Why visit
Vessel rises 150 feet from the Public Square and Gardens at Hudson Yards. Designed by Heatherwick Studio and opened in 2019, the symmetrical structure draws on the spatial character of historic stepwells, assembling 154 interconnecting flights, almost 2,500 steps and 80 landings around a hollow center.
What to see
Polished, copper-colored steel clads the undersides while stairs divide and reconnect across sixteen levels, producing changing views through the structure and toward surrounding towers. The repeated geometry makes movement itself the subject: routes cross visually, reflections shift and the object appears alternately solid, porous or basket-like from different positions.
Plan your visit
Vessel closed after multiple deaths and reopened in October 2024 after floor-to-ceiling steel mesh was fitted to walkable sections. Access remains limited to protected routes, portions of the higher levels are unavailable and the top level stays closed; the reopened experience therefore differs materially from its original unrestricted circulation.
