Reviews of Tenement Museum (Museum)

Mike McGuire

We were on the Shop Life tour, which was very good. Spent a lot of time on the early German immigrants and perhaps not as much time on subsequent immigrants as needed. There's a lot to cover. We took a star off for the price. $29 is a bit expensive, especially considering if you have a family and you're dragging the kids along, albeit at a reduced rate. We still definitely go back to check out the Irish family tour.

Catherine Breen

We did the Irish Tour, an amazing insight into history.

Bear Briggs

Very interesting, good tour guide. I kind of wish they showed you a little more of the building, like the bar downstairs, but you have to pay for a separate tour for that.

Claire

Didn't love it like I wanted to. The Shop Life tour guide/educator was great and informative, but the interactive format got tiring. $91 for 2 adults and 1 kid, I thought we'd see more building and not do a bunch of sharing of how we thought life was for the people living there. I wanted to come away feeling like I heard something new, but we were disappointed. Should had passed on this tour.

Josh Freeman

Very nice tour. Interesting

Jennifer Coleman

Amazing stories of immigrants building not just the city of New York but the nation. Great history and great storytellers!

Christi Hill

Excellent museum, one of the very best I have been to. Knowledgeable guides, friendly, so very interesting. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Carol Streeper

The guides were very informative and knowledgeable. They involve the people on the tour in order to keep adding to the history of the tenements. There are a lot of items from the time period so you can get a sense of how people lived back in the late 1800's/ early 1900's. It's a great way to go back in time so you can appreciate the hardships experienced by our ancestors. Some of the rooms had seats available in case you can't stand during the presentations.

Laura Keller

I was very disappointed in my visit. The guide was over dramatic and seemed to be more interested in her performance than parlaying helpful or interesting content. Sitting in a folding chair looking at slides is something I can do at home for free. A map of a parade route from 1870 had nothing to do with the history or condition of the countless people who experienced tenement life. This could have been done so much better.

Ivana Žetko

We went on the ’Under One Roof’ tour and it was excellent. The stories and spaces were interesting, and the guide (Alexia) was great at keeping the tour running while also letting people share their stories related to immigration and identity. We will definitely be back for another tour next time we’re in New York :)

Peter Buckingham

Run, do not walk to this museum! We bought tickets ahead of time online and were so glad that we did! Many of the tours were already sold out by the time we showed up for our 10 am tour. We did the "Irish Outsiders" tour and every aspect of was fascinating. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly and took plenty of time for questions and explained everything in great detail. It was impressive that the guide knew a lot of extra information about the development of the city than just what pertained to the museum itself. The tour was about an hour and a half and you had to start off climbing four flights of stairs. The museum provides age recommendations for the different tours for kids. Some of them are only an hour long to accommodate shorter attention spans. We will definitely be going back to do another one of the tours next time we're in the city. It was an expensive morning ($27 for regular ticket), but we found it to be extremely enlightening and provided fantastic context for the history of the city. The museum bookstore is also fantastic. We probably spent 45 minutes there after the tour picking up some unique and interesting books about the city. Overall an excellent experience that we would highly recommend!

Gloria Appleby

Interesting topic. Not sure how credible guide was. Kind of light weight in substance. I felt for what we got for the one hour, it was kind of expensive.

Marta Wyngaard

Going to NYC every year and visiting magnificent museums, and attending great performances, you think that you will not be surprised, and yet, the tenement Museum was my great best surprise of my trip. Crossing the bring from Brooklyn, I stumbled in this intriguing museum. It is more like a living experience where guides take you thru a building sharing the stories of families that emigrated to this country and lived in that building. I found the tour very well done . Not at all a tourist destination where you feel like...ah treated with a little of disrespect “oh the tourists, the tourist in NY, but with a genuine desire to share the history of NY built by the immigrants that came and shaped this country. I will also mention that the store attached to the museum is very well designed, and has a good selection of books and well thought gifts. From books for children, to cards, to scarfs, there something for everybody. Off course, I have chosen to buy two books, one card, and a magnet. I also bought as a gift a cloth bag for my sister.

Michael Bayles

Warning: only a small subset of rooms have been even partially restored. The rest remains utterly dilapidated, looking nothing like it might have while actually in use. The sign in the gift shop enumerates millions of dollars in donations. Where did they go? A large chunk, presumably, is reserved to pay the tour guides, who, by the way, style themselves 'educators'. Who can imagine a more presumptuous and condescending title? What's more, these 'educators' don't even do much educating. They recite carefully-memorized historical narratives. After that, it's all about drawing on the knowledge and experience of the respective visitors. Ok, ok. The interactive concept is actually quite good (more historiography than history, I get it), it just but plays out poorly in practice. The ratio of 'educators' to visitors (1:12 in my case) precludes interactions of particular meaning or depth. As real educators can tell you, smaller class sizes would yield better results. Most jarringly of all, everything stays on script. Each historical anecdote comes with baked-in conclusions. It's like a multiple choice test in which the obvious answers always include things like exploitation, discrimination the need for greater regulation. Progressives will feel validated. Ultimately, it's propaganda. The whole thing feels like a purpose-built vehicle for driving a particular agenda. Since that agenda is built around the need for greater tolerance, it's probably not entirely misguided. I just wish it didn't feel like such a transparent counter-polemic to current political atmosphere. Objectivity, as always, would have longer legs. The good news is that all of this can be yours for a mere $27 / hour(!). Although that's high even by New York's skewed standards, the cashier still needled me for yet another donation while processing my payment. That's shameless, which could easily double as a byword for the entire edifice.

