Tenement Museum
Tenement Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
The Tenement Museum preserves the history of immigration through the personal accounts of those who built lives in the Lower East Side. Visitors can view restored apartments from the 19th and 20th centuries, walk the historic neighborhood, and interact with residents to learn the stories of generations of immigrants who helped shape the American experience. The museum is available by guided tour only. Each tour focuses on a specific theme and takes visitors to different areas of our two historic tenement buildings or neighborhood.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
- Delancey St • 2 min walk
- Essex St • 3 min walk
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See what travellers are saying
- SajoniHastings, New Zealand49 contributionsA SIX star experienceWe did a one hour tour of one of the apartments in the tenement building that has been restored and wished we had booked more. Had a really informative guide who made it all come alive. What a great way to learn about NYC history. And the bookshop is wonderful. I was only limited by my luggage space. This is a must for visitors to New York CityVisited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 October 2023
- mjpc36Reno, Nevada40 contributionsVery informativeOn a girls trip we stopped here for the Women of 1902 tour. It was so interesting! We learned a lot and it was really neat to be in the apartment and see how they would live. They had to be so strong (emotionally, physically, etc…) and it was inspiring to see what people did to survive and thrive.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 30 October 2023
- MarkLA73Aberdeen, United Kingdom124 contributionsFascinating tour of the life of a German family.We went on the Family Owned tour which told the story of early German settlers living in the tenement in the mid 1800s. Very interesting story and fascinating to see the living conditions. The house has a mock up of the saloon bar which the family ran during their stay. Well worth the visit.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 November 2023
- Crissy KMemphis, Indiana847 contributionsGreat place to see historyI love history and found this place very interesting. If I lived in the city I would buy some kind of annual pass and go back and listen to every story. We were in a bit of a time crunch and chose the tour that was next up. It was on a Jewish family and a family from Puerto Rico. The young man that led our tour ( I think David) was very knowledgeable. I loved the fact that they blended stories from the family into the tour. It made an impact. All the items from that period were great. If you like history I highly recommend.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 30 November 2023
- Ed LLiverpool, United Kingdom23 contributionsExcellent and informative history of real people who lived in New York in 19th CFascinating snapshot of the history of real people who lived in New York. We did the After the Famine tour. Our educator, Camilla, was so knowledgeable and helped make the story of the Irish family insightful and relatable. I would highly recommend a tenement museum tour for anyone visiting the city and interested in its history.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 December 2023
- JenBoston, Massachusetts17 contributionsGreat experience!I took my niece to see the Under One Roof tour because it represented our heritage. Silas was an incredible tour guide and really emphasized the importance of telling personal stories to make history relevant. This was my second time to the museum and I tell everyone to go!Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 18 December 2023
- Raf RoggemanAsse, Belgium106 contributionsalways interestingWe followed the building on the lower east side tour. It was my second time on a Tenement Museum guided tour, and it is always interesting. The tour handled as well historical subjects as subjects from current times.Visited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 25 December 2023
- Helen KVFife, United Kingdom25 contributionsBrilliant guided tour!Loved my visit to the Tenement Museum. It was tricky to pick a tour but I went for 'After the Famine', which was about an Irish family who came to live in New York. The tour guide Ashley was absolutely brilliant. So knowledgeable and a really natural speaker. She was so interested in our questions and explained a lot of extra stuff when we asked. She's in the right job! Fascinating stories and brought the two tenement flats we saw to life in a way that just walking around them wouldn't have. Absolutely fascinating. Gift shop is lovely too and really clean toilets!Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 1 January 2024
- xpiotivaBloomington, Indiana2 contributionsAmazing - made history feel realI booked a tenement tour based on a friend's recommendation and this ended up being a highlight of my trip. I did the Finding Home tour - the apartment was so interesting to see and the guide was knowledgable and engaging. It was kind of incredible to see so many similarities between the Epstein and Saez Velez families and my own relatives who immigrated to the US in the 50s even though they came from completely different countries and for different circumstances. The tour group was lovely and engaged, and asked great questions. I'm ready to go back and see all the rest of the tours/apartments ASAP!Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 3 January 2024
- Seangavin_13Conwy, United Kingdom72 contributionsSo good we went back for a 2nd tourWe really enjoyed a walking tour of the Lower East Side with our engaging and well informed guide. So much so that we went back 6 days later for the ‘After the Famine’ tour of the tenement home of Joseph and Bridget Moore. Equally as important interesting and enjoyable. The bookshop is excellent and there are great cafe options in the neighbourhood. Would love to go back next time we visit NYCVisited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 4 January 2024
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4.5
6,845 reviews
Excellent
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1,314
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360
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184
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108
paulsankey
Brooklyn, NY17 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
I assumed you would pay $34 each and see the house. Let’s face it, it’s a lower east side house. In fact on the rubbish shop tour you just see two basement rooms and it’s boringly dragged out to make an hour. It’s a rip off. $68 for two this rip off museum would cost you $256 for two to see the whole crappy house. One of the worst deals in global tourism.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Itinerant_Foodies
Greensboro, NC605 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
We made reservations for the 1911 tour at their store on Orchard street. Since the museum offers quite a few different tours, we had already decided that if we liked our first tour, we would take more tours. Then we noticed that we could join a dual membership for about the same cost as two tours of two people each. The patient person at the desk let us apply the ticket cost we had just paid to a membership. We’d highly recommend this if you (couples, singles, families) think you’ll attend two or more tours. Our tour was very interesting and the limit of about 12 people on a tour helped make it extra enjoyable. Our tour guide was good, confident, and knowledgeable but could have relaxed a bit and slowed down her speech, especially knowing that there were people in the tour for whom English may not have been their first language.
