How to get tickets to Vessel, the climbable Hudson Yards sculpture

You'll need a free timed ticket to access Thomas Heatherwick's climbable "public landmark"

The first public pieces of Hudson Yards, the $25 billion megaproject rising on Manhattan's far west side, debuted in March, bringing new skyscrapers, a huge shopping mall, and a splashy performing arts center to the city.

And at the center of it all is Vessel, a 150-foot-tall, shiny sculptural bauble designed by Thomas Heatherwick. The piece is made from 154 interconnected staircases, and is intended to be used by the public—for climbing, running (though probably not too fast), and, most likely, for providing the backdrop for selfies and Instagram photos.

But access to Vessel will be managed, to a degree: Developer Related announced in the fall that those wishing to climb the beehive-esque structure would need a free ticket to do so. This is to make sure that the sculpture does not exceed its stated capacity, and to help control crowds in the busy opening weeks and months.

Courtesy of Michael Moran for Related-Oxford

Most importantly, signing up for a ticket gives Vessel visitors an hourlong window in which they can arrive, but it doesn't limit how long you can spend on it. You can book tickets up to two weeks ahead of time—new tickets for the coming weeks are made available at 8:30 a.m. every day—and there will also be some available for same-day climbs (those can be booked every day at 9:30 a.m. by speaking with on-site helpers, known as "Vessel Ambassadors").

Heatherwick's piece, which Related CEO Stephen Ross personally commissioned, cost $150 million, with a surrounding public plaza designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. According to Related, it will provide a "one-mile vertical climbing experience" (but there's also an elevator to make it accessible to those in wheelchairs or with other mobility challenges).

The piece will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and you can sign up for Vessel tickets on the Hudson Yards website.