Quinn H

A phenomenal museum if you are interested in the history of NYC. The actors stay in character the whole time, and everyone there is incredible. We did the tenement inspectors tour, a wonderful experience. Would recommend to practicality everyone.

Sean McGuire

Knowing the history of New York City is integral to knowing the history of America, and knowing the history of immigrants who built New York City and America is integral to being a well rounded and compassionate citizen. It was profound to learn how Russian Jews had to relinquish aspects of their identity and culture just like Asian immigrants in changing their names in order to assimilate and survive in America. And it was staggering to see the conditions they were exploited under in the sweat shops. Worth every moment and dime.

Progressive Action NH

Did two tours today, both tour guides were informative and able to answer any questions that came up from their audience. The units we toured were able to capture the essence of being there and the preservation of the units is top-notch. It was obvious that even the "restored' rooms were only restored to the extent of some simple dusting and keeping plaster in place. The accuracy of the periods represented was also spot-on, worth the price of the ticket. Also, the book store/gift shop had some great books for the curious mind and unique quality trinkets.

Brian Numainville

Excellent tour! Gives you a story that brings history to life. You can select the tour that interests you most. Well run and recommended!

Susan Miciotto

If you are interested in the history of immigrants on the Lower East Side, this is the place to tour an authentic tenement. Paid tours are necessary to go inside the reconstructed apartments/storefronts. Children must be at least 6 years old for most tours. Great gift shop!

Sarah-Jane Ward

We took the full tour of the actual tenement apartment that has been restored. It was excellent! I loved hearing the real live stores of the people who had inhabited the building and see the apartment set up they way they had known it.

Ed F.

This is a great museum, but reservations for the tours are required and it is often booked up. It is quite expensive because there are many different tours and each tour has its own admission price. It can end up costing quite a lot. But it is a very informative way of viewing the experience of working immigrants to NYC through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Lisa Hahn

Interesting muesum, giving you a sense of place and the immegrant experience through the well researched lives of past residents. Very moving

boramir007

We took the Under One Roof tour, and it was very interesting. You definitely get a new and different perspective of life in the city. The building was extremely warm which made the tour uncomfortable, but the content was very engaging.

Carmen Sze

I went on the "Under One Roof" tour and really enjoyed it. At $32 (includes $3 fee), it was pricey. You get 40% off your second tour, which makes it somewhat more reasonable. The tour is the newest and one of the more contemporary tours that the museum offers. I wish we had more time in the garment factory part of the tour; it was the last segment, and we didn't have enough time to go through all the interactive stations.

George Bickley

Very informative and engaging. Causes much needed thought and reflection. A healthy look back for a more healthy understanding today. Thank you.

Mb M

Great tours and gift shop! Learned a lot. My only quibble is that my second tour guide, talking to our group on a public sidewalk, brusquely told someone who stopped to listen that they had to move along. I can understand that attitude if someone had tried to join us inside the tenement itself, but, given that we were in a public space, that attitude wasn’t necessary.

Gary Collier

I booked a “Hard Times” tour at the Tenement Museum to get a feel for how some of the early European immigrants who helped build this city lived. Unfortunately no photos are allowed inside the two tenements we visited, learning about the lives and daily struggles of the German and Italian immigrants who came here for a better life over a century ago, but overall this was a fascinating experience. No rucksacks or large bags are allowed on the tour, but there's a locker room in the shop where you can leave your stuff.

Pascal Bonjour

A must do tour with real history. Super informative and interesting. Rachel, our guide, did an amazing job of bringing the history to life.

Som Liengtiraphan

One of the best museums I've ever been too. All the tours are guided and the guides will take you through different buildings and walks and tell the history of the lower east side. The final rooms (if you go on a building tour) are interactive and you will be able to listen to oral history of the people who lived there. I really really recommend it.

Biljana Milenkovic

What a jewel! The Tenement Museum offers a powerful rebuttal to the loud and damaging anti-immigrant rhetoric we are witnessing today. We enjoyed learning more about America's immigrant story. Our walking tour (building on the lower east side) led by a knowledgeable and caring educator put the intersection of affordable/safe housing, race, and class in an historic context, enabling us to have a better understanding of our shared present. This museum and its programs engage and inspire. If you can, be sure to include it in your vacation plans.