Written 11 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Guy C
16 contributions
Feb 2020
If I could give zero stars I would. I made an online booking in the morning of Tuesday February 4th to go on the Irish Outsider tour. It was my last day in NYC and I was travelling solo. I turned up for the 12.45 tour, only to be told that as no-one else had booked it, they would not run the tour. I could not take a tour later in the day, or on another day, as I had to get to JFK for an evening flight home. To compound matters I was only refunded $27 out of the $30 I paid. I have looked at their website and cannot see anything about cancelling tours if only one person books/turns up. Solo visitors BEWARE.
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristen W
Tulsa, OK14 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
My husband and I spent most of our Saturday in NYC taking two tours through the Tenement Museum due to the rave reviews. We took the Shop Life tour and then the outdoor Then and Now walking tour. The Shop Life tour goes through only ~2 recreated rooms and spends a lot of time with free dialogue asking the group to reflect and partake. As much as I like to get to know someone and their thoughts, that’s not why we paid $60ish for an hour tour. Neither of us felt we learned much at all. Moreover, our guide was extremely dull and disappointing. My husband and I have traveled quite a bit together and both agree that he’s unfortunately the worst guide we have ever had.
The Then and Now tour was incrementally better, though there’s so much interesting history to be addressed in the neighborhood, and it felt like so many of the compelling points were missing, plus those presented just weren’t delivered in a dynamic way.
We felt like both tours were busts and an unfortunate waste of one full day in nyc on our long weekend. Unfortunately, neither of us would recommend visiting the museum or its tours.
The Then and Now tour was incrementally better, though there’s so much interesting history to be addressed in the neighborhood, and it felt like so many of the compelling points were missing, plus those presented just weren’t delivered in a dynamic way.
We felt like both tours were busts and an unfortunate waste of one full day in nyc on our long weekend. Unfortunately, neither of us would recommend visiting the museum or its tours.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sbf2004
Virginia54 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Wonderful tour guide, beautiful orator. Fantastic tour setting with a surprising high tech learning approach at the end. The story of the Schneider’s was very informative and helped paint a picture of how the lower east side evolved over a generation. It gave a nice preface before walking the surrounding neighborhood in a search for lunch.
Technically kids/preteens/teens are allowed, but I doubt they’ll find this interesting. It is a didactic approach and you literally sit in 1-2 rooms for nearly an hour of the tour. The hands on activity in the end will appeal to most though. It is only a 1.25 hrs, so they can certainly manage if the older adults want to go and drag them along.
Lockers are available for $.25 in the gift shop to store backpacks, purses.
Outdoor time/walking was only about 5 min and less than half a block.
Technically kids/preteens/teens are allowed, but I doubt they’ll find this interesting. It is a didactic approach and you literally sit in 1-2 rooms for nearly an hour of the tour. The hands on activity in the end will appeal to most though. It is only a 1.25 hrs, so they can certainly manage if the older adults want to go and drag them along.
Lockers are available for $.25 in the gift shop to store backpacks, purses.
