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Tenement Museum

History Museum

Lower East Side, New York

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Tenement Museum

9.1^/10

789

ratings

Ranked #1 for history museums in New York
Has a stamp of approval from Michelin Travel & Lifestyle and New York Habitat
"It was very interesting and our tour guide, Tony, was excellent."(12 Tips)
"Amazing tour and insight of immigrant life in NYC."(6 Tips)
"The Hard Times tour is great!"(3 Tips)
"Wonderful museum inside an old tenement building"(3 Tips)

151 Tips and reviews

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Vivienne GucwaAugust 31, 2014
One of the top 10 quintessential NYC experiences. Around 7000 families lived in these tenements from the mid 19th - 20th centuries. Amazing tours and bonus: the BEST bookshop in NYC (seriously).
Upvoted Jan 4
Mike RobinsonMarch 8, 2015
The 'Hard Times' guided tour was fantastic. Really great tour guides, incredible true stories of people who lived there. Really helps to understand immigrant's challenges and triumphs.
Ashley LaflinOctober 24, 2016
I went on both the Shop Life and Irish Outsiders tour. Both were interactive and engaging. The guides were knowledgeable and helped the space come to life. Order tickets online as they often sell out!
AFAR MediaAugust 12, 2014
The Tenement Museum walks you through history and explores immigration, discrimination, housing and the history of the neighborhood through the stories of actual families that lived in this building. Read more
Andras SerfozoAugust 31, 2017
This is the best experience in Manhatten. Three of us got a lovely guider who show us some flats from the early 1900's, helped to discover their family life and struggle, get the immigrant lifestyle.
Sweta MohapatraNovember 14, 2014
This is a tour based museum, the website will tell you the duration. Tours can sell out but you can buy online or at the museum. Take the Foods of LES tour when it's warm and bring your appetite!
Valentina VitolsNovember 20, 2017
Wonderful experience at this very well-managed and curated museum. Staff was knowledgeable and kind. A must see when in NYC. Don’t miss it!
Hugh RobertsonSeptember 7, 2017
Wonderful museum inside an old tenement building, telling the history of New York and the Lower East Side through the lives of migrant families 1865-1935. Great guides, incredible stories.
Christine LJuly 7, 2017
Hard Times tour 👍 Book online in advance since this seems to be the most popular one. I don't recommend this tour on a hot summer day though. No A/C. Just small fans circulating the hot air.
Genesis MOctober 5, 2013
Yes the tours are a little pricey, but there is free admission for AAM members! The guides are very informative and I learned so much on the Shop Life tour.
Dave LepkowskiAugust 22, 2019
this was a super awesome museum to learn about immigrant's lives, liberties and pursuits of happiness
Lauren BastianNovember 22, 2015
You won't be disappointed with any of the tours! All of them are unique. The guides are passionate and amazing storytellers.
Kimmie OhhMay 10, 2020
Learn about the living conditions many immigrants in NYC had to deal with back in the day. Great place to learn about NYC history. They have a great giftshop/bookstore.
Marina BuritySeptember 12, 2015
One of my favorite places in NY. A great place to learn more about the lives of immigrants that made the city what it is today. All tours are great, I loved the Hard Times.
The Ritz-CarltonMarch 11, 2015
This National Historic Site was home to approximately 7000 people from 20 nations between 1863 and 1935. Take a tour and learn about the personal stories of some of the early settlers of Manhattan.
Jonathan L.August 18, 2019
Not your typical museum where you read plaques of info. Here you're engaged with the storyteller (tour guide), learning the lives of the different people who lived in these apartments. Check it out.
Precious SusonSeptember 24, 2014
very nice place. went for my bf who had a college assignment to do on the place. our tour guide anna was very nice and welcoming. if your really into this stuff id def say this is a place to check out
Ramona ArmitageDecember 3, 2019
Really interesting and balanced tour. The guide also gave insight into all different cultural perspectives which was great.
Oz LublingAugust 9, 2015
Really interesting and unique museum. An amazing gift/bookstore on the ground level is a must.
Michelin Travel & LifestyleFebruary 19, 2013
About 7,000 people, mostly immigrants, lived in this five-story building from 1863 to 1935. Tours trace the lives of five typical families. - Green Guide Editor
Christina ChinDecember 21, 2014
Really cool immersion museum where you get to see how life was. Found it really interesting and wish the tour was longer than an hour. Must schedule tour appt.
Amelie PNovember 3, 2014
