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The best of Open House New York 2025

During the annual Open House New York festival, check out hundreds of normally off-limits NYC sites.
Rossilynne Skena Culgan
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Open House New York 2025 is an annual weekend-long, free event during which historic buildings, architectural masterpieces, sundry landmarks and many of the best New York attractions welcome the public to nose around.

This year’s extravaganza celebrates 23 years of "unlocking" the city. Peek inside a variety of places, including  studios, factories, bike corridors and parks.

Open House New York Weekend invites all to experiene a sense of discovery and delight. As one of the best NYC events this fall, it's the perfect opportunity to explore normally off-limits places in New York.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in the fall in NYC

What is Open House New York 2025?

Curious New Yorkers and those who want to connect to the city on a whole new level will love Open House New York. This is an annual event, where hundreds of normally off-limits sites and attractions in all five boroughs allow the public to get a closer look for one weekend only. All listed sites and events can be found on the Open House New York website.

When is Open House New York 2025?

This year, Open House New York will take place on October 17-19, 2025. 

Where can I visit during Open House New York 2025?

Folks can visit 300 locations across the five boroughs during Open House New York. 

Expect behind-the-scenes tours and special access at skyscrapers, power plants, artist studios, and everything in between. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes at new buildings reshaping the skyline, public works facilities keeping the city running, parks offering respite, state-of-the-art performance spaces, manufacturing workshops, private collections, and much more.

Here are a few highlights for 2025: This year, more than 300 sites are on the roster, including an exclusive rooftop garden in Rockefeller Center, a city compost facility, an Ellis Island boat and a private gallery in the World Trade Center. Even sites that are public, like Wagner Park and Astoria Pool, offer special behind-the-scenes experiences. Here's the full calendar of events, which you can filter by location, date and type.

How do I get tickets to Open House New York 2025?

First of all, bear in mind that there are many open access locations that do not require tickets. You can visit those ones completely for free. Select venues do require tickets, which are released on October 3 at noon for a nominal fee (and they tend to go fast, so be ready). 

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