Just another one of those cool things to do that you happen upon by accident while wandering around NYC! Love when you can discover something totally unexpected that is both fun and free! This Pop Up Park is basically a fake indoor garden with benches and bean bag pillows to hang out on and escape the cold weather. Artificial grass, benches, trees, plants, fake rocks, forest mural wallpaper, fountains, and it's all indoors! There are even two nice clean bathrooms to use. Walking in you feel as if you are entering into a lush outdoor park. When we came here a few days ago it was cold out so it was a pleasure to hang out on a bench, warm up, and relax a bit. There is a very cool rock n' roll photography exhibit on one of the walls featuring the photographs of Baron Wolman, as featured in Rolling Stone magazine. Side by side is the original page from the magazine, another is the actual outtake picture from the session. Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Jim Morrison, and Janis Joplin are among the iconic music figures represented here. Very cool indeed. Rolling Stone magazines are also distributed to read and take home. On certain days there are also a few food vendors here, and yoga mornings for moms. The event space itself is spacious and calming. It's a neat spot to people watch, grab a bathroom break, or lay down and take a nap. Just get over the moldy plastic smell that hits you when you first walk in, and the throngs of annoying tourists that have seemed to have found out about this spot. It will be closing up soon so be sure to check it out. Open daily 12PM - 8PM, December 5th - February 15th read more

See all

I came here for the current "show" of Park Here, a really innovative indoor space that has been decorated - including smells! - to look like a forest. Totally free. And warm. A great hideout from the New York City streets. The weekend hours include vendors from places like Luke's Lobster and Mexicue. On the weekdays, there are free and paid classes like for yoga and bocce ball. This is even an awesome place just to work on your laptop, take a nap, bring a picnic. Check it out before the end of January! read more

See all

I heard a lot about this place. It didn't quite live up to the hype, but it was interesting. I mean, only in NYC do we dream up the idea to have a pop up indoor park with fake grass, fake trees, fake flowers. And what's even weirder? There was some bondage photo shoot going on. Only in Gotham, I tell you. It was nice and warm in here, so I can definitely see people coming here to get out of the cold. There are plenty of bean bags, pillows, air beds for you to lounge on and hang out. It would be a great date spot. Bring a game of Connect Four and get your childhood games on! The website promised food vendors, but when we came on a Sunday afternoon, none were to be found. Party fail. There was no beer either. Double fail. I like the concept as there was a fountain in the entrance and the fake grass still made me all giddy inside. There is also an elephant statue, and I got to ride it. So, bring your friends, your picnic basket and games, and hang out here for hours in a fake Utopia in the concrete Jungle! read more

The Pop Up Park is SO AWESOME. Granted, it definitely does not feel like you're in a real park at all, but it is such an unexpected pleasure to sit in this artificial environment where all the visitors seamlessly become part of the art. We saw a baby (with parents, of course), people who came with coffee and magazines, and groups of people who were just lounging. It's wonderful that it's free and it's such a fabulous place to stop by and hang out. I totally recommend it :) read more

Note: The following review pertains to the indoor pop-up park at the Openhouse Gallery. Allow me to clarify for you folks. You may give winter your middle finger but this ain't the real flora and fauna. There's neither fresh air nor the aromatic smell of trees but feel free to suck up the syntheticity of plasticity galore in this non-ventilated gallery building. The park has green custom-made grass but it ain't plush. There's foliage but it ain't beautiful. There's a few beat-up bean bags but there's only one hammock. Adding to the surprise was the slow wifi service, the one and only coffee vendor, the one and only cold beverage vendor and the one and only dessert vendor. Best part is, the free admission and heat conditioning. Enjoy! read more

See all

This space is not a secret anymore, It is a well known event planner spot. KLM Pop Up Shop was there this past weekend. Got to Royal Dutch Airlines exhibits, drawings and some other stuff. It was a free and interactive experience the best of Dutch culture through music, food, art & design. There was a Waffle Happy Hour, it was 1pm to 2 everyday. Live art installation got to see on Saturday. There was a Heineken Happy Hour, 5 to 6pm and 5 to 7pm the last day. It was one per person free Heineken deal, but I got two the person with me was not a drinker. Free Dutch coffee tasted good, Raffle tickets for a free trip this week to some Dutch music festival and there was a Kiddie Korner to keep the young ones entertained. Will be back to this space soon I am sure for something. read more

See all

I went here today for the Pop Up Park exhibit. It's winter here in the city and it's not fun to hangout at the park. It's great to be indoors, but it also depends where. Downtown is very laid back and there is always a place to hangout at. This ideal was phenomenal! Indoor= check artificial grass=check benches= check trees= check Idea of having an indoor park, relaxation with fake grass/trees/wallaper= BRILLIANT! Going inside makes you feel like your in Central Park. The trees, leaves and the grass. Makes you feel relaxed and it makes you forget that it's 26 degrees outside. All in all it's a great concept and can't wait to see what comes next... read more

