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The Tenement Museum tells the uniquely American stories of immigrants, migrants, and refugees in the ongoing creation of our nation. The Museum explores identity, public policy, urban development, architecture, and other themes, past and present, through the true stories of the ordinary families who lived in two historic tenement buildings at 97 and 103 Orchard and the people of the Lower East Side neighborhood.

Explore the stories that serve as the foundation of the Tenement Museum. From digital exhibits to behind-the-scenes articles to our award-winning podcast, you will find yourself immersed in the stories that make the Museum so unique.

Black and white photo of two children wearing face masks in the early 1900s.

Digital Exhibits

Visit the Tenement Museum’s interactive, digital exhibits, which provide a fascinating, in-depth historical look at life on the Lower East Side. Current exhibits include Brick by Brick: The Many Lives of 103 Orchard Street, In Praise of Stuff: The Tenement Museum’s Collections, Beyond Statistics: Living in a Pandemic, Tenement Women: Agents of Change, and The Census: Reading Between the Lines.

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Video Stories

Check out our archive of past virtual and in-person events, including family activities, book talks, teacher workshops, panel discussions, and more.

Watch Past Events
Art depicting a busy street scene with overlaid text that reads "Postcards from the Lower East Side"

Tenement Museum Blog

Explore exciting new reads on our blog, covering a range of topics, and written by long-time Tenement Museum Staffers.

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Close up view of various colorfully patterned layers of old wallpaper

Behind the Wallpaper

With the support of our members, we have opened up exclusive behind the scenes content to the public. Browse in-depth articles and explore objects from our collection.

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Listen to Featured Podcast Episodes

Hear the American stories not shared in your standard history book on featured episodes of “How To Be American,” a Tenement Museum Podcast.

Black and white portrait of Maritcha Lyons, a Black female educator, in formal dress

Burial Grounds

Communities don’t always have all the facts they need to reconstruct past realities, nor do institutions have all the histories to preserve the past. In this episode, we’ll uncover a Pre-Harlem World that’s been buried for more than 156 years.

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Drawing of a woman with medium-brown skin tone in front of an American flag, the Statue of Liberty, and the silhouettes of refugees

I Would Cross a Million Borders

Explore how two women, one during the 20s and one just a few years ago, navigated the American immigration system and all its pitfalls.

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A group of young adults play stickball on the street. The batter takes a swing as the catcher and umpire wait expectantly behind

Our Game

Explore the history of stickball with baseball historians and stickball players and learn about the significance of being able to turn city streets and the sides of buildings into your very own ‘field of dreams’.

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2023 Spring Gala

Rebuilding Our Foundations

This year’s gala explores the very beginnings of the Museum, and the transformation of a humble tenement into a pathbreaking museum.

With two ways to join — virtually or in-person — hear from our Co-Founder Anita Jacobson, Gala honoree Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and more! This festive evening welcomes you back to 97 Orchard — its foundations and the stories that keep us coming back.

Join Us
Two adults smiling, one holding a U.S. Citizenship Certificate and an American flag while the other holds a Tenement Museum pamphlet

Immigration in America

Discover the role that immigration has played in shaping our nation.

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A pair of children's boots on a chair. They're made of brown and black leather, with black buttons and light decorative stitch designs.

Your Story, Our Story

Discover and share stories of immigration and migration of the past and present in this digital experience.

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Sharing Stories of the Tenement Experience

Black and white photo of 2 children and 2 adults ordering food at a "Sabrett" hot dog stand

The Lower East Side

The Lower East Side has been home to an incredibly diverse set of immigrants and migrants dating back to the 1800s.

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Black and white photo of a young Josephine Baldizzi carrying a baby with a young Johnny Baldizzi on the right, all smiling

97 Orchard Street

97 Orchard Street is a historic tenement that was home to an estimated 7,000 people from over 20 nations between 1863 and 1935.

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Ms. Wong, an Asian woman with short black hair, puts her arm around her young son Kevin who smiles.

103 Orchard Street

103 Orchard Street was home to more than 10,000 people who reflected the diverse immigrant and migrant populations of the Lower East Side from 1888 to present day.

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