The New York Times has posted a video of what you can expect to see when you take an elevator to the observatory atop One World Trade Center - and, spoiler: it's really cool.
Animated time-lapse videos in all 5 elevators shows the development of the city's skyline from the 1500s to the present day from the exact spot where visitors are standing inside One World Trade.
This is made possible through immersive, floor to ceiling LED technology that lines the entire elevator. To travel 500 years will take about 60 seconds, which is the amount of time it takes the elevator to climb 1,250 feet to the observatory. The observatory is scheduled to open May 29, 2015.
The New York Times/Matthew Speiser/Business Insider
The New York Times/Matthew Speiser/Business Insider
The New York Times/Matthew Speiser/Business Insider