Aaron M Mills

My wife and I ditched the kids for a getaway to NYC and this was our last stop before we headed back home. It did not disappoint. We did the Irish Outsiders tour and it really opened our eyes to the conditions of late 1800s New York. In short, it was incredible and I now want to do the rest of the tours to gain a wider understanding of the Lower East Side (and New York City in general) through the years. VISIT THE TENEMENT MUSEUM! It is absolutely worth it.

Ana Maria Garza Coleman

We had a great tour titled "Irish outsiders". Our tour guide, Naomi, was a delight, knowledgeable and approachable. She delivered the information with clarity and conviction, illustrating the plight of immigrants and those marginalized in the 1800. We toured an 1863 apartment building that has been preserved fairly well.

Corey Shefman

This was such a great experience and well worth the price! We did the "Building the Lower East Side" walking tour and loved it. The tour was about 2 hours, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and was able to answer all our questions, beyond the basic stops on the tour. Can't wait to visit again!

Lynn Moss

This tour was like stepping back in time!!! It was absolutely worth our time! The guides are awesome. The tours with the actors are truly informative and inspirational. The families represented continue to keep in touch with the museum so you learn how they lived then and what had happened to the families now. Highly recommend this tour!!!!

Ariana Bray

Our tour guide was amazing! We had more of a discussion and less of a lecture. Would definitely recommend!

ana n collins

Great museum. Went on two different tours, each had a lot to teach us and was excellently organized. Would go again if we were t heading home. We loved the bookshop also and picked up some reading material.

Bra Recensioner

Very good. Better than expected, the guide was very smart and full of information. Much better than normal "museums"

Yehoshua S.

Meh. Small, feels rundown. Others would describe it as rustic. Great for some, not great for others. Tourists should just visit a larger museum. New Yorkers wanting to learn a little NYC history will enjoy more. Not super family friendly as some items are delicate, but perfectly fine for teenagers and above.

allegra christianscher

Loved how interactive and interesting the tour was. Great to hear actual stories of people who lived in the building. They even incorporated the kids who were on the tour so everyone was involved. Would love to,go back and do all the other tours!

Christopher Jurich

Amazing experience on the Shop Life tour. I really appreciated our tour guide's knowledge and insights from a left-wing perspective of history, and they even did a good job tying the experiences of 1800s immigrants to those today. I'm also glad to see that the tour guides are unionized. I heartily recommend it

Michael Taylor

A wonderful opportunity that I would highly recommend anyone experience.

Karen Heining

Tours are very interesting and insightful. Tenement Bedroom tour was fascinating! The tour guides are all well-researched and highly informative.

Patrick Bolan

A unique and personal experience in small guided tours. Friendly guides who really like the history of it... not somebody reading a script. It's a real touch back to NYC of old days. A treasure.

Vanessa Gomez

Highly recommend! It's a different way of learning about the past!

Lidia T. Pines

I've read a little bit about the mid nineteenth and early twentieth century New York, but there's nothing quite like seeing, sensing, smelling a place. Good job, Tenement Museum. I'll be back to hear about some other family.

J Nehmer

The museum is unique in that it felt much more focused than a typical museum which displays general information in abundance. 1 family, 1 story, a few year window of history in a well-preserved bldg. We had a good time, and I would like to go back for a different tour next time Im in NY

noloc 42

This place is in my neighborhood and has reconstructed old world apartments so that you can vicariously experience the Lower East Side from days past. You get a real feel of what was once the downtown shopping mecca . Definitely a real positive immigration story that truly existed.

Jessica Montana

I've been twice to The Tenement Museum in the last few months. An amazing experience each time going through the old tenement of orchard street and hearing about the families that lived there. Both guides we had were wonderful and had such a passion for sharing their knowledge of the history of the place. Definitely go on as many of the tours as you can. We went on The Sweat Shop Workers one and Shop Life. Both offer a different look into life on the lower East side and the immigrant story.

Jim Purcell

We had a great experience here on our last trip to New York City. We took one of the guided tours which lasted a little over an hour and focused on a specific wave of immigrants, in our case, the Germans. The guide was very knowledgeable, and he described how life was for a variety of actual immigrants during this period. We also got to go through one of the apartments. I found this approach of putting the information out in bite-sized pieces enjoyable. On our next visit, we will select another guided tour focusing on a different group of immigrants. The gift shop has a large selection of books and souvenirs.

Jules Chester

I wanted to take a second to echo all the outstanding reviews - I had an amazing experience here. I did the "Sweatshop" tour and it was very informative and well-done. Naomi was a delightful guide and extremely knowledgeable. I liked it so much that I'd like to come back and try some of the other tours later this summer. Great place to visit!

Lorraine Orlick

Excellent tour Gard Times. Several we could have picked from. Tour guide was very knowledgeable. Bought tickets right at the museum for 3 even though the website said nothing was available. Reduced rates forvstidents and teachers.