Tours are story telling based and focus on difficulties met by immigrants in the 19th century. It was entertaining too but you'll only get to know one floor per tour and each one will cost 25 dollars
Julie SosciaJanuary 29, 2019
Amazing tour and insight of immigrant life in NYC. Ask the guides lots of questions, they love it. Be sure to check out the gift store - has lots of really cool books.
Malcolm ChangFebruary 26, 2016
Interesting tours in the most old time part of NYC. Plus lots of New York centric books and exhibits, dealing with the immigrant experience
Manuel PortelaJuly 31, 2016
If you like to know the story of New Yorkers, you must visit this place. With nice books and tours
CharlottesMay 13, 2017
One of the more unusual museum experiences in the city. I particularly like the neighborhood walking tour. Learnt so much about my adopted home!
Erik CintronNovember 30, 2010
Great museum and they seven different tours that are guided by well educated staff. Have to come back...they take you through the lives of people who lived in these buildings 150 years ago untouched
Andrew COctober 11, 2017
This museum is absolutely amazing... so many rotating exhibits/tours/events, you're bound to find an interesting and relevant one!!!
Ashley RoseNovember 24, 2015
Very cool look at life for so many LES residents. Book in advance, I did the Shop Life and the interactive bit was really cool.
Christoph KMay 13, 2016
I went on two tours and both were excellent: Lively, knowledgable tour guides, lots of interesting information, really glad I went along!
Urban OysterMarch 30, 2011
On the Confino tour, descendants of Victoria Confino helped develop the Victoria character, a historical interpretation of the real person you'll meet on the tour, even down to her sense of humor.
TingNovember 22, 2015
Tastings at the Tenement on Thursdays is a great way to see the museum and experience the evolution of the neighborhood through your taste buds.
DailyCandyFebruary 26, 2014
Once home to nearly 7,000 working-class immigrants, the tenement apartment building-turned-museum re-creates immigrant life in the 19th and 20th centuries w/ insights into their personal experiences.
Luke MayesSeptember 27, 2017
We toured “the shops.” We both felt like the tour was twice as long as it should have been; like they stretched a 45 minute story into 1.5 hours. That said, the concept behind the place is awesome.
Colleen McGinnAugust 10, 2013
Really interesting way to spend an hour of your weekend! Totally worth the trip, but check ahead of time to see when tours leave.
EvaDecember 19, 2014
Super interesting! The guides really know what their talking about, the reconstructions are very convincing, and the museum shop is a treat.
MarlonMarch 8, 2017
Informative but pricey... it kind of reminds me of some of the apartments I grew up in NYC, lol. Pre-gentrification.
Rachel SmithMarch 11, 2016
Shop life your is great tour guides very knowledgable, gift shop is fun but of course everything over priced
Denise HAugust 28, 2017
You need to do a tour to see inside so book in advance to get the time you want and the tour you're interested in.
Untapped CitiesJanuary 22, 2014
The Tenement Museum is located in an 1863 Italianate tenement on the Lower East Side. Subtle, beautiful, and intricate— this building is brimming with stories. Read more
Jake ClementsJanuary 30, 2018
Tours are super interesting and give a vivid sense of how hard life was for residents of the tenements. Would totally recommend!
Gaby FloMay 28, 2012
Now visit the prototype of a Lower East Side tenement where many of those immigrants lived. The only way to see the museum is by guided tour, which takes place frequently between 10am and 6pm
Silvia Butta CaliceMay 5, 2019
Beautiful museum and guides super prepared! Must see
Kavita BabaMarch 8, 2015
Different tours for different moods. The hard times tour is a great start and the guides are very knowledgeable!
New York HabitatOctober 11, 2011
A great place to gain an understanding of how New York City came to be. The Tenement Museum is an eye opening experience as it takes you through actual families lives of those who lived there.
Ryan PatrickOctober 19, 2018
Museum is guided tours only. So make sure you book one on their site in advance of going.
Michelin Travel & LifestyleSeptember 22, 2012
Museum guides interpret several generations of immigrant life in a five-story tenement building. Tours last 1hr, are limited to 15 people, and should be booked in advance. No A/C. - Green Guide Editor
Anthony DuranJune 16, 2016
Pretty neat and interesting to see how of our families came through here upon becoming United States Citizens. Just remember where you came from.
Kevin VOctober 28, 2016
A must do! Start with the hard-times visit! Learned and experienced a ton in the renovated old house.
Dan GruzmanOctober 25, 2014
Brilliant and very immersive tours, but booking about a week in advance is a must. One of the best gift shops

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