FAQs

Below are frequently asked questions for individuals visiting the Tenement Museum.

Didn’t find the information you needed in our FAQs? See our Plan A Visit page or email us.

Planning A Visit

The Tenement Museum is a National Historic Landmark. Unlike many museums, our exhibits are not contained within glass vitrines or surrounded by velvet ropes. Please help us preserve this landmark by adhering to the following rules for the duration of a visit:

  • Masks are no longer required, but are strongly recommended for all Museum visitors. Children under 5 are not permitted on tenement apartment tours, but are encouraged to attend a neighborhood walking tour or virtual programs and events.
  • Large bags, backpacks, or luggage are not permitted inside 97 Orchard Street. If you have large bags, they can be stored in lockers in the Visitor Center. Please allow enough time to store your bags before the tour.
  • Eating, gum-chewing, and drinking are not permitted inside exhibit spaces.
  • Service dogs are welcome on all tours. Pets and emotional support animals are not permitted inside of our tenement buildings.
  • Cellphones and other electronic devices should be turned to silent prior to the start of your tour.
  • Please stay with your educator at all times. In the case of an emergency, your educator call for a staff member to escort you out of the building.
  • Please do not touch walls, objects, or other areas of the building unless invited to do so by our educators.
  • Photography is permitted on tours, but we ask that visitors do so in a way that does not distract fellow visitors or the educator giving the tour. Members of the press should contact Jamie Salen at [email protected] for press tickets.

We recommend purchasing tickets in advance through our website, over email at [email protected], or by contacting our call center at 1-877-975-3786 during business hours (Open 10:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday-Saturday).

Tickets are also sold at the Museum Shop and Visitor Center on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for visitors using a wheelchair or walker must be reserved through our call center at 1-877-975-3786.

All tickets are $30 per person, per tour. Please email [email protected] for discounts available to military members, NY museum employees, and members of the AAM and National Historic Trust.

NY Teachers: Get free admission on Sundays! Use code TEACHNY and get 1 free ticket per order.
A valid school ID or email needs to be shown when picking up tickets. Only applies to tours on Sundays.

Many of our tours sell out, so advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended – especially during weekends and holiday seasons, if you are visiting with a group of 5 or more, or you are on a tight schedule.

After adding your desired tickets to your order, press the shopping bag icon (🛍️) next to the Checkout button on the lower left side of the screen. A summary of your cart will appear.

Choose “Apply a promo code” and enter the discount code – then click “Apply“.

The discount will then be subtracted automatically from your total!

Yes. The website lists the number of tickets available for each tour. If it states “Tickets available at the museum on a first-come, first-serve basis” then the tour is only available for sale onsite in the Museum Shop and Visitor Center on the day of the tour.

A limited version of our upcoming tour schedule is posted 2 weeks prior to the 1st of every month, with an additional select number of programs added on a rolling basis every Thursday.

We recognize the diverse needs of our audience and are committed to enabling all visitors to explore the im/migrant experiences we interpret at the Museum. View a complete list of our accessible programs and services on our accessibility page.

All of our current apartment exhibits (including those temporarily moved to our second tenement at 103 Orchard Street) are fully air-conditioned. The Museum Shop, Visitor Center, and theater are also air-conditioned.

All visitors are permitted to drink bottled water on their tour to stay cool.

Tickets are non-refundable or exchangeable. Visitor Center staff can catch up visitors to most tours up to 15 minutes after the start time.

For the fastest response to general inquiries, please email [email protected] to reach a Visitor Services representative.

Per Museum policy, tours with less than 2 visitors may be canceled. In the event of a tour cancellation, a visitor will be offered the next available tour or refunded in full.

Service dogs are welcome on all museum tours. Pets and emotional support animals are not allowed inside our tenement buildings, but can be brought on outdoor neighborhood walking tours.

We ask for visitors to leash and clean up after their pets. During your visit, pets cannot be left unattended or placed in the care of our staff.

Your tour will be led by an Educator, an employee of the