Adam Chazanow

An excellent and worthwhile attraction, for both tourists and locals. The museum offers several tours, each based in the building but focused on a different aspect of immigrant life. Our tour was very interesting, well delivered and engaging. Highly recommended!

Shonda Rogers

Love the tenement museum! The docents are very knowledgable and make the tour fun. I have done 2 separate ones (turn of century and 1950's) and both were equally enjoyable and educational. Good for older kids too

raygan hamilton

So cool!! Definitely worth the experience. The rooms were set up so interestingly and the tour guide was fantastic. They had so much interesting information to hear about and copies of documents to see data from the different time periods. Wicked brilliant truly a great time!

Peter Mitchell

We visited the museum twice, on both occasions joining a guided tour. Thank you Scott and Rachel for your excellent presentations.

Monica Peters

This was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had in NYC. It will change the way you look at the city the entire rest of your trip. Very interactive and educational in a fun way. There were kids on our tour and they seemed to enjoy it as much as the adults.

Etai W

Fascinating to see how people lived in NY tenements. Guide seemed a bit tired and hot (understandably), and the front desk staff was brusque and low key rude. If you don't mind that, I'd suggest making a reservation, though at 2 pm on a Tuesday there were plenty of options. You can't self guide, has to be on a guided tour, but it's worth it. Stairs could be hard for elderly folk, but there were chairs offered at each of the rooms we stopped in on the Sweat Shop tour. Glad I did it!

Nick Hickson

I loved the tour and also the guide, although I would love to have seen more and heard a little less. I think the museum focuses on the families and their stories which are fascinating to understand the changes to this area and people through time. That’s wonderful, as it does bring it to life in a way that an unguided tour would not. I guess given the buildings size and the way that they are originally furnished means you cannot let people walk around by themselves as it would all fall apart very quickly. I would give more stars but we saw three furnished rooms which for a family of three at $91.00 is to me a little unrealistic. Although at the last room their was an interactive area bring objects too life but we weren’t given that much time by the guide. I think to really appreciate it all you would have to do more tours but then it becomes unaffordable for a holiday experience. We went to Charles dickens house in London last December which is full furnished to a similar era (and decorated for Christmas) maybe 5 times the size and at leat 1/4 of the price. No guide though. Definitely go and immerse yourself and learn about not just buildings but people - however I’d just like to have seen more of it all

Adrienne Kurtz

Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and interesting. Pricey but worth it. We went on a mild spring day and it was quite warm in the apartments, so we were thankful for the provided hand fans. Our teenage daughter would have found it interesting, but the hour would have been a bit long for our nine year old son.

Manos Tzatz

Great tour, really makes you consider the lives of the immigrants back then

Tromsoewoman62 NORWAY

One of the best museum I have ever been to. Here history comes alive. Highly recommended

Momo Khan

The under one roof tour was amazing. The educator, I think his name was Daryl?? Was really great!

David Ewoldsen

The museum is very nice. They have done a wonderful job of setting up the different tenements so you get a feel for how things were at different times. The guides are wonderful and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend the tour - particularly if you are concerned about issues of poverty and the history of this country.

Suzanne Lynch

This was very interesting though our guide was very young and really didn't know a lot of the facts but it was a good place to visit

B Was

I have been on 4 tours here and I love it so much that I became a member. A wonderful way to learn about our nation's immigrant story.

Kimberly Falk

Excellent tour! Great way to learn about the history of immigration in NYC.

McKell Clayson

It's a beautiful museum but I just would not recommend the "Under one roof" tour. It's 90 minutes and pretty dull/ordinary. I really regret that we didn't chose a more interesting time period.

Scarlet Lopez

Super interesting and informative. The storytelling aspect of education made everything relatable and easy to follow. Worth a visit if you're interested in history.

Michael Buglione

If you've ever wanted to travel back in time, this is the place to go. I went on the "Under one roof" tour with Jim as a tour guide, and she really did a good job of painting a picture of the past and helping you understand what the families of 103 orchard street lives were like. The museam did a wonderful job of recreating the homes the families made there, even getting period correct products and furniture.

Melodie Chipley

Took the "Hard Times" tour during the extreme heat advisory. Tour was set up to cool us off as much as possible but gave us a great perspective into the lives of the two families featured in the tour. I left wishing I had more time to do the other tours. My 6 year old loved learning about both families.

Jackson Coote

A unique experience here. Learned a lot and enjoyed it. Great tour - Staff is amazing. Keeping the review short because there's not much to say but "This is an amazing place."

Laura Niedosik

This place is exceptional. Even my 11 year old daughter, who complains every time we step into a place of historical interest, was fascinated. This is a must do.

Barry Schmell

Amazing museum of a time past, yet still relevant today - immigrants, migrations, cultural change and more. Great video that runs 20 minutes Well worth the price to take a tour of the actual apartments.

