Governors Island Will Stay Open Late For Summer Fridays

GOVERNORS ISLAND, NY — Governors Island will stay open until 10 p.m. every Friday evening this summer, giving New Yorkers more access to the idyllic island with great views of Manhattan but none of noise.

The extended Friday evening hours will begin on May 25 and last until Sept. 14, the Trust for Governors Island announced this week. The island officially opens for the season on May 1. On normal summer weekdays, the island closes to the public at 6 p.m., meaning that Friday night visitors will get to stay long enough to watch the sunset from the well-positioned spot.

Friday night visitors to the island will have access to entirety of the park and the Historic District and will continue to be able to rent bikes, the trust said. Other arts and cultural programming opportunities and exhibits will also stay open late on summer Fridays.

Governors Island remains closed to the public for half of each year. It will open for the 2018 season on Tuesday and stay open daily until Oct. 31. All ferries to the island will be free during its opening week, the trust said.

This year, the island's art offerings include a public art installation from artist Jacob Hashimoto made of thousands of delicate paper rice kites. The piece, titled "The Eclipse," will be installed in Governors Island's St. Cornelius Chapel, which has been closed to the public since 2013 but is reopening especially for this piece. A second piece by Hashimoto will be installed outdoors.

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