See all

I dig pop-up stores! This one closes on Jan 30, so hurry on over if you're nearby. If not, I'm not sure I'd make the trek out here. But, I do give them props for creating this indoor park. Finally, a place where I can lay on the grass without it being wet or dirty :P There's huge bean bags where you can lay (saw some people peacefully napping away), a bench to study, a huge tree in the middle to lean on, and some fake sunshine at several corners. Music is also playing away in the background, and there's a pink see-saw for those who want to interrupt everyone's meditations. Here's an idea: tell your SO you want to plan a romantic picnic getaway in the middle of this cold NYC weather. Bring 'em on over and have fun soakin' in the sunshine and sort of becoming one with nature. read more

I absolutely adore this venue. It's certainly not your average gallery. I've been to a couple events here (The Big Cheesy and The Nutropolitan Museum of Art) and I look forward to many more. It's a fun space that transforms into any and everything imaginable from a park to a gallery to a retail store. There's really no better way to spend an afternoon. If you missed The Big Cheesy this year, I highly recommend getting tickets early next year. It's a blast! read more

See all

This is the review for Park Here, the indoor park. Whoops, just a few more days for it until it's gone. Hurry! It ends Jan 30th. It's kinda small, but a pretty cool idea (no pun intended) when it's sub 20 degrees outside! read more

Free space. Bring your own coffee or bubbletea. Read. Browse the net. I'm not a germaphobe, but I wouldn't lie down on any of the mats as their shared by many and I don't know if they've been sanitized. *You might get sick from all the lubby dubby couples who come here to cuddle. read more

Food, shopping, art, and green space. What is not to love about Openhouse Gallery? This space can be transformed into anything and each event I have attended has been worthwhile. Like many of the other Yelpers, I, too, experienced the indoor park space. I loved it. I got to relax a little while sitting in a space with air conditioning. I also munched on boozy cupcakes. Openhouse is good with that- bringing in outside vendors to sell yummy things. I have ventured in to Openhouse during many weekends in Soho and Nolita. They do a lot of pop up sample sales. Not anything practical to wear but good to scope out what is happening in the fashion world. I have also been to Openhouse's food events. The night pop up market could use a little work but still it was great fun. Just put a shaved ice machine in the mix and it will be great fun always. Most recently, I attended Openhouse's Big Cheesy event. This, I was super impressed with. Not crowded at all and excellent grilled cheese options. I'd go again if I had the money to spare. One thing I rarely see at Openhouse is art. Maybe I just miss it but I won't complain too much. This spot is always on my radar. Always something cool going on. read more

What do wealthy Manhattanites do with an empty basement on a luxury soho block? Build an indoor park with plastic plants, that's what ! Let's also call it art, that'll make it cooler. lol I was rather underwhelmed by the place. The beanbags looked comfy, but otherwise it just had the odd feeling of being in a movie set and pretending it was real. Weird. read more

I'd first come here with my mentee for the Park Here pop up park exhibit. It seemed like a good compromise given it was below 20 degrees and she wanted to go to the park. So... the first room was kind of cute, all these families with their strollers parked in the corners, and vendors with their tables selling local food. The adjacent room reeked, and much to my then seven-year-old mentee's dismay, they were "omigod! they're K-I-S-S-I-N-G" all over the place and it smelled like raging hormones. A few weeks later, I passed by Openhouse with a few friends when they were doing the Nutropolitan Museum Exhibit sponsored by the Peanut Butter Co. It was really cool, there were beelines for all sorts of peanut butter manifestations, as well as the art of peanut butter portraits on the walls. The best part was getting to donate some money to the Food Bank and walking out with gift bags: free jars of Peanut Butter Co peanut butter. Mine was cinnamon raisin. It's been 6 days and the jar's empty. read more

Note: this is a review for the indoor pop up park. I came here last night for Movie Night at Park Here. I had high expecations for the park, thanks to all the wonderful reviews but the place is pretty underwhelming. First off, I love the concept of the whole thing. I think it's pretty brilliant to add a bit of Earth to the Concrete Jungle of NYC but I expected a greenhouse, but it was more like a plastic oasis. Fake fountain up front was kind of cheesy (people actually threw coins in there). They put up a forest-y wallpaper to make the parklook real, but it was just bad, tacky even. I do give them kudos for the picnic blankets, bean bags, benches and hammocks they provide. It's also BYOB&F. There were also free drinks and popcorn for movie night. I do wish the next time a concept like this comes about, it'll feel more like springtime than a synthetic jungle. read more