Paul Wright

Fantastic experience. We did the Lower East Side walking tour. Very informative Educator and really interesting. Really recommended.

game God

It's a great place for kids it's fun and educational the only thing I don't like is the walking tours

Adam Neubauer

If you have ever been interested in time travel, this is your chance. They do an amazing job of allowing you to step back in time and really visualize what life was like.

Mary Chan

Two of the tours taken were excellent. Would like to return and take a couple of more.

julia Loy

Great for everyone. NYers, visitors- kids and adults. It’s just really special and unique museum that will leave you a changed person knowing how people really clawed their way towards a better life that many of us take for granted. Great gift shop too. All tours guides are super knowledgeable and passionate.

Ally Parzi

I came here on a field trip for an Italian program that I'm attending this summer. The guide was very informed and had answers for all of our questions. She also helped tie the information into our Italian immigration studies despite the fact that the apartment that we visited belonged to a German family. It is a quick visit but definitely worth it if that is a part of history that you're interested in.

Gypsy Starr

I was really excited to do this, we did the Irish Outsiders tour because we are Irish and our ancestors settled in NYC. The tour was extremely disappointing. To be fair, perhaps if we had a different tour guide it would have been better and that is why I am giving it 3 stars instead of 2. Our tour guide was boring, kept using very strange, long pauses in her speech and would not stop inserting her current political beliefs into everything. I am on a history tour - I do not need to hear her opinion on Fox news, current immigration policies or Muslims.

Carroll Calton

Very cool. We did the Sweat Shop Tour. It is a walk through the home and work space of a family in the 1890’s and 1910’s. Incredible to appreciate what people coming to America had to deal with once they started their lives in NYC. The …

Carolyn Wissmiller

Fascinating glimpse at how real people lived just 100-150 years ago. Walking in the footsteps of previous generations lets visitors touch history. Very well organized system for conducting tours with very knowledgeable and engaging guides.

Beck Carlson

Really cool experience and knowledgeable educators. It was a really different museum experience because it wasn't just a recreation inside a museum--we stood in the actual spaces, staged to fit the time periods of the stories.

Laura Boland

We did the Irish tour and the Hard Times tour. Both were so informative and interesting , and what an experience to enter the actual tenements and see their original condition when found in 1988, as well as the portions made to look like the family’s home in their respective time periods. I think the museum does a phenomenal job of allowing visitors to experience the life and stories of these immigrants, which also naturally leads visitors to hone in on the experience of their own families.

John Bryden

Great experience, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and had answers to all questions thrown at her. Highly recommend the tour

Tracey Becker

Terrific experience in the Victoria tour. Learn about immigrant experience in the early 20th century. Colorful and interesting way to convey information

Andrew Betts

I did the shop life tour and found it very interesting. Would have liked a general tour taking in the entire building.

Bob PerkinsDDS

2 tours today and they were amazing. Best museum I’ve been to in NYC. Yes.

Madison Gallagher

Interesting tours and many options for personalized stories of specific families who immigrated to America - deff recommend

AD C

Great guided tours on offer here. Get some history and commentary about the neighborhood and immigration to this part of NYC. Of course a lot depends on the tour guide but in general it'll give you a good sense of the modern beginnings of this up and coming part of the city. Overall a good experience. Recommend the walking tours!

Anna G

First I went to Grand Central Station to see what wealth built. Then I went here to see how the workers live. It was eyeopening. Life wasn’t easy. Before going, check out their website because there are several different tours. Each tour focuses on certain rooms and certain populations so decide beforehand what you want to see. Sign up ahead of time during busy tourist seasons. There are also handicapped accessible tours What I learned? The apartments are tiny - 2 rooms for a family, shared bathroom in hall. Also, in the late 1800’s a family often would start a garment factory right there, in one of their 2 rooms, employing other immigrants.

E Griffin

Really interesting stop in New York. It was an immersive look into history and the tour guide did a wonderful job. Many of the people I was in a group with had decided to do multiple tours having really enjoyed the first one they were on. There’s multiple options and I really liked how visual the experience was. A visit here can help connect the past to current events. Very worth the entrance fee.

Stephanie Light

Amazing. I took the Shop Tour, learned about the mercantile heritage of the building. Host was spectacular, engaging and very knowledgeable. The tours are definitely not dry.

Niek Wiltjer

Best museum in town! Very impressive to walk around in the “original” homes of the immigrant, migrant and refugee families. Guided tours only! Our guide was excellent! She was enthusiastic and willing to answer all our questions. Thanks to her we had a very interactive visit. She motivated us to share our personal stories with the group members.

