Some of the city’s unique architectural treasures will welcome visitors for free during the 16th annual Open House New York weekend from Oct. 12-14.
A list of more than 240 participating sites, released on Tuesday, includes well-known landmarks along with buildings that have been closed off to the public for years.
The tours include cultural institutions, workspaces and private residences across all the five boroughs.
“These are places we pass by every day but only ever get to see them from the outside,” said Gregory Wessner, executive director of Open House New York. “ There is nothing more welcoming than an open door and New York is historically such an open city, this reinforces that overall message.”
While most of the sites are open and free for the three day weekend, $5 reservations are needed to get into some of the buildings and facilities with limited space.
Online registration for those visits starts Sept. 25. And be prepared: Wessner said about 11,000 of the 12,000 reservation slots were filled in the first hour of last year’s registration period.
About 80,000 to 90,000 people took advantage of Open House New York in 2017, he said.
This year’s listings include about 100 new sites and a special itinerary titled “Works by Women” which focuses on projects where a woman was one of its principal designers. It features 23 locations such as Domino Park in Williamsburg, New York Public Library’s 53rd Street Library and the Cornell Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island.
Oct. 12 is designed as “Factory Friday” where manufacturers of steel fabrication, fashion, chocolate and whisky will offer tours.
Wessner noted visitors can get a rare peek at the landmarked interior of the Dime Savings Bank in Brooklyn, which dates back to the early 1900s.
The New York Aquarium’s stunning new “Ocean Wonders: Sharks!” exhibit is the subject of two tours, a daytime walk to discuss the architecture of the building and a nighttime talk with lighting designers.
“Open House New York gets people out into the city to share this experience of place,” said Wessner. “Ultimately, the city is our most important shared resource.”
For more information about Open House New York and to make reservations go to ohny.org.