I came here a few weeks ago for an art gallery opening (Streetwater Big Lobby Art) and it probably was one of the best openings I've ever been to. This wasn't your average one glass of wine and art deal. They had a full bar serving mixologist-level drinks with absinthe, moonshine, egg-whites and the like. And all for free! They have really interesting events in this great space, including turning the space into the indoor park in the winter, hosting grilled cheese competition, hosting a puma ping pong tournament and art gallery openings. I look forward to what they will come up with next in this great Nolita space! read more

Lest you think all I ever do is drink and eat, I thought I'd change it up and write a review of this little pop up indoor park. There are not many non eating/drinking places to take young children in NYC. That's why I suggested the Openhouse Gallery. Lots of kids, I think all the kids under the age of eight in Manhattan we're here. It's a nice place to hide away from the rain and the cold if you have a couple of hours to spare. A bit cheesey with the plastic plants but kids don't seem to notice and best of all, it's free. read more

Only in NYC would you be able to find an indoor park. It's a great place to rest and relax on a cold, windy day. Just get there early for a prime faux-green seating area. There's adequate floor seating and a couple of benches. The place was pretty crowded when we were there and it kept getting more and more crowded. A bunch of people were sitting on picnic blankets, which I think are there for you to use (first come, first serve). There's even a hammock in one of the rooms. A great place to feel like you're outdoors! read more

This is one of the most interesting and diverse pop-up galleries in the city. But you have to catch them quick - the change-over of exhibitions and events is fast. Often you swear to have just heard about the candy-sandwich creation-stations and free peanut butter jars being handed in conjunction with the Nutrapolitan Museum of Art exposition...and yet by the time you reach the entrance you may well be confronted with a sports-stadium-in-miniature projecting the World Cup games for you to observe on raked seating amid trendy Puma merchandise. The 4,500sqft indoor public park complete with live trees, water feature, cupcake stalls and a taco truck has been one of the most memorable to date, and yet nothing has grabbed my attention more through the windows and pulled me off the street to solemnly admire the haunting and severely impressionable images by photographer David Jay in his Scar Project exposé. Step fourth and witness anything and everything from film screenings, fashion shows, photography, free-giveaways and fundraiser events. OH Gallery are never resting on their laurels here. Fun, enlightening and creative times to be had by all, certainly watch this space. read more

Had a chance to visit Openhouse Gallery during the Jerome Jeter exhibition, which creative and super diverse. The space itself was great and you can tell it lends itself to alot of creativity. The staff was also super professional and friendly. Looking forward to seeing what else they come up with in the future=) read more

I came here for an exhibit curated by a friend from college (Haley B! http://gersonzevi.com/Curators/haley-berkman/) When I walked in, the first thing I thought was, "Wow, I love this space!" Super high ceilings, bright white walls for this event, and multiple rooms. There was the main floor you walk into, a larger room down a few stairs, and then a smaller side room where there was a bar and some live music. The space also has water closets and a coat check. I know that it changes every couple of months, depending on what is going on, but this would be a cool space to rent for exhibits or parties. And it's pretty close to a subway! read more

This is a nice art gallery space/indoor green park/small food market. I enjoy coming here on the weekends to stroll along the pop-up vendors. Try the Filled with Sweets cupcake stand. They have delicious black sesame and honey jasmine cupcakes! read more

I love this place!! I came here last night for the Middle Feast, a hummus tasting competition. Best $20 I ever spent. What a creative and clever idea, kudos to the person who came up with it. What a great space, so clean and fresh. Can't wait to see what you guys drum up next!! read more

Was here for a Nuvo Nail Bar pop up shop collab with Melody Ehsani. Nonstop drinks and gel manis. Plus I got to meet Mel (: read more

See all

Beautiful!, clean, and recommended!! This place has a feel like no other gallery. Maybe it's the white walls, or it could be the location, but I think it's the people that work there. They have an amazing space and they they work with big names to small businesses. No one is excluded, it's the creativity that drives this place. I heard they're working on a Country Club in August, that's just pure genius!!! read more

I also came here for the pop-up park, and I'm happy to report that this "exhibition" is as spectacular as it is uncanny. It's so wonderful to see people lounging about, chatting, and reading in this warm, free, open-to-the-public space. If it were a bit closer to my apartment or my office, I'd make it my living room for the month of January. Do visit! Even though the gallery can get packed on the weekends, there are three fairly large rooms to splay around in; somewhere in there is a grassy spot for you. read more

I was scouting one of Openhouse's spaces as a venue for a pop up location. After speaking with them for over one month and arranging multiple visits we were ready to sign a contract. Their manager then told me that they were booked, not just for the dates we wanted, but for the next two months. I wasted hours of time and energy working to secure a location that wasn't even available despite clear communication on our dates. Not a great way to do business. read more

