Frequently asked questions

No. The building is not safe for public access, and the site remains closed. Stabilizing the structure is necessary before it can be opened.

No, the area within the fence is unsafe, and access is not permitted.

The Smallpox Hospital closed in 1886, when the building became a nursing school. The nursing school closed in the 1950s, and the building was abandoned. Its roof and floors deteriorated over the following decades, leaving the stone walls standing.

Friends of the Ruin is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization founded in 2017 to advocate for the preservation and public use of the Smallpox Hospital.

The property is owned by the City of New York and leased to New York State. It is operated and maintained by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC).