Open House New York

What Open House New York does

Open House New York (OHNY) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 by architect Scott Lauer to broaden public access to New York City's built environment. Its flagship product is the annual OHNY Weekend, a citywide open-doors festival that has scaled from 84 participating sites in 2003 to 300+ destinations across all five boroughs, drawing 50,000+ visitors and supported by 1,100+ volunteers. The organization is the U.S. anchor of the Open House Worldwide network (60+ cities), and its brand has been recognized by Crain's New York Business as one of NYC's most iconic cultural assets.

The operating model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack across three primary streams: tiered membership ($60/year Standard, $10/month Metropolitan Circle, $1,000+ Open Council), festival partner fees ($250 for commercial organizations, $75 for nonprofits, $0 for government sites), and event-based fundraising via the Open City Benefit (tables priced $5,000–$50,000) plus general donations. Programmatic IP includes the Innovation in Preservation series co-developed with the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation. Digital distribution is layered across a 300,000+ email/newsletter reach and a presence on the Bloomberg Connects national cultural app, with website infrastructure developed in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The organization operates from a small staff (an estimated 5–10 employees) out of 150 Varick Street, Floor 5, in New York City, with no disclosed technology platform beyond the website and app presence. There is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML capabilities or venture-style funding; growth is funded through membership, donations, partner fees, and benefit events.

Name

Open House New York

Legal name

Open House New York Inc.

Website

https://ohny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Open House New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2001, that runs the annual OHNY Weekend festival opening 300+ buildings across NYC's five boroughs to 50,000+ visitors, funded through tiered memberships, partner fees, donations, and benefit events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Cultural Programming

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonprofit, Social Services & Community Development Congresses (THAHAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Multi-Purpose Event Halls & Community Centers (THAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Architecture festival programming
• Cultural civic engagement
• Nonprofit membership events
• Urban heritage tours
• Community-based education

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Tax-deductible memberships at multiple levels: Metropolitan ($10/month), Standard ($60/year), and Open Council ($1,000+). Provides advance access to festival lineup, exclusive tours, and community events.
2. Donations: Direct donations from supporters, tax-deductible contributions, and year-end giving campaigns
3. Special Events: Annual Open City Benefit (fundraiser) and Launch Party generate significant revenue. 2026 Benefit at 3 World Trade Center, tables ranging from $5,000-$50,000
4. Festival Partnership Fees: Partners pay $250 fee ($75 for nonprofits, $0 for government agencies) to participate in festival with promotional campaigns, volunteer support, and ticketing services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Open House New York operates a nonprofit civic engagement platform that unlocks access to New York City's architecture, infrastructure, parks, and cultural spaces. Its flagship offering is the annual OHNY Weekend festival, a three-day citywide event featuring 300+ destinations across all five boroughs with tours, talks, and special programming attended by 50,000+ people. Year-round programming includes boat tours, walking tours, open studios, and panel discussions, supported by a tiered membership program and a volunteer network of 1,100+ people.

Product overview

Open House New York operates as a nonprofit platform offering access to New York City's architecture, infrastructure, and urban spaces. The core offering is the annual OHNY Weekend festival across all five boroughs featuring 300+ destinations, complemented by year-round programs including tours, talks, boat tours, and social gatherings. The organization provides membership tiers (Metropolitan Circle, Membership Program, Open Council) offering progressively exclusive access including members-only events, advance lineup previews, and networking experiences. Additional offerings include volunteer coordination, festival partnership opportunities for organizations opening their spaces, Festival Passports for expedited entry, and special event fundraisers like the Open City Benefit and Launch Party. The organization is part of the Open House Worldwide network, the second city after London in a global movement to engage citizens in urban understanding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Open Council: A membership circle for city leaders offering curated quarterly events including private tours, briefings with city leaders, and networking experiences, with memberships starting at $1,000.
• Metropolitan
• OHNY Weekend
• Open City Benefit
• Launch Party

