For all its public space, much of New York City is a walled garden — exclusive, inaccessible, authorized-access-only and otherwise off-limits to the general populace. But on one weekend each year, the nonprofit organization Open House New York briefly grants access to many of the city’s private Edens.
Open House New York, which was founded by a grassroots group of architects who were inspired to promote openness in our shared urban fabric after the 9/11 attacks, has been holding its annual OHNY Weekend festival since 2003. More than 50,000 people participate annually.
The full lineup for 2026’s OHNY Weekend — Oct. 16, 17 and 18 — features 300 destinations across the five boroughs, ranging from Con Edison generating stations to artists’ studios, literal walled gardens and a number of behind-the-scenes looks within many city institutions. Almost everything is free, although some limited capacity venues charge $7 to reserve tickets, which will go up for sale at noon on Friday, Oct. 2, and will likely sell out within minutes.
The entire festival itinerary is available to peruse on OHNY’s website and features plenty of returning favorites, including Colossal Media’s East Williamsburg paint shop, a pair of Rockefeller Center gardens known for hosting swanky invite-only parties, and myriad bus depots, garages, boats, barges and more.
Below, five highlights from this year’s lineup.
Monumental Labs
Among OHNY’s new offerings this year is a large robotic stone carving operation in Greenpoint, Monumental Labs. Visitors will tour the cutting-edge workshop’s 40,000-square-foot fabrication facility, walking the production floor while it's running and getting to see how artisans expertly create replacement stones and ornaments.
Unticketed. Sunday, Oct. 18 from noon to 4 p.m., Greenpoint.
Roy Lichtenstein’s Studio
Also new to this year’s OHNY offerings is the studio of legendary late pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, which was donated to the Whitney Museum in 2022. Visitors will get a guided tour of the space from a Whitney art historian that will focus on Lichtenstein’s relationship to New York, the history of the studio and the Whitney’s upcoming exhibition on Lichtenstein.
Ticketed. Multiple times on Friday, Oct. 16. The West Village.
Mount Morris Fire Watchtower
For those who look up, you may have spotted an unexpected site amid the hustle and bustle of Uptown Manhattan: a stunningly restored, last-of-its-kind 1857 fire watchtower standing proud in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. Visitors will climb the landmarked structure’s spiral staircase and get the opportunity to ring the 5,000-pound bell while enjoying the sweeping views afforded from the top. Expect to wait in line — access is limited to 12 people at a time.
Unticketed. Sunday, Oct. 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Harlem.
New York Botanical Garden: Science Open House
Keeping the Bronx’s sprawling New York Botanical Garden going is no small feat, and for one day visitors can take a peek behind the institution’s floral curtains to see some of its lush inner workings. A variety of tours will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, including through the Garden’s LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium and its world-renowned collection of preserved plants and the Pfizer Laboratory, where hundreds of scientists work to better conserve Earth’s botanical diversity.
Unticketed. Friday, Oct. 16 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bedford Park, The Bronx.
QueensWay Walking Tour
Earn the ability to say you knew it when, and walk a mile along the blighted stretch of abandoned railway through Forest Park before it becomes the QueensWay, a long in the works High Line-style park set to be built in the near future. The two-hour, family-friendly tour will include a walk on the rail bed. It will be led by John Surico, Executive Director of the group Friends of the QueensWay.
Ticketed. Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon, and Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon. Forest Hills.
