Explore the Lower East Side Tenement Museum

103 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002, USA

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Phone +1 877-975-3786

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Tenement Museum Ticketing

• Purchasing advance tickets is highly recommended.
• Tickets can be purchased for same-day tours at the Visitors Center, saving the $2.50 convenience charge, but there is no guarantee tickets will be available.
• American Sign Language Interpreted tours are periodically available.

Essential Information

• Access to the Museum’s Tenement is only available through their 1-hour guided tours. All tours begin at the Visitors Center at 103 Orchard Street.
• Tenement tours require walking up stairs. Check out details for each tour which list how many steps the tour requires.
• No food or drink is allowed on tours, except water.
• Bringing water on hot days is recommended, as it can be very hot (no central a/c), contributing to the authenticity of the tenement experience.
• No photos are allowed inside the tenement.
• The Visitors Center has a great selection of interesting and unique souvenirs at a variety of price points.

Bringing Kids to the Tenement Museum

• All tours are open to children ages 8 and up, except “Irish Outsiders” and “Exploring 97 Orchard Street,” which are open to children ages 12 and up.
• “Meet Victoria Confino” is geared specifically toward children and families and is appropriate for kids ages 5 and up.

About the Lower East Side Tenement Museum

Generations of new immigrants have made the Lower East Side their homes, and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum allows visitors to gain a closer look into their lives and homes. Located at 97 Orchard Street, the Museum’s tenement building housed more than 7,000 people from 20 different countries between 1863 and 1935. The five-story building features 20 individual apartments, and the Museum has meticulously researched and recreated the apartments of four different families who once lived in the structure (they are currently working on a fifth apartment).

A visit to the Museum provides a unique opportunity to see how new immigrants truly lived. While today’s New Yorkers may complain about crowded apartments, the 375 square foot units often housed entire families and simultaneously operated businesses. With details ranging from coin-operated gas meters for heating water to eggs set out for Shiva, the beauty of the Museum lies in its intense attention to detail. Friendly, knowledgeable tour guides not only share the stories of the immigrant families who inhabited 97 Orchard Street but also engage visitors by inviting them to share their own interests and family histories.

The Museum offers various tenement building tours, as well as neighborhood walking tours, accommodating families and visitors in wheelchairs.

• Visitors Center Location: 103 Orchard Street
• Nearest Subways: B/D to Grand Street; F to Delancey Street; J/M/Z to Essex Street
• Phone: 1-877-97-LESTM (1-877-975-3786)
• Website: www.tenement.org
• Ticket Prices:
  • Adults: $25
  • Students/Seniors: $20
  • Children under 6: Free
  • Members: Free
• Hours: The Visitors Center is open daily from 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. and until 8:30 on Thursdays.