One Times Square Times Travel

Times Travel transforms One Times Square, one of the world’s most recognizable buildings and home of the iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball, into a multi-sensory, experiential journey through the history of Times Square and the New Year’s Eve Ball.

Rather than presenting this history through a traditional museum format, Times Travel uses interactive storytelling, immersive exhibits, and technology to transport visitors through centuries of Times Square history. Each exhibit features historically accurate reconstructions of moments in time, with characters portrayed by real actors, creating an experience that bridges entertainment, history, and technology.

The journey begins with the Cellar Crystal Core, where a blend of motion-activated photo portals and virtual storytelling allows guests to access the “memories” of One Times Square in a way that bridges the past and present. Guests then board the Times Machine, a tech-enabled glass elevator that allows visitors to take in centuries of Times Square history in seconds.

Throughout the experience, visitors engage directly with defining moments in the building and neighborhood’s history. Building One Times Square explores 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 made it the tallest structure in New York when it was completed in 1904. An Airship Above Manhattan allows visitors to fly through 1930s-era Manhattan, while Decades of Change places guests inside a virtual taxicab that zips up Broadway, passing old theaters, marquee signs, and scenes and sounds from historic events that changed the neighborhood.

The experience culminates in Eternal Midnight, which reimagines one of the world’s most recognizable annual celebrations as an experience visitors can engage with year-round. Guests experience the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop from two unique perspectives: among revelers from the past century as they ring in the New Year, and from a virtual zipline through Times Square as the clock counts down to midnight. Five historic New Year’s Eve Balls are incorporated into the experience, including a replica of the original 1907 Ball and the recently retired “Big Ball” that rang in the new year from 2008 through 2025.

Times Travel concludes on the Times Square Skywalk, a 360-degree wraparound viewing deck with river-to-river views and a glass walkway 19 floors above the Times Square plazas, providing a one-of-a-kind vantage point over the Crossroads of the World.

The innovation of Times Travel lies in its combination of place, history, storytelling, and technology. Instead of simply observing Times Square history, visitors are invited to move through it, interact with it, and experience familiar moments from new perspectives. Motion-activated elements, virtual storytelling, immersive environments, LED displays, audiovisual technology, historically accurate reconstructions, and live-action character portrayals work together to make guests active participants in the story.

As Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown, described at launch, Times Travel gives guests a way to “not just be spectators” but to engage with the neighborhood and its iconic celebration year-round. In doing so, Times Travel helps transform One Times Square from the focal point of one of the world’s most famous annual celebrations into a 365-day destination for entertainment, technology, history and art.

Partners

• Jamestown
• Roto
• BHVR
• SNA Displays
• Synapse
• Elevate

• Jamestown: Owner and operator of One Times Square and creator of Times Travel.
• Roto: Served as exhibit designer and builder.
• BHVR: Led content and design for Times Travel.
• SNA Displays: Supplied the LED screens used throughout the experience. SNA Displays also outfitted One Times Square’s exterior LED displays.
• Synapse: Served as AV designer and integrator for Times Travel.
• Elevate: Serves as the operating partner and exclusive brand partnerships agency for One Times Square.