September 21, 2005

Ellis Island hospital, Navy Yard on Open House NY list

Open House New York this morning released its full list of more than 150 venues that will be open free to the public the weekend of October 8 and 9.

The annual event, now in its third year, is an anxious nirvana for anyone intrigued with the city's secrets, architecture, past and hidden spaces. The best sites will have very long lines, but for good reason. Last year, 50,000 people visited more than 100 sites. Some of this year's sites have never before been open to the public, some offer guided tours with the designers, architects and historians. Others are open all the time, so you have limited time, you may want to check in advance and find out if the venue is normally open every weekend or not offering anything out of the ordinary to OHNY visitors.

Possibly the most interesting item on the list might be the most complicated to see. For the first time ever, the public will be allowed to tour the abandoned hospital on the south side of Ellis Island. But you have to not only make reservations, but also buy tickets from Circle Line to get out to the Island. Only five tours a day and reservations are required, as are "sturdy, closed-toed shoes." No children under age 16. See the Manhattan section of the OHNY site for details.

All other events are free, made possible by sponsors including Target.

Some highlights:

Manhattan
lobby of the Chrysler Building
Museum of Modern Art Conservation Department
Behind-the-scenes look at Museum of the City of New York
Behind the scenes tour of the Waldorf-Astoria
New York Marble Cemetery
New York City Marble Cemetery
The Little Red Lighthouse
MTA Substation tour
PS 260
Governors Island
High Bridge Water Tower
Jefferson Market Branch Library Tower
Paul Rudolph Foundation/Modulightor Building
Prince George Hotel's gallery and Neo-Renaissance Ballroom
Dept. of Sanitation tour of 59th St. Marine Transfer Station
Offices of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Interior of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument at Riverside Park
Thirteen/WNET TV studios' master control and edit rooms
Sneak peek of Dyckman Farmhouse Museum renovation
Mount Morris Park residence, a Queen Anne-style rowhouse
John J. Harvey Fireboat
Lilac, a 172-foot, riveted-steel, 1933 lighthouse tender
Art Deco Society Walking Tour

Note that the High Line this year doesn't allow access to the High Line itself: "View the line from the loft gallery of the Phillips, de Pury & Co. auction house. ..."

Brooklyn
Two-hour bus tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Floyd Bennett Field's control tower and runway tunnels
Gowanus Canal Canoe Tour
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch at Grand Army Plaza

Bronx
Old Croton Aqueduct Bronx Walking Tour
Behind-the-scenes tour of Wave Hill's gardens and houses
225-year-old tower's wooden staircase at St. Paul's Church

Queens
The Astoria Pool's underground infrastructure
Tours of the newly refurbished Jacob Riis Park Bathhouse
Ornamental & Architectural Iron Workers Training Facility

Staten Island
Bus tour of the Fresh Kills landfill
Seguine Mansion
Newly renovated St. George Theatre

See Open House New York's updates, changes and cancellation page for new venues and tour times as the event approaches.

September 21, 2005 09:59 AM in Architecture, Cheap Stuff, Kids, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology, Tours

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