Step inside the New York Sign Museum—and dozens of other cool places—for free at Open House New York this weekend

Whether we realize it or not, signs not only help us New Yorkers navigate the city, they also tell us something about the place we call home. Our city's signs are "bold and direct and loud but not screaming at you," explains Seamus Seery, collections manager for the New York Sign Museum at Noble Signs. Bold and direct but not (usually) screaming? Seems just like New Yorkers themselves.

This weekend, you can step inside the New York Sign Museum for mini tours with Seery and other experts to peek at New York City's signs of the past and the present as part of Open House New York . The sign shop and museum will open its doors along with dozens of other typically off-limits places for this weekend-long extravaganza celebrating the fascinating nooks and crannies of the five boroughs. Open Ho