OHNY Weekend 2026 opens 300 hidden NYC sites, including Lichtenstein’s studio
Entry is free at most of the roughly 300 sites. Smaller venues charge $7 per reservation, with booking opening Oct. 2 at 12 p.m.
About 300 places across the five boroughs, many of them off-limits to the public the rest of the year, will open their doors for OHNY Weekend from Oct. 16 to 18. Entry is free at most of them. A handful of smaller sites with limited space charge $7 per reservation. Those bookings open Friday, Oct. 2, at 12 p.m., and spots are likely to be gone within minutes.
The nonprofit Open House New York organizes the event. Architects started it at the grassroots level in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, hoping to make the city more open to the people who live in it. The weekend has taken place every year since 2003, and more than 50,000 people join in annually.
Open House New York 2026 itinerary and returning favorites
OHNY posts the complete lineup on its website. Plenty of regulars are back on the list, from bus depots, garages, boats and barges to two gardens at Rockefeller Center that are known for exclusive private parties. The paint shop Colossal Media runs in East Williamsburg returns as well.
Monumental Labs, Greenpoint. A first-time participant, this workshop carves stone with robots. Guests tour the 40,000-square-foot facility while production is underway and see artisans craft replacement stones and ornaments. No ticket required. Sunday, Oct. 18, noon to 4 p.m.
Roy Lichtenstein’s studio, West Village. Another newcomer. The Whitney Museum received the late pop artist’s workspace as a gift in 2022, and one of its art historians guides visitors through it. The tour covers the building’s past, the artist’s bond with the city and a Lichtenstein exhibition the Whitney is preparing. Ticketed. Several time slots on Friday, Oct. 16.
Fire watchtower, Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem. Built in 1857, restored and landmarked, it is the only tower of its kind still standing. Visitors head up the spiral staircase, get a chance to ring the 5,000-pound bell and look out over the area from the top. Just 12 people can be up there at once, so plan on waiting in line. No ticket required. Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. Several behind-the-scenes tours are available here on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors can choose among the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the Pfizer Laboratory and the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, whose collection of preserved plants is known worldwide. The garden runs these tours on Friday, Oct. 16, starting at 10 a.m. and wrapping up at 5 p.m.
Quick answers
When is Open House New York 2026?
OHNY Weekend runs Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 18.
Do Open House New York sites cost money?
Entry is free at most sites. Some smaller venues charge $7 per reservation, and booking opens Friday, Oct. 2, at 12 p.m.
Where can I see the full list of OHNY sites?
OHNY posts the complete lineup of about 300 sites on its website.
