Manhattan and zip through Broadway history in a virtual cab
- 1904 Origins: Step back in time to witness One Times Square being built as The New York Times headquarters
One Times Square also offers visitors the option to purchase a genuine Waterford crystal from the 2025 edition of the New Year’s Eve Ball.
It’s a perspective that very few New Yorkers have ever gotten to experience. Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown (the owner and operator behind One Times Square), stated:
Times Travel brings the story of New York to life through the lens of Times Square and the New Year’s Eve Ball, giving guests a way to not just be spectators, but to engage with the energy and magic of the neighborhood and iconic celebration year-round.
The History of the Most Famous NYE Ball in the World
The Times Square New Year’s Eve ball has been the beating heart of NYC’s midnight countdown since December 31, 1907.
Designed by a young immigrant metalworker named Jacob Starr, the original 1907 ball was made of heavy iron and wood, lit by just one hundred 25-watt light bulbs, measured 5 feet across, and weighed a massive 700 pounds.
Over the last 119 years, several different iterations of the ball have lowered down One Times Square, growing more high-tech with every passing decade.
The current version—the Constellation Ball—was introduced in 2025. It stretches 12.5 feet in diameter, weighs a staggering 12,350 pounds, and is encrusted with 5,280 circular Waterford Crystals backlit by thousands of state-of-the-art LED light pucks.
While roughly 1 to 2 million people brave the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds on the street every December 31st to watch it drop, this new attraction finally lets you take in the magic without the chaotic crowd.
Want to get up close with the current New Year’s Eve Ball?
That’s a separate experience from Times Travel.
The current Constellation Ball remains atop One Times Square, and One Times Square says guests interested in a future New Year’s Eve Ball Experience, where they’ll be able to visit and interact with the current Ball up close, can join the waitlist on the One Times Square website.
So, for now, Times Travel gets you 19 floors above Times Square, face-to-face with pieces of New Year’s Eve history—but not quite face-to-face with the Ball that will drop this December.
Know Before You Go: How to Get Tickets
Tickets to Times Travel start at $44 per person, with the entire self-guided immersive walkthrough and observation deck experience lasting approximately 50 to 55 minutes.
Timed-entry tickets are required for admission and must be booked online in advance (there is no physical box office on site).
- Where: One Times Square (1475 Broadway, Manhattan)
- When: Open daily year-round; hours vary by season (check onetimessquare.com for current times)
- Admission: $44+ per person
- Experience Length: 50-55 minutes
- Nearest Trains: 42 Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E) | 42 Street – Times Square (1, 2, 3, 7, N, W, Q, R, S) | 42nd St – Bryant Park (B, D, F, M)