Unlock the City
Forget the Mayor, Open House New York holds the keys to the city.
Crains New York Business
Open House New York promotes unparalleled access to the city—to the places, people, projects, systems, and ideas that define New York and its future.
From the signature Open House New York Weekend festival to design-driven public programs and the dynamic Urban Systems infrastructure series, join us to take an inside look at how the city works.
Open City Benefit
The Open City Benefit is a celebration of the power of place and new possibilities for our city.
On May 18, the Open City Benefit brought together hundreds of New Yorkers for a festive evening at Powerhouse Arts—a 117-year-old power plant that has been transformed into a contemporary art center and fabrication space on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
Thank you to our community of supporters for making the 2023 Open City Benefit possible and supporting our work to promote broad, unparalleled access to the city.
Photos by Jenna Bascom Photography
Upcoming Events
NYC Tours
Open House New York at Powerhouse Arts
May 21 | 11:00am -3:00pm
Powerhouse Arts
322 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn
Join OHNY for a first look at Powerhouse Arts, a former power plant turned contemporary art center and fabrication space.
From the Archives
OHNY Stacks: A book talk series exploring urban life
Station to Station
Growing Up Underground
A Block in Time
Announcements
Our Team
Meet Building Capital Fellow Oscar Perry Abello
Oscar Perry Abello joined OHNY as the Building Capital Fellow in February 2023. Oscar is a journalist covering alternative economic models and policies in cities across the country.
Our Leadership
Open House New York Elects New Officers
Sara Lopergolo, Partner at Selldorf Architects, was recently elected president of OHNY’s Board of Directors and serves alongside vice president Saundra Thomas (Principal, SPT Consults); secretary Adam Rolston (Partner, INC Architecture & Design); and treasurer Amy Gilfenbaum (Former Managing Director of Operational Risk, Neuberger Berman).
Celebrating OHNY Weekend Volunteers
Mary Farrell
20-Year OHNY Weekend Volunteer
Michael Roque
15-Year OHNY Weekend Volunteer
Ann Reilly
10-Year OHNY Weekend Volunteer
Join Us
Membership
Love New York? So do we.
From program discounts to members-only events like our popular Summer Social, Open House New York helps you demystify the city and take part in a community of curious New Yorkers. Fully tax-deductible memberships start at $60 (Individual) or $110 (Dual).
Gift Membership
Open doors make great gifts
Looking for the perfect gift for the urbanist in your life? Give them the gift of an open city with an OHNY Membership!
OHNY Weekend: A public celebration of New York and the “power of place”
I applaud OHNY’s leadership, staff, volunteers, and supporters for 20 wonderful years of celebrating the remarkable diversity, feats of engineering, and visionary people that define New York City.
Mayor Eric Adams
Three epic days of exploration, access, and discovery
Rooftop gardens. Design studios. Historic houses. Infrastructure tours. And more!
In 2022, the 20th annual OHNY Weekend welcomed over 20,000 visitors into 300 places across the five boroughs, spanning 120 neighborhoods and nearly 100 zip codes. We introduced a brand new lottery system for ticketed locations and filled over 8,000 slots across the three day festival. And we cannot wait to work with our community of partners, volunteers, supporters, and participants for an even bigger and better festival on October 20-22, 2023.
Want the latest updates? Subscribe to our mailing list.
I’m an Open House New Yorker because…
“I want to sneak into every building.”
– Marc N., Member
“I want to be involved with and included in the places in my city that go unnoticed or are inaccessible.”
– Diana Z., Member
“Open House New York gives you a key to places you would never discover on your own.”
– Dan H., Member
Urban Systems
Radical Knowledge
How do libraries serve as community catalysts?
Explore the profound transformations underway for public libraries in New York and across the nation in the latest installment of Urban Systems, a themed series investigating the forces that shape the city.
Building Capital
From municipal bonds to affordable housing tax credits, highway construction to park development, the flow of financial capital underpins the design and function of the built environment, shaping who has access to opportunity—and who does not.
Launching in spring 2023, Building Capital: The Value of Place is a multiyear investigation into how different forms of capital—financial, cultural, community—determine quality of place and quality of life in New York.
Global Network
Open House Worldwide
From Athens to Zurich, the Open House Worldwide network brings together 40+ cities to promote architecture, design, and urbanism. In 2019, almost 1 million people participated in Open House events with nearly 2 million visits to buildings enabled by more than 18,000 volunteers. Taken together, Open House Worldwide is the largest celebration of the urban landscape in the world. Learn more.
Get Involved
Volunteer
The enthusiasm and support of New Yorkers like you makes our programs possible.
Become an OHNY Volunteer to join a community of enthusiastic and curious New Yorkers!