What a wonderful experience! Such a gem for the LES, and for us visitors to get a glimpse into life in old Manhattan. Staff was wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable. Will definitely recommend to everyone!
A wonderful experience for tourists and New Yorkers alike. The Tenement Museum shared stories that otherwise would go unheard with care and thoughtfulness.
The best museum in the city! If you are visiting or just live in the neighborhood, it’s a great way to learn more about NYC/LES. The staff is amazing, helpful and caring.
Everyone is always so helpful and all the educators are very knowledgeable regarding the history and context of their subjects
A gem on the LES that is a must see! Thanks to the care and attention to detail, this is truly a walk back in time and an important glimpse into the lives of the working class on which the city was built. The museum brought to life my own family tree in a way that online genealogy sites couldn’t.
The Tenement Museum - their mission, their programs, and their skilled & dedicated staff - are amazing. Its a "must do" on my list whenever I am able to visit NYC.
And during the difficult time of the pandemic, the Tenement Museum's virtual programming were tremendously valuable to me personally - and helped me not to just survive, but to stay positive and keep learning, and to truly feel grateful for all that I have in my life. Hearing the stories of immigrants and their resilience helped me to find that resilience in myself, and to recognize that going through the pandemic wasn't so bad!
In today's challenging world, where we are seeing so much strife and such divisions, the work that the Tenement Museum does is more important than ever. They are doing essential work to build understanding across cultures, to foster respect, and to celebrate our differences, while focusing on all that we have in common with each other.
I am proud to be a member, donor, and participant -- and I am always excited to talk about the incredible work that the Tenement Museum is doing.
THANK YOU to all involved in making the Tenement Museum such a valuable and exceptional resource in our troubled world. And, on a personal note, thank you for your brilliant online programming that has meant so much to me through the pandemic.
Sharon Styve
During the pandemic I became a member of the museum and grateful beneficiary of its fantastic virtual programming which filled a small Alaska kitchen with the trappings of tenement apartments : doilies and frying pans, a plastic-encased sofa! Together we covered it all, love and marriage, conception and birth, work and home, life and death (a musical wake!). On these virtual tours I watched these tiny spaces fill with sorrows and joys, something we need now more than ever in a world on the move and needing a welcome.
I love this museum. Every tour is filled with great information along with compassion and generosity.
I had been told to visit the Tenement Museum when next in New York City (from Omaha, Nebraska). It was a highlight of my visit, though some tours were closed due to high air temperature when I was there. The building and the work on it were fascinating. The docent who took us through was knowledgeable speaker and attentive listener. The combination made the building come alive with echos of the families who'd lived there. I was moved by the history of the buildings which enabled this unique treasure to survive. The Tenement Museum has done a fine job of maintaining connection to those who visited.
A true treasure. The attention to detail in the apartment presentations are flawless. Staff are well informed and deliver an interesting and interactive presentation. Highly recommend visiting!
This is one of the BEST museums in NYC! A true hidden gem....and it really IS hidden. Down on the Lower East Side hidden on Orchard Street, the museum is literally housed in an old tenement. The indoor/tenement tours are fantastic: small in size, hands-on, informative and super interesting for attendees young and old. (-Because we are all immigrants in some fashion) each story is "relatable" to the listener. The outdoor neighborhood walking tours are fun, interesting and informative.If you seek historical truth told through storytelling - the Tenement Museum is excellent and well worth a visit!
I loved this wonderful museum tucked into the small Orchard Street setting in the lower east side of NYC. The tour shows you how Americans lived in times past under tough and crowded city conditions, with poor access to water and sanitation. The guides explain how policy changes were made as a result of these poor living conditions in America.
Review from Guidestar