Brayden Mora

Booking and getting on a tour at the Tenement Museum is a little bewildering. I had bought my tickets online and, checked in at the desk, where I was essentially told to put my bag in a locker and wait 'over there' (pointing in a general direction). We then waited for a moment while perusing their nice store and then had to figure out which tour we were supposed to be on, with guides calling out tour names and waiving little signs. Most visitors were a little lost and double-checking their tickets. We finally got onto our tour and it was great. Our tour included a visit to one of the tenement houses (97 Orchard St). It was pretty short (less than one hour) but very informative and touching. I could see this evoked emotions in the folks on our tour, young and old. Kids actually asked questions. I would strongly recommend a visit to the Tenement Museum if you visit NYC but I would suggest you study your tour selection carefully and maybe give them a call if you are not sure.

Susan Leavitt

Tenement outdoor building tour was fascinating and I learned a lot!

Nicole Santos

Customer service is amazing. From the phone to in person. And it's so well organized and the tours are so educational and still so relevant.

Oleg Koefoed

Went to the Victoria Confino tour and we were all very impressed with the performances, as well as the level of information which made the experience a success with all from 9 to 52 years.

Anthony Le

This is something that I’d never heard of until a few months ago, and it totally blew us away. We did the Under One Roof tour, and it was amazing. The tour guide was informative, and the stories of these families/recreated apartments are very unique.

Psych List

Pro tip: memberships pay for themselves if a family or couple does just two different tours. There are lots of great tours inside the museum and in the fascinating neighborhood. The tenement museum is my favorite museum in NYC. Guides show what life was like for real New Yorkers in different periods from 1830-now.

Liz Graziani

We did the Irish Outsiders tour and it was wonderful. My sister and I were with a cousin who grew up in Ireland. The group was sold out (12) and I believe everyone enjoyed it. It was very informative and gave us a real true feeling of what it must have been like. We became members following the tour and already have another trip planned this year.

Jennifer Norris-Manning

Very unique museum that provides a wonderfully personal experience of a fascinating and diverse neighborhood. We chose the Hard Times tour since this was our first visit. I will definitely never take indie plumbing for granted again! In the future, I definitely want to go on one of their walking tours. Their educators are so informative, and there is so much to see and learn. We'll definitely be back!

Lynn Arneill-Brown

Very well organized and knowledgeable tour guides. So many tours offered pick which one u want ahead of time and make reservations. Actually might want to do more than one.

Jasmine Rivera

Awesome to experience a place of the past...great tour guides!!!

Gloria Li

Really interesting stories of genuine American working class families. This helped me understand more about immigrant families at times of discrimination. Very great exhibit. Worth it.

Ernestine Moran

First time going to the museum and learning about the history

Andrea Balfour

I love this place. We did the Under One Roof tour and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The guide was very informative and I liked that the tour was interactive. I will definitely be back.

John Mueller

Excellent, informative presentation of immigrants' experiences and the importance of immigrants to the fabric of our country.

Noelle Lorraine Williams

My second time here. I love their tour model - including the actors but most importantly the recreation of the apartments from the past! Awesome.

Nancy Brennan

We took 2 excellent tours with about a 90 minute break in between to allow for nearby lunch. It is a fascinating place . We took the guided Hard Times ( the Gumpertz and the Baldizzi families) apartments tour in the morning and the guided Outside the Home neighborhood walking tour in the afternoon. This was a great way to get a feel of living conditions in the diverse community and the surrounding neighborhood. There is no air-conditioning which is why we did this in the fall. If you have difficulty walking or climbing stairs, I suggest you call the museum and find out what works for you.

Kelli Hillmar

Very interesting! Go on a cool day - it's rather warm inside.

Allen Todd

Extremely expensive, I was excited as a history teacher to visit this museum. Then I found out the price, $27.00 per person per floor. There are four floors. For a total of $108.00 per person. $216.00 for both my wife and I. Did I mention that I was a teacher, this price was just too much for me. Imagine I teach about the immigrant experience each year and I cannot afford to visit a museum on the subject.

Wendy Solem

An amazing view of early NYC , the tours offer so much information. I was so impressed that I joined, there are just so many tours and I want to be able to each one!

Christopher Gamache

Very cool. We did the Sweat Shop Tour. It is a walk through the home and work space of a family in the 1890’s and 1910’s. Incredible to appreciate what people coming to America had to deal with once they started their lives in NYC. The opportunity of arriving in America was mostly positive but it was not the end of the story. I liked hearing how each family dealt with their own situation they were presented with once they arrived. How they found ways to assimilate while being true to themselves and their culture. It was intriguing to get a first hand experience of the conditions under which they survived and prospered.

Patrick Cymbalski!

I had a chance to visit the Tenement Museum on a nice Sunday afternoon for the 'Shop Life' tour with Marina and the 'Building on the Lower East Side' with Nick. They were both fantastic guides who really knew their stuff. Both tours had a great narrative and told a wonderful story of the past, the present, and the future of these sites. The 'Shop Life' tour was about 80 minutes and inside the building while the 'Building on the Lower East Side' was two hours. Big shout out to Marina for painting a wonderful picture of this historic tavern owner and to Nick for bringing the buildings of the Lower East Side to life. Thanks!

