Your Guide to One World Observatory
With so many places see New York City from above, it can be tough to narrow down where to go to get your skyscraper photos. Personally, I think One World Observatory is the best of the bunch. Located in Lower Manhattan at the site of the World Trade Center (mere steps away from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum), this is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Standing at 104 floors in height, this massive skyscraper was built to replace the Twin Towers that were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 2001. The tower contains an observatory from which you can take in views of all five of New York boroughs. I really enjoyed heading up the One World Observatory. Hopefully this guide will give you all the details you need to enjoy the experience on your next trip to the Big Apple.
- For more ideas of things to do in New York, you can read my recommended itinerary and guide post HERE.
One World Observatory – The Basics
- Where? 117 West Street, New York
- When? The Observatory is open daily from 9.00am – 9.00pm (with shorter hours sometimes in the winter season). Last entry is an hour before closing time.
- How much? General admission for adults costs $38.00 USD. Children aged 6 to 12 years get in for $32.00 USD. Kids 5 and under are free.You can also pay more for skip the line priority access tickets. One World Observatory is included in the New York Sightseeing Pass.
- How to get there: One World Observatory is a short walk from the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan. If you’re coming from Midtown, its about 20 minutes by the subway from Times Square. The closest station is (obviously) World Trade Center. Entry to the Observatory is from the West Street side of the tower.
- Website: https://www.oneworldobservatory.com/
About the One World Observatory
Unlike other famous skyscrapers in New York such as the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, the One World Trade Center is a relatively recent addition to the Manhattan skyline. Until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Twin Towers were part of New York’s World Trade Center. In the aftermath of the attacks, plans were made to rebuild the World Trade Center. While numerous plans were submitted, the final project chosen was that of the “Freedom Tower”, designed by architect David Childs. Construction began on the new skyscraper in April 2006, and the 1776 foot tall building (symbolically the year of US independence) was completed on May 10, 2013. A number of offices moved into the premises the following year, however the new World Trade Center was finally opened to the public with the unveiling of the One World Observatory on May 29, 2015.
- If you’re interested in learning about the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, check out my guide HERE.
The tower is often regarded as the spiritual successor to the Twin Towers. Its total footprint is equal to the combined footprint of those towers. Furthermore, the One World Observatory is at the exact same height as the observatories in the old complex (on the tower’s 100th, 101st and 102nd floors). Of course, the One World Trade Center is exceedingly modern and cutting edge in its design. It is estimated to have cost around $3.9 billion to complete. The base of the tower is blast resistant, and all the elevators, stairwells and other key components are encased in thick concrete surroundings. Safety was clearly a priority in the construction of this marvellous structure.
Planning a Trip to One World Observatory
When planning a trip to One World Observatory, there’s two main things to remember. Firstly, check the weather forecast. At 102 floors above the city, you won’t see much on a very overcast or foggy day. I highly recommend planning to go to One World Observatory on the day that is going to have the best weather when you’re in New York. I remember the first time I was supposed to go to the Observatory, you couldn’t even see the top from the ground due to the amount of cloud cover (and snow). Thankfully I was able to reschedule my visit for later in the day when things had cleared up.
Secondly, book your tickets in advance or you’ll be waiting in really long lines before you can even enter the queue to go up the elevator to the Observatory. You can get your tickets on the official website (and take note of the different options). I personally recommend the skip the line ticket, even though it costs a bit more, especially if you’re visiting New York in peak tourist season. You can also choose to visit One World Observatory as part of the New York Sightseeing Pass. I did this and it is is a good option if you plan to see a number of the city’s attractions over the course of your stay. At the time of writing, One World Observatory is not included in the CityPass.
If you have a timed entry ticket, aim to get to One World Observatory at least 15 minutes before your allocated entry slot. Upon arriving at the tower, you’ll need to clear an airport style security check involving metal detector screening. While its definitely the busiest time of day, I highly recommend visiting just before sunset for the most memorable views.
The Exhibits on the Ground
While they’re obviously overshadowed by the views once you get up to the observatory, I was really impressed with the modern exhibits on the ground level that follow the security checkpoint. After passing through the Global Welcome Center (which documents the numbers of people from all over the world that have come to the Observatory), your next stop is the Horizon Grid. This is a 144-screen experience playing a 14 minute short film. Entitled Voices, the mini-documentary includes interviews with people who worked on the One World Trade Center.
From there, you’ll continue into the Foundations Room. This immersive exhibit space recreates the bedrock buried deep below New York City. It actually feels like you’re passing through a cave. While its ultimately a glorified queuing area, at the same time you’ll learn about the geology of the site, along with learning facts about New York through a series of projections.
Finally you’ll come to the elevator that whisks you to the top of the building in a mere 47 seconds. When you step inside the elevator however, you won’t see the urban skyline of modern Manhattan. Instead, you’ll be greeted with views of unsettled forest prior to the city’s development, courtesy of LED technology. As you ascend, you’ll travel through time across 300 years, watching the city grow around you into the concrete jungle we know today. Its really cool! Once your skypod ride ends, you’ll file into the See Forever Theatre. Here, one last short film ends with the screen fading away to reveal your first glimpse of the city from the tower’s 102nd floor.
From the 102nd Floor
As you file into the Observatory itself, prepare to be blown away. With glass windows covering every wall in the observatory, you’ll have 360 degree panoramic views of one of the world’s greatest cities from this extremely high vantage point. The main observatory level is on the building’s 100th floor (though its all in one open chamber). On the way down, you’ll pass the restaurants on the 101st floor (there’s one casual cafe and a more formal sit down restaurant and bar where you can enjoy the views over a meal or cocktail).
While you’ll have to deal with glass reflections when taking photos, if you place your phone up against the glass (or as close as possible) you should be able to take pretty good photos from the massive Observatory windows. You can spend as long as you like up here, and I really encourage you to take your time. I actually spent about two hours in the Observatory and it flew by. Visiting at sunset and getting to take in the city both during the day and at night definitely added to the experience.
In Addition to the Views
As you take in the views from the Observatory, make sure you stop by the Sky Portal. This 14 glass floor of the Observatory shows live stream footage of the city directly below. While its obviously a projection (the portal is in the middle of the tower after all), you might forget that as you stand above and look down 100 floors beneath your feet.
You can also learn more about New York during your visit to the Observatory thanks to the excellent City Pulse talks. Conducted regularly by city ambassadors with the assistance a series of flat screen TVs, these short presentations are basically Q&A sessions where you’ll be taught a number of facts about the city that may well enhance your stay. You can check the scheduled times for these talks at the City Pulse stations in the Observatory (or ask a staff member when the next talk is set to begin).
If you want to discover even more about New York on your visit to One World Observatory, you can upgrade your ticket to include the One World Explorer. This is an interactive guide that operates on a tablet and assists in pointing out the various landmarks that you can see across the skyline (including up close helicopter footage). I didn’t personally use the Explorer, but if you’re interested in this, it costs an extra $10.00.
I really enjoyed my visit to One World Observatory. Combining a trip to the top of the tower with the nearby 9/11 Museum is an excellent way to spend an afternoon in Lower Manhattan and I really recommend doing so on a first time visit to New York City. Others will certainly have different opinions, but I think One World offers the best of the best when it comes to observation spaces in New York (though there are a few newer options I haven’t had the chance to visit). The views are outstanding, and there’s nothing like that moment when you first glimpse the panoramic scenes from above. Have you been to One World Observatory? How does it stack up against the famous skyscrapers of Midtown for you? If you haven’t, give it a try on your next trip and let me know what you think!