Nestled in Long Island City, the Ravenswood Generation Station has made appearances in blockbuster films such as “The Avengers” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” This iconic site will soon open its doors for the public during the upcoming Open House NY Weekend, scheduled for mid to late October, allowing visitors to experience its significance firsthand.
The Open House NY Weekend returns this year from October 18 to 20, featuring more than 270 previously inaccessible locations throughout New York City, including the renowned Ravenswood Generating Station, which still supplies approximately 20% of the city’s electricity.
Operated by Rise Light & Power, Ravenswood is described by CEO Clint Plummer as a living museum. With a history spanning 60 years, this will be the first time the power plant opens to the public as part of the Open House NY Weekend.
Other newly accessible sites this year include the Bronx Music Hall, the Bronx Music Heritage Center, and The Players, New York City’s oldest private social club, located on the original site of Gramercy Park.
Club president Townes Coates highlighted the impressive collection gathered over the 135 years of the club’s existence, featuring portraits of notable members like Ethan Hawke. He emphasized that the house offers remarkable architectural and artistic elements that visitors can experience up close.
Additional buildings opening for tours include the textile conservation laboratory at St. John the Divine, where sacred textiles are restored in a repurposed 19th-century orphanage connected to the cathedral. Visitors will also gain access to an active construction site in Tribeca, a hand-painted sign shop, and even a Greek Revival mansion in the Bronx.
Kristin LaBuz, the executive director of Open House New York, noted that New Yorkers’ innate curiosity is expected to drive rapid ticket sales, with around 7,000 tickets anticipated to be gone within the week.
Celebrating its 21st year, this event will also see the return of several sites, including the former Brooklyn Rapid Transit Power Station, the recently reopened Lewis Latimer House Museum in Queens, and the United Nations headquarters.
Tickets became available for online reservation starting at 11 AM on October 8, with most tours being free of charge.