Tiffany Milligan

A little pricey (at least for someone used to free museums in DC) but well worth it. They do a series of guided tours designed to immerse you in the history of the Lower East Side which has been shaped by multiple immigrant communities. The preserved spaces, the tour guides, and how they share the history through individual stories achieve this very well. Highly recommend.

Rae Rowan

So cool!! Definitely worth the experience. The rooms were set up so interestingly and the tour guide was fantastic. They had so much interesting information to hear about and copies of documents to see data from the different time periods. Wicked brilliant truly a great time!

Chris Hale

Really fantastic museum. I took my parents because I am very interested in immigration history, but we were all amazed by how much it exceeded our expectations. This is definitely a place that brings history to life. I would put this as a top attraction to visit in New York, especially if you are looking for something beyond the usual tourist attractions. Definitely somewhere I'd like to go again.

Everett Wilde

Their programs are well done and engaging. An important piece of history, so easily forgotten in our modern dialogue on immigration. My issue is with the cost. I get it's NYC and things aren't cheap. But when I looked at bringing my family for an upcoming visit to the city, I couldn't budget the $150 for the five of us.

Kerry Gee

If you're contemplating going to the Tenement Museum, then listen to what I say: GO. I am from Florida and the two times I've been I have been happy I went. It belongs on the list of must-do's when you visit NYC, right next to Times Square, the Met, Central Park, and Liberty. You feel like you're in 1910 when you enter the tenement building where the tour is housed. Kids will love it, teens will, too. There are stairs involved but only one flight in the beginning and one in the end. Make the decision to go, it's definitely worth the trip down to that area...Soho, Chinatown, and Little Italy are nearby.

Anne Fernandena

Highly recommend Under One Roof tour for Asian American families especially. The multicultural tour includes interviews with the Wong family whose home is toured as well as interviews with different generations of Chinese Americans in the garment industry. This kind of historic preservation and material specific to the Chinese immigrant experience in mid century America is so rare to find in the US and offers an important perspective for third and fourth generation Asian Americans who do not know much about the original hardships of the older generations.

Phil Green

Fantastic! A real piece of history, full of atmosphere. It gives the visitor a true sense of what life was like for poor but hardworking immigrant families back then. A must-see place to visit!!

Tawny Gutierrez

Very interesting museum. These tours give you insight into the lives of people who have helped build the working class of New York. Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable. The Irish Insiders tour was interesting, but I know some of the others had more information about the families themselves. Thank you for preserving this little piece of history.

Adam Williams

Excellent Hard Times tour by Kat, a very knowledgable & passionate guide. A fascinating insight into the lives of two families living in the same tenement but decades apart. Would highly recommend. Also to add, Kat was also very kind when my wife felt faint in one of the rooms and offered her a chair & water.

Stephen Young

This is such a great experience. Small guided tours that make living in the the different waves of US immigration come alive. We have been here three times on different tours and each was outstanding. What surprised me was the consist quality of the tour guides. Each one we had was amazing.

Meika Ungricht

I learned a lot from the tour. It was cool to connect with others in the group.

Sian Day

This is an amazing experience. I love that the guides are so into their subject, as their enthusiasm makes the whole thing come alive. They're very knowledgeable, and field questions well. We did the Irish immigrants tour, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Brandon Shockey

Beautiful museum and wonderful tours! The guides (or educators) are so well trained and offer a different experience than just talking to you and stating facts. They really try to make you think and put you in the shoes of the people that lived here. A great experience and would highly recommend!

Jamiee Foster

A great museum. The educators are an essential and wonderful part of the museum experience, and I loved hearing Aurora explain the story of the Schneider family and their saloon. Never has history been brought to life for me like this tour!

Ammon Berrios

Really excellent tours. Honestly one of the best museums in NYC. Tours all 60+ minutes and include walking and/or stairs. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance. It's quite hot in there, so bring water.

Steve Roese

Hard to enjoy a museum experience more. Totally worth the time and money. Lots of different tours mean you can return over and over again. Our guide was really helpful in understanding much more than sound bites. ReAlly helpful. They call themselves educators. They are.

Carlos Sterling

This was such a beautiful experience. We did the “Hard Times” tour and we really enjoyed it. The story of the two families were so intimate and colourful. The guide was so passionate about his work and made sure we all felt part of the tour. We will definitely go back on our next trip to NYC.

Fred Marshall

Very moving, very informative. 3 recent generations of immigrant faiy, their living spaces and their stories. Was expecting a focus on 1880 to 1920, but these were all post WW2. Diverse small tour group made it a joy to share stories, too.

Genevieve CS

Super interesting and informative. The storytelling aspect of the education, made everything really relatable and easy to follow. Definitely worth a visit if you're interested in history.

Vanessa McCarthy

We did the sweatshirt tour. Very poor, too many prople to start with and our guide, Clare, seemed to have very little limited knowledge into her subject. Little insight into the period.