Outdoor time/walking was only about 5 min and less than half a block.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SheShopsTooMuch
Minneapolis, MN123 contributions
Dec 2019
My husband and teenage daughters were reluctant to join me on this tour, but afterwards said it was the highlight of our recent trip to New York. We took the Under One Roof tour and had an excellent guide who told the stories of three immigrant families who lived in the building in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Our guide was an excellent storyteller! We really felt a strong connection to the families and it was fun to see the apartment exactly as it was when they lived there. There's a lot of listening to this tour, so I wouldn't recommend it for little kids, but middle school and up will really get a lot out of it. We'll be sure to take the other tours on our next trip!
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lnmagnee
Portland, OR175 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
I found this museum on the National Park Service website, but I didn't realize it's not an actual NPS site. I asked if they had an NPS stamp because I didn't see one. They said yes, but it had expired last year. I also didn't realize the museum can only be seen on a guided tour, but we were able to book the "Under One Roof" tour. Tickets are expensive at $30/person for a one-hour tour, so I hoped it would be worth it...it wasn't. The guide spent the first 15 minutes telling us the tour used to be longer, and having all the visitors introduce themselves. They called a co-worker to confirm what tour to give, which was the first sign of a bad tour. The guide ushered us through a kitchen into a living room. They spent the next half hour talking about a family that lived there only a few decades ago. It's my fault I didn't research the museum in advance, but I assumed it was a more historical museum. The guide never even defined "tenement," but it didn't seem like a real tenement based on my understanding of the word. The guide mentioned showing us a photo on their iPad, but then couldn't find it, and had to call for help. The guide did seem fairly knowledgeable about the two families for which the tour was about, but they didn't have very good public speaking skills. The tour was "officially" over before we saw the last room, but the guide said we could stay and look around. It was as disappointing as the rest of the tour, so we left after a few minutes. I generally enjoy history, but this was so recent, I could have just seen my mother's old house, and saved $30.
Written 16 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kristen h
12 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Fabulous museum and AMAZING gift shop! A variety of tours are offered so if you find yourself in NYC a few times a year a membership is worth it for the ability to return and check out a different tour.
Wonderful guide led us on a 90minute tour - Under One Roof ... very well curated just wish we’d had more time at the end for the interactive elements in the final room.
Great for families too! We had two tweens who enjoyed the tour as well
Photos not allowed in museum so I’ve shared from the gift shop!
Wonderful guide led us on a 90minute tour - Under One Roof ... very well curated just wish we’d had more time at the end for the interactive elements in the final room.
Great for families too! We had two tweens who enjoyed the tour as well
Photos not allowed in museum so I’ve shared from the gift shop!
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sneezyhead
Burlington, VT2 contributions
Mar 2020
I have been so impressed by the staff of the Museum. From the employees who work in the gift to the incredibly knowledge education staff, my experience at the Tenement Museum has been wonderful. The tour was in-depth, the educator leading the tour deftly handled tough historical questions and enriched my knowledge of the history of NYC.
It saddened me to discover that the Museum has not been paying the staff well or offered a decent benefits package. How ironic that a museum that spends a lot time talking about the history of workers' rights, treats their staff with financial disdain. Please do better for the staffers who make the museum what it is.
It saddened me to discover that the Museum has not been paying the staff well or offered a decent benefits package. How ironic that a museum that spends a lot time talking about the history of workers' rights, treats their staff with financial disdain. Please do better for the staffers who make the museum what it is.
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Velcro Bunny
9 contributions
May 2019
I visited the Tenement Museum whilst on a trip to NY with my family in May 2019. My husband and children didn't fancy it, so I went on my own. I LOVED it!
It was easy to get to on the subway, with the station being only a short walk away. All the tours sounded really interesting, but due to the time I chose to go on the Irish Outsiders tour and then the Hard Times tour. Both tours took place at 97 Orchard Street, but focused on the stories of a different family/families. Having visited the immigration museum at Ellis Island the tours brought to life the people that I imagined being "processed" there. The tour guides were really knowledgeable and calmly answered the many questions posed by the group. Before going on the tour I did wonder how the hour would be filled, however the time went in a flash and I feel sure that the guides could have continued talking for much longer. There were ample opportunities to ask questions and interesting things came from the questions of the other members of the group.
