Local Guides World
1863 preserved tenement building brings Lower East Side immigrant stories to life with guided tours.
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Reviews — 8
Our tour guide Isaiah is such a good story teller. Even though English is not my first language, I had no problem understanding the content and context due to Isaiah’s clear explanation. I truly enjoy the one hour tour and I highly recommend it.
We had an amazing tour. Our Interpreter Emma opened our eyes to the experiences of two families arriving in New York 100 years apart. The amount of research that went into the presentation was astonishing, and really the stories told became more important than the faithful recreation of their tenements. $30 per person is not a small ask for museum admission, but I feel a s though we got more than our money's worth. Great bookshop / giftshop as well!
Learning how others (immigrants) lived in the city long ago and what their lives were like then is very educational! You are immersed in the apartments inside tenements, so you have a great idea of what the living conditions were like.
It seems as though the tours are a little hurried as they renovate the other building. The first time we did a tour, about five years ago, much more time was spent telling the stories and was a lot more interactive with an interactive room at the end.
Still, it's very eye opening and a very good place to visit and tour! Go!
It seems as though the tours are a little hurried as they renovate the other building. The first time we did a tour, about five years ago, much more time was spent telling the stories and was a lot more interactive with an interactive room at the end.
Still, it's very eye opening and a very good place to visit and tour! Go!
Super interesting and informative museum for anyone interested in housing and/or the lower east side of NYC. We did both the city walk and the tenement apartment tour. Our tour guide Lucy really knows a lot about the neighborhood and it’s history and she took all the time to answer any questions we had. The museum also has a great shop with tons of interesting books to purchase (as well as very cool souvenirs) on a variety of topics relating to housing. Highly recommend visiting this museum
Very recommended for history stories lovers.
There are a few kinds of tours.
In the one I chose, the museum describes in an interesting way the story of two immigrant families who came to New York from Germany and China.
There are a few kinds of tours.
In the one I chose, the museum describes in an interesting way the story of two immigrant families who came to New York from Germany and China.
If your a NYC history buff this is the place to be. You have to wear a mask and can buy tickets there or online.There are many different tours to choose from.
You explore the life of a few different people/families and see a simulated Tenement of where they lived.
I wish the tour explored the buildings and Tenement life a bit more, it was more the family history and what they experienced.
The gift shop is really cool and staff were amazing.
You explore the life of a few different people/families and see a simulated Tenement of where they lived.
I wish the tour explored the buildings and Tenement life a bit more, it was more the family history and what they experienced.
The gift shop is really cool and staff were amazing.
Date of visit Dec 2022.
Being fascinated with all things Victorian/old and the history of tenement life, this was a must-see for my 3rd trip back to NYC. The check-in point for all tours is a store, which has lots of items for sale and even a little cinema room (constantly showing info of all the buildings they operate and local history) which was handy to rest our tired legs while waiting for our tour to start. Our guide was fantastic. She was extremely knowledgeable and inclusive. I personally loved the old Tenement itself (we booked for the Jewish Taylor family), which is lovingly preseved. You get a real sense of what life was like in that period of time. There are a couple of flights of stairs to climb, but apart from that, it was an amazing experience. Highly recommend.
Being fascinated with all things Victorian/old and the history of tenement life, this was a must-see for my 3rd trip back to NYC. The check-in point for all tours is a store, which has lots of items for sale and even a little cinema room (constantly showing info of all the buildings they operate and local history) which was handy to rest our tired legs while waiting for our tour to start. Our guide was fantastic. She was extremely knowledgeable and inclusive. I personally loved the old Tenement itself (we booked for the Jewish Taylor family), which is lovingly preseved. You get a real sense of what life was like in that period of time. There are a couple of flights of stairs to climb, but apart from that, it was an amazing experience. Highly recommend.
