Tenement Museum

This museum occupies two preserved tenement buildings on Orchard Street and displays restored apartments documenting immigrant life from 1863 to 2011. The rooms are furnished with period pieces and household items that show what daily life was actually like for residents across different eras.

The building was constructed in the 1860s as a tenement for working-class immigrants and housed thousands of families for over 70 years. The museum was established in 1988 after the structure had remained untouched since 1935, preserving its historical condition.

Guided tours reveal how German, Irish, Jewish, Chinese, and Puerto Rican families lived side by side in these apartments, each maintaining their own traditions and languages. The spaces show how different communities shaped the neighborhood's character over generations.

The museum is accessible only through guided tours with limited group sizes that require advance booking. Plan to arrive early or book online in advance, as tours fill up quickly and popular time slots may not be available on the day.

Between 1863 and 1935, the building housed over 15,000 people from approximately 20 different nations, making it a microcosm of American immigration history. This extreme density reveals the crowded conditions most residents of the neighborhood endured daily.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1988

Founders: Ruth J. Abram

Architectural style: Italianate architecture

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-18:00

Phone: +12129828420

Website: https://nps.gov/loea

GPS coordinates: 40.71878,-73.99003

Latest update: December 6, 2025 21:28