Visiting with family? Family stories are the heart of the Tenement Museum, and our private family tours and programs foster conversation and connection across generations. Through our stories of families at 97 and 103 Orchard Street, explore how stories and objects are passed down, how families change over time, and ways to contribute your family stories to the Tenement Museum.
Family Experiences
For the Whole Family
New!
Tour & Brunch
A special partnership with Russ & Daughters
A private group tour at the Tenement Museum is a truly memorable and unique experience, and the perfect fit for special occasions, family gatherings and more*. After your tour, Russ & Daughters will cater a special Sunday brunch, bringing together two iconic Lower East Side institutions. All receptions are hosted at the Museum.
*Minimum group size of 10.
About Russ & Daughters
In 1907, Joel Russ, a Jewish immigrant from Strzyzow, Poland, lived in a Hester Street tenement and peddled herring from a pushcart. In 1914 he opened a shop on Orchard Street and later in 1920 moved to its current location on East Houston. Joel Russ officially named the business “Russ & Daughters” in 1933 after making his three daughters partners, making it the first known business in the US to have “and daughters” in its name. Still family run by fourth-generation cousins, Josh Russ Tupper and Niki Russ Federman expanded the business to add Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street in 2014 and a Brooklyn location in 2019.
For Young Historians
Meet Victoria
Costumed Interpreter Tour
Step back in time to 1916 for an immersive experience with an actor playing Victoria Confino, a real teenager who immigrated to the United States in 1913! Meet Victoria in her family’s recreated tenement apartment and ask Victoria questions and hear stories about her home in Greece, her journey to the United States, and her experiences as an immigrant in the Lower East Side of 1916. Recommended for visitors ages 5+.
Tickets can be purchased for public tours (available weekends and most holidays). Private group tours are available for $450 for groups of up to 15.
For A “Taste” of the Neighborhood
Make your group visit to the Tenement Museum more memorable with a food experience! Pair your tenement apartment tour with a curated 45-minute program of local tastings or spend the afternoon exploring the neighborhood by taking our food walking tour. Explore how tenement residents both preserved and adapted the food traditions of their homelands, and how generations of street vendors, restaurateurs, home cooks, and grocers sustained communities while shaping wider ideas of American cuisine and identity.
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What families are saying about their visit:
“We had the youngest tour guest – 6 years old – and he loved all the new tastes, which is saying a lot because he’s into mac-and-cheese and chicken strips most days. Thanks for showing him bravery comes in all flavors.”
“I’ve lived in NYC for 21 years, and though I know a lot about the neighborhood, this felt fresh and fun. My kids (9 and 11) loved everything…The cultural history was really fun [and] the ice cream can’t be beat!”
“My 12-year-old son and I loved it and will be back for another tour in the near future!”
In the Shop
Whether you’re visiting in person or browsing online, the Tenement Museum Shop has a rich offering of educational books, activities, games, and toys for children of all ages. Check out some of our favorites!
Books
Tomatoes for Neela
By Padma Lakshmi
$17.99
Neela loves cooking with her amma and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. Embark on an intergenerational journey full of delicious flavors and fun food facts that celebrates a family’s treasured recipes.
Plushies
Small Grey Rhino
$30.00
Your new cuddly adventure companion! Crafted with love and care, this adorable rhino is made from the softest linen fabric.
Games & Activities
Museum in a Book
By Hervé Tullet
$24.99
At once an endlessly playful tabletop exhibition and a hands-on guide to enable one and all to create their very own art, this book is a physical kaleidoscope of the imagination.
FAQs for Families
The Tenement Museum can be a great shared learning experience for families! Guides will make an effort to ensure that children are engaged and have a chance to share thoughts with the group and to ask questions.
However, please be aware that tours and experiences are guided, timed, and mostly conversation-based. To help with the preservation of our historic spaces, we also ask our visitors not to touch objects and surfaces unless they’re invited to by a Museum educator.
Explore the website ahead of time so you can learn a bit about what you will be seeing and think of some questions to ask!
We also recommend arriving 15-30 minutes before your tour to leave time for bathrooms, water breaks, and checking in your belongings in our lockers. There are no bathrooms in the historic tenement apartments, so it’s best to plan ahead.
On the tour, keep close together, and position the smallest people in front so they can easily see and hear their guide and touch objects offered for exploration.
Children ages 5+ are welcome to attend any tour. Families with children younger than 5 are welcome on our Meet Victoria experience and the neighborhood walking tours. The A Union of Hope: 1869 tour is most suitable for children ages 12 and older.
Our recommendations are based on the historical content of the tour and feedback from visiting families in the past. If you have specific questions about the age suitability or content of a tour, please reach out to Visitor Services.
Family groups are always welcome to book private tour experiences, which are not subject to any age restrictions. Private tours must be booked through the Events Department. Submit a private tour request.
Families are welcome to visit with a baby on our family-oriented program, Meet Victoria, and any of the neighborhood walking tours. Children younger than 5, including babies, are not permitted on any other public tour. This policy is in place to ensure the enjoyment and safety of all visitors and staff, as well as to preserve the Museum’s fragile historic exhibit spaces, which are not protected by glasses cases or barriers.
Didn’t find the information you needed? Contact our Visitor Services team at [email protected] or call (877) 975-3786.