Maggie Nguyen

Loved it 20 years ago. Love it now. Highly recommended

jenna bae

I had “Shop Life” tour today. It was fun and informative. I would love to do other tours too. Their gift shop is great for tourists and locals. I strongly recommend here!!

Baraka Porscha

I was accompanied with Delaware William Penn High School students. The museum was very informational and enlightening. Wonderful place to visit.

Dave C

Should be renamed "Tenement Tours." You MUST take prescheduled TOUR, at a specified time, or you will not be able to see anything inside the museum. I was expecting something similar to the Intrepid or Natural History Museum, which allow you to pay to walk through the museum and learn at your own pace. A simple name and marketing change would help this be more clear for tourists. We would not have made the trip had I known what this really was.

Jill Matthews

One of the most interesting tours I’ve ever taken. Add this to your schedule when visiting NY. I did the Hard Times tour. John the tour guide was great. I hope to take other tours next time I visit.

kim cullen

WAY overpriced!! $27/tour, and no tour offered to see the entire museum (to see all floors of the building >$100). In addition, absolutely horrible website is difficult to navigate and even after reading thoroughly, still had to make a phone call to have my question answered. Very disappointing as the history of immigrants is a vital part of American identity.

Jessica vb

This was an amazing experience. Booking a tour is vital as you cannot see the museum without a guide, but the benefit of that is that you are lead from room to room in the tenement building by an extremely knowledgeable guide. There is a lot of lively history recounted and you are encouraged to ask questions - which often have fascinating answers. Absolutely a nyc hidden gem. The gift shop is brilliant too!

Melo’s Island

The people here are very nice actually I know someone that works there and she is the life and blood of this place, Jaraline is absolutely excellent with kids and has a passion for the kids and the program so is one of her coworkers Catherine these two bright individuals are a + +

Kelly Bartel

So interesting I would like to go back!

Todd Waters

The world would be well served by more places like this. I think history is such an important and under-appreciated part of education. The Irish Outsider tour was great. I definitely want to come back someday for the sweatshop workers tour.

Lance Rhodes

The Tenement museum in New York is a must see but you have to book months in advance to make sure you can get in. They have lots of different tours. Great atmosphere inside and a really good gift shop. Definitely recommend.

S A

Really interesting place. A bit pricey for a 75 minute tour, but overall I would recommend it. When booking tix on a phone, be careful which tour you book. I thought I was booking one and ended up with another. Ethan, our guide was great though and we ended up enjoying Shop Life quite a lot.

Caroline Mitchell Carrico

Well-researched and presented information about historic immigration. They do an excellent job relating historic immigration with current immigration issues. Expect to walk.

Yul Yul

Amazing experience! Traveling the time into the life of first immigrants by visiting their apartments and listen to the stories of the guide was an experience that any humans should do and be aware of. Immigration is not about politics, it’s about humans, it’s about all of us. Hard Times tour was really worth it for a first visit. Don’t expect to take photos inside the building since it’s prohibited.

Tom Davis

Informative, expertly guided tour of historic apartment building near Chinatown. 27.00 for about an hour and 15 minutes of one small building is a little pricey

Anastasia Tarassowa

Nice place, but very pricy for the museum in my taste (27$ per person). You get the guided tour for the price (in small groups, minimum 3 persons, I guess), different languages available, as far as I've heard, at least French. All the tours are devoted to different kinds of immigrants, it varies, check the day schedule online or on spot. Nice smart gift shop!

Michael Lorz

I will never look at the lower east side the same way again. So cool to dive into the history of the buildings there and real people's stories. As a local, it's something I'm eager to go back to, to do another one of the many tours that are offered. So cool and interesting.

Kristopher Sevill

My students and I had a tour of the Levine and Baldizzi tenements from SJ! We learned about the Levine garment workshop and the positives and negatives of those who worked in a tenement home versus in a sweatshop factory. We also learned about the conditions of life in a tenement and the challenges new immigrants faced. Since our group was large, our experience included an interactive, classroom lesson before our turn touring the tenements. The educators were informative and engaging for all ages! What a privilege to gain a glimpse of the homes of those who came before us and started the journey here in America.

Luke Mehringer

This is actually really cool. It puts it into perspective of how New York City took shape and explains a lot of why it looks like it does today. It's the evolution of decades of improvements and diverse tenants.

Robert Kraft

The Tenement Museum was the highlight of our most recent visit to New York City. We took the Hard Times tour with David as our guide. It was a remarkable experience, due in no small part to David. Very highly recommended. Don't miss the free movie and the great gift shop.

Jamiel Alexander

Thank you Kristen for the uplifting of our souls through the historical storytelling

Sophia Greb

Interesting place, it was cool! The guides had a great tour and I learned a lot of interesting facts. This can be interesting for New Yorkers as well as for tourists and immigrants.

Mimi Hsu

Love their gift shop. Such unique gifts and pieces that represent NYC. Did not do the walking tour and yet it is on my list for next year.