The Open House New York Weekend – 16 and 17 October - unlocked 200+ ways to explore New York City through tours, talks, and self-guided walks, providing access to thousands of places of architectural and cultural significance.

Since 2003, Open House New York Weekend has provided unparalleled access to the city to more than a million New Yorkers and visitors, as well as a better understanding of how the city functions and who it serves.

The UN’s partnership with Open House New York began in October 2011, when Visitors Services started offering guided tours on art and architecture every year in the fall.  

Ever since, the UN Headquarters in New York has been one of the most popular sites, welcoming hundreds of participants over the years, as well as scores of volunteers.

“I was so excited to reveal the story behind the creation of UNHQ, while demonstrating the strong connection of the UN Headquarters to the city, its history and its people,” said Tour Guide Jonathan Mishal.

For the second year in a row, Visitors Services offered Open House New York participants the popular Architecture Virtual Tour of UNHQ, which takes an insider’s look at the architectural elements of UN Headquarters while highlighting how the design of the UN buildings embody the spirit of cooperation, equality, and transparency that is central to our work.

“People look at the Headquarters and have a different perspective when learning about the architects, the architectural style they used to design it, and the problems they faced at the time,” added Tour Guide Yohei Kawamata.