Products and services

• OHNY Weekend Festival Annual three-day festival across all five boroughs offering behind-the-scenes tours and special activities at 300+ destinations, attended by 50,000+ people.
• Year-Round Programs Ongoing tours, talks, open studios, boat tours, and social gatherings throughout the year providing access to places, people, and projects shaping New York City.
• Membership Program Tiered membership offering including free/discounted admission to tours and events, quarterly members-only tours, and advance preview of the OHNY Weekend lineup. Starting at $60 tax-deductible.
• Open Council Elite membership circle for city leaders offering private tours, briefings with city leaders, special dinners, and networking experiences. Memberships start at $1,000.
• Special Events (Open City Benefit & Launch Party) Annual fundraisers including the Open City Benefit and Launch Party that support OHNY programming and keep the majority of events free. 2026 Benefit at 3 World Trade Center, tables ranging from $5,000-$50,000.
• Festival Partner Program Program enabling organizations to open their spaces during OHNY Weekend for behind-the-scenes access, tours, and activities. Partners pay $250 ($75 nonprofits, $0 government) and receive promotional campaigns, volunteers, and ticketing services.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer opportunities during OHNY Weekend and year-round, with shifts supporting festival operations, venue assistance, and event coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ annual visitors to festival destinations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Silverstein PropertiescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Space provided with generous support from Silverstein Properties for the 2026 Open City Benefit at 3 World Trade Center
• Goldstein HallcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Affordable Housing collection presented in partnership with Goldstein Hall law firm
• 311 Program PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025311 organizations across all five boroughs opened their doors during the 2025 OHNY Weekend festival, providing destinations for tours and activities
• Richard Hampton Jenrette FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Innovation in Preservation series produced in partnership with the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation for preserving historic architecture
• Bloomberg ConnectsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Featured collection in the Bloomberg Connects app platform for digital engagement
• Brooklyn Navy Yard Development CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Host venue for the 2025 Open City Benefit at BLDG 303; operates Brooklyn Navy Yard which is a frequent festival partner
• Bloomberg PhilanthropiescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Bloomberg Philanthropies provided support for website development through their Digital Accelerator for Arts and Culture program. The website was developed with their support.
• Open City (London)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024OHNY is the second city in the Open House Worldwide movement, founded by Victoria Thornton OBE in London in 1992. Open City administers the global network of 60+ Open House festivals.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Doors Open Toronto: Annual citywide event unlocking architecturally significant buildings to the public. Operates an analogous building-access festival model, though in a Canadian geography.
• Municipal Art Society of New York: NYC-based nonprofit advocating for thoughtful urban design, planning, and preservation. Comparable mission around civic engagement with the built environment and policy advocacy.
• Open House Chicago: Chicago chapter of the Open House network, also operated through a nonprofit model. Directly comparable as another major U.S. city architecture-access festival.
• Open House Dublin: Dublin chapter of the Open House Worldwide network, operating the same building-access festival model. Sister organization in the global network with comparable scale and programming structure.
• Open House London: Founding Open House city (1992) and OHNY's sister organization. Operates the same festival-plus-programming model with citywide building access; the closest functional peer.
• Open House Worldwide: The parent network administering the global Open House movement of 60+ cities. Directly comparable as the umbrella organization whose model OHNY replicates and extends into the U.S.
• The Architectural League of New York: NYC nonprofit fostering discourse around architecture and urbanism through programming, exhibitions, and publications. Comparable as an architecture-engagement nonprofit serving overlapping professional and enthusiast audiences.

Emerging players

• Center for Architecture: NYC-based nonprofit focused on public engagement with architecture and design through exhibitions, talks, and K-12 programs. Overlaps with OHNY's education-focused programming for similar audiences.
• Preservation League of New York State: Statewide nonprofit advocating for historic preservation. Comparable mission around heritage and built-environment stewardship, with overlap on architecture-tour programming and partner networks.

Broad incumbents

• Atlas Obscura: For-profit platform monetizing curated cultural, architectural, and hidden-place experiences at global scale. Comparable as a discovery-and-engagement layer for unusual architecture and urban spaces, though with a much broader commercial footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookohny.org/openhousenewyork
• Xx.com/ohny

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open House New York