One World Trade Observation Deck Is A Trip Through New York's Past, Present And Future [PHOTOS]

The view from 1,25o feet above New York City is breathtaking. Manhattan is laid out in front of you while another window features an aerial view of Ellis Island the Statue of Liberty. It's an incredible testament to what the Freedom Tower and the One World Observation Deck represents for the people of New York City and the thousands of tourists who will want to travel a thousand feet above the streets in under 60 seconds.

"As the anticipation for our official opening day continues to build, the preview days will serve as a special thank you to New York City, the people who made the observatory possible, and our next generation of leaders,” said David Checketts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Legends, operator of the Observatory, said in a statement. “We can’t wait to open our doors to the public and allow them to experience the inspiration and excitement of One World Observatory first-hand."

The One World Observatory opened to the public Friday, May 29, and includes the 100th, 101st and 102nd floors of One World Trade Center. Visitors can enjoy the view from 9 a.m. to midnight -- the last ticket is sold at 11:15 p.m. EDT during the summer. Regular hours of operation are from 9 a.m. EDT to 8 p.m. EDT. The experience starts well before visitors have a bird's-eye view of NYC. The Global Welcome Center includes a generated world map of visitors and two videos -- "Voices" features stories from the people who built the Freedom Tower, while "Foundations" highlights the construction of the tallest building in the United States.

Even the elevators have a unique twist to them at 1WTC. Dubbed Sky Pods, the elevators race to the 102nd flood in less than 60 seconds and feature LED screens that broadcast a time-lapse view of NYC development from the 1600s to 2015. City Pulse global ambassadors will guide guests through important landmarks and the history of the city. There's also a Sky Portal that lets visitors peer down to the street below using a high-definition live stream.