I enjoyed my time at the Tenement Museum so much that I returned the next day to take part in the Under One Roof tour at 103 Orchard Street. This tour was an hour and a half long, and the one I enjoyed the most. The guide for this tour was fantastic, and made you feel as if she had known the Epsteins and the Veless and the Wongs personally. But the thing that really made this tour was the other guests. There were first generation children of Jewish migrant Holocaust survivors among the party and they added to the stories of the Epstein family with reminiscences of their own. They had grown up in similar conditions in tenements in the city.
I would have done all the tours had I had the time!
My only disappointment was that I could not take pictures.
It was easy to get to on the subway, with the station being only a short walk away. All the tours sounded really interesting, but due to the time I chose to go on the Irish Outsiders tour and then the Hard Times tour. Both tours took place at 97 Orchard Street, but focused on the stories of a different family/families. Having visited the immigration museum at Ellis Island the tours brought to life the people that I imagined being "processed" there. The tour guides were really knowledgeable and calmly answered the many questions posed by the group. Before going on the tour I did wonder how the hour would be filled, however the time went in a flash and I feel sure that the guides could have continued talking for much longer. There were ample opportunities to ask questions and interesting things came from the questions of the other members of the group.
I enjoyed my time at the Tenement Museum so much that I returned the next day to take part in the Under One Roof tour at 103 Orchard Street. This tour was an hour and a half long, and the one I enjoyed the most. The guide for this tour was fantastic, and made you feel as if she had known the Epsteins and the Veless and the Wongs personally. But the thing that really made this tour was the other guests. There were first generation children of Jewish migrant Holocaust survivors among the party and they added to the stories of the Epstein family with reminiscences of their own. They had grown up in similar conditions in tenements in the city.
I would have done all the tours had I had the time!
My only disappointment was that I could not take pictures.
Written 22 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is there a tour in which you would be able to view all of the apartments during one visit?
Written 15 December 2019
Unfortunately not; each tour revolves around a specialized theme and takes you through 1 or 2 of the different apartments. The tour I did was so good though, it makes me want to go back and see something new next time!
Written 16 December 2019
Do you need to pre book if so how long in advance please?
Written 20 November 2019
We just turned up and booked for the tour we wanted - there are different tours going every 15 minutes or so so we chose the next but one as it seemed (and was) interesting. This was early October on a Monday.
Written 23 November 2019
I thought I saw there was a movie that you could also see before the tour if you came earlier. I can't find anything about that now. Does anyone know if there is a movie available? Thanks
Written 22 October 2019
Yes there is a movie. You can really see it before and after. It is pretty good. Also - they mention the Puerto Rican migration in the 40s-50s if you are interested. It is not on the tour.
Written 19 December 2019
I’m hoping to visit on my last day in the city, do you have somewhere to leave luggage if I brought it with me?
Written 19 September 2019
They have lockers down near the restrooms, but I'm not sure if they're large enough to accommodate a full suitcase. You might want to call them and ask.
Written 19 September 2019
is this attraction recommended for adults?
which tour is considered the most popular / recomended?
Written 15 August 2019
More adults, but 12 years old and up might find it interesting. I wouldn’t say good for toddlers or elementary only b/c there is a lot of standing in a small room listening to an educator. Have not done any of the walking tours, so no comment. Hard times tour I think is the most popular and one of the 1st ones created.
Written 16 August 2019
I've been to the Tenement Museum. Loved it. Is it possible to purchase items from the gift shop online?
Written 24 May 2019
Yes, various things are for sale in the shop, i.e. the usual souvenirs but also other more educational things, books, etc. but I haven't personally checked online. I bought a book on the history of the tenement museum, "A Tenement Story", partly because it included pictures, (you can't take pictures in the museum), and partly because it included various stories. I'm sure some of these things would be online and worth buying.
Written 28 August 2019
Interested in doing 2 apartment tours in one day (& fairly close together in time). Does one schedule an apartment tour for eg. 12 pm. Then do another one for 12:45 pm or 1 pm?
Written 9 March 2019
I'ts probably too late for this answer, but you will need more time in between tours. They run at least and hour and you exit the back of the building so you would have to walk around the block to get to the next one in time.
Written 23 October 2019
I know it’s a while away, but does anyone know if The Tenement Museum will be open on Labor Day this year, September 2? Thanks
Written 1 March 2019
The Tenement Museum is open nearly every day, except for major holidays. Labor Day usually doesn't count as a major holiday, so their web site will likely list open slots available that holiday weekend. Note that this museum is very busy on any holiday weekend they are open, so I'd make reservations early.
Written 3 March 2019
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