We walked in partly to get some relief from the cold and partly out of curiosity. It's a nice and warmly lit space and the faux grass has a nice feeling underfoot. If you're part of a larger group, it looked like you had to stake your space out pretty early unless you're ok with picnicking next to the bathroom door. There are also some park benches and garden sets scattered throughout the space that make for a nice reading spot. A novel idea, worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood. read more

This gallery is really more of a commercial space than an art space; they specialize in doing "pop up" concepts to promote their clients. However, it's very cool. Stopped by their "Austria" pop-up to have the country of Austria advertised to me. I have indeed been to Austria, but that didn't mean I didn't enjoy checking out a video promoting tourism in Austria, eating samples of austrian cookies, and getting our picture taken by a very patient photographer in from of a Klimt backdrop. Did I leave feeling I had had a mini-trip to Austria? Well, no. But it was fun none-the-less. Even cooler was Openhouse's space around the corner, at 19 Kenmare. Right now they're doing a pop-up called "Pickers Cafe." It's a cross between a yard sale and an art show. Commercial photographer Paul Gerben apparently spent a year thrifting, and now he's showing/selling the results to you (at likely more than he paid). It's a neat collection of items - antique implements, vintage instruments, odd artworks and more. (Ever hear of a Marxophone? One can be yours for $75.) You can see a few of the selections here: http://www.openhousegallery.org/paul-gerbens-picker-cafe-pop-up-at-openhouse-gallery-19-kenmare read more

Park Here! was way cooler than Austria, IMHO. Park Here! was awesome, but Austria was only OK. If we had been able to snag a seat in the Sacher Cafe perhaps it would have felt more like going to Austria. However, I really like the space and did enjoy my visit. read more

Came here for the current show, Park Here..an indoor pop-up park. http://inhabitat.com/january-pop-up-park-at-openhouse-gallery-in-new-yorks-nolita/ read more

Openhouse is an amazingly clean, beautiful space for an event. The white walls and sharp lines = complete ability to transform it for any show, launch etc. Plus, it's located on Mulberry - one of the most quaint, endearing streets in Manhattan. read more

Openhouse is a SMASHING event space. They make the most innovative ideas come to life in the hottest part of NYC. I attended the recent Alex Esguerra Love + Paint popup, which felt like it could have been a "happening" alongside "Meat Joy" at the Festival of Free Expression. Great art and performance, amazing staff, and yummy fruit platter! read more

This place is a spot that can be transformed into anything for events, parties, etc. I came here for a pop up nail shop offered by Melody Ehsani and NUVO on a Saturday. It's very open, very white and has a lot of natural lighting. It has a decent bathroom and is even wheelchair accessible. I would love to come back here when it is transformed into an indoor park. You really can't complain with the building space since the vendors or who ever is renting the Gallery at the time makes your experience. read more

Loved this place when it was the Pop Up Park! My best friend from my childhood came to see me during the winter when we had an unexpected snowstorm. We got sick of the snow and ended up wandering into this place. Loved it. Pop Up Park seemed like a good place to go to for all ages. Very cute decor, bathrooms were clean. There were many people here laying out on the "grass" as if it were Sheep Meadow - too cute. read more

This review is for Park Here. Super cute concept. I stopped by last weekend, and half of the space was closed off for a private party. As such, there wasn't much space left for the rest of us commoners. It was a little cramped and I can imagine all the bean bags and mats on the floor are nowhere near clean (seeing the socks and bare feet all over them..YUCK!). I do love that they allow local vendors to sell food / tea / coffee there. Would definitely come back. read more

The space itself is fine. But the back end event coordination can be lackluster. Easy solution is to employ more seasoned event professionals who have had experience as event managers at catering companies, hotels, banquet halls, etc. The rough edges are typical of most venues that are operated by developers, investors, experimental marketing, or galleries....but not managed by anyone with event planning chops. If no one has solid event planning background to manage the venue with event clients, it will be always be rough seas ahead, no matter how unique or interesting the space. read more

Openhouse Gallery is such an asset to the downtown art and culture scene. From foodie events like the Gilt City grilled cheese tasting to art exhibits like Love & Paint, Openhouse Gallery serves as a popup for just about anyones interests. The space is very open, clean, and welcoming. Exhibitions and events move in and out quickly, so make sure to mark your calendars, so you don't miss out on all the fun. read more

Openhouse Gallery is a top notch event and gallery space. They always have unique events from upcoming designer sales to the Jay-Z and Kanye West Watch the Throne Store to the Park Here indoor park. Whether you live in the area or are a tourist looking for something fun to kill a few hours with, Openhouse gallery is a great bet and it's close to all the shopping of SoHo and the great food in Chinatown and Little Italy. read more

Openhouse never gets old and is fast becoming one of my favorite galleries. I always leave feeling inspired; well done.