I climbed Vessel, the $200 million, 2,500-step sculpture in Hudson Yards — and the view from the inside blew me away

• The Vessel is a brand-new 150-foot-tall climbable sculpture in New York City's new $25 billion Hudson Yards neighborhood.
• The sculpture cost $200 million to build and features 154 interconnected staircases, nearly 2,500 steps, and 80 landings.
• I was one of the first to climb the Vessel on Friday, Hudson Yards' opening day, and I found that the view of the inside was way cooler than just seeing the exterior.

The Vessel, a $200 million climbable sculpture in Hudson Yards, is now officially open to the public.

Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, it's the sculptural centerpiece of Manhattan's new $25 billion neighborhood, which includes office buildings, luxurious residential towers, and a seven-story luxury shopping center with stores like Louis Vuitton and Dior.

Read more:I got an inside look at Hudson Yards on opening day. Here's what the glitzy neighborhood is like, from the $200 million climbable sculpture to the 7-story 'vertical shopping experience.'

Called the Vessel, the 150-foot-tall climbable sculpture cost $200 million to build, according to Curbed. It includes 154 interconnected staircases, nearly 2,500 steps, and 80 landings.

The Vessel "is going to be to New York City what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris," Jeff Blau, the CEO of Related Companies, the developer behind Hudson Yards, told CBS.

I was one of the first to climb the Vessel on Friday, Hudson Yards' opening day. Here's what it was like.

SEE ALSO: I got an inside look at Hudson Yards on opening day. Here's what the glitzy neighborhood is like, from the $200 million climbable sculpture to the 7-story 'vertical shopping experience'

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I was one of the first to climb the Vessel, a $200 million sculpture in Hudson Yards.

Source: Hudson Yards, Curbed

Hudson Yards is New York City's new $25 billion neighborhood, with office buildings, luxury residential towers, a seven-story shopping center, and a performing-arts center. It officially opened to the public on Friday, but it won't be finished until 2025.

Source: Hudson Yards

The Vessel anchors a public plaza ringed by brand-new buildings including the performing-arts center, called the Shed, as well as the luxury shopping center and two residential towers, 15 Hudson Yards and 35 Hudson Yards.

Entering the Vessel is free, but you have to reserve a time slot online. It's open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Source: Hudson Yards