An extensive network of LED displays, projection systems and interactive technology is powering a new 16,700 sq ft immersive attraction at One Times Square, the landmark tower at the heart of New York’s Times Square and home of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.
Times Travel, designed and built by experience design and production firm Roto alongside content and design lead BHVR, uses large-format LED and projection, motion-activated displays and interactive storytelling across multiple floors of the landmark building. The LED and projection network was supplied by SNA Displays, with AV designer Synapse responsible for integration.
The experience begins with the Cellar Crystal Core, where more than 170 linear feet of 1.5mm-pixel-pitch LED video wall follows visitors through the space in concave and convex curves. Motion-activated photo portals and virtual storytelling are used to present the building’s “memories” and connect its past with the present.
Visitors then board the Times Machine, a glass elevator featuring a floor-to-ceiling 7ft 10in by 4ft LED display built into the cab wall. The journey to the 19th floor compresses centuries of Times Square history into the duration of the elevator ride.
The story of the construction of One Times Square is presented through two large projection surfaces. A 31ft by 19ft North Wall runs at 6,040 by 3,740 pixels, alongside a 13ft by 19ft West Wall at 2,800 by 3,740 pixels, recounting the development of the building through the perspective of then-owner Adolph Ochs and the workers who constructed it.
Elsewhere, An Airship Above Manhattan places visitors over a recreation of 1930s New York using a 40ft by 12ft screen with a resolution of 8,600 by 1,200 pixels, while Decades of Change uses a virtual taxicab journey along Broadway to explore the changing character of Times Square. A 50ft-long concave video screen wraps around the room as visitors pass historic theatres, marquee signs and recreations of events that shaped the neighbourhood.
The New Year’s Eve tradition forms the centrepiece of Eternal Midnight, which recreates the Ball Drop from two perspectives: among crowds from different periods of the past century and via a virtual zipline through Times Square as the countdown reaches midnight.
Historic New Year’s Eve Balls are incorporated into the attraction, including a replica of the original 1907 Ball and part of the 12ft-diameter “Big Ball” used between 2008 and 2025. Weighing 11,875lb, the latter was too large to display intact, so Roto cut it to approximately a quarter of its original size and used mirrors to create the appearance of the complete sphere.
Eternal Midnight also incorporates the Confetti Wishbox, allowing visitors to write a wish on a piece of real confetti before adding it to a glass enclosure in which a continuous swirl recreates the effect of falling confetti.
The experience concludes with the Times Square Skywalk, a 360-degree viewing deck 19 floors above the Times Square plazas, featuring a glass walkway and views across Manhattan.
One Times Square was originally built as the headquarters of The New York Times and has served as the focal point for the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop since 1907. Building owner Jamestown has redeveloped the property as a destination combining entertainment, technology, history and art, appointing Roto as exhibit designer and builder for Times Travel in 2024.
“Most people will never stand in Times Square when the New Year’s Eve Ball drops,” said Joseph Wisne, founding partner and chief creative officer at Roto. “Our goal for Times Travel was to close that gap, to give visitors the same rush, the same hope for what’s ahead, that a million strangers feel together every New Year’s Eve.”
Delfin Ortiz, general manager of One Times Square, added: “Roto has been an important partner in bringing our vision for Times Travel to life. Their experience in creating immersive attractions allowed us to transform more than a century of history at One Times Square into something visitors can actually step into and experience.
“From the evolution of Times Square to the energy and excitement of New Year’s Eve, Roto helped us create an experience that makes this iconic building and its history accessible in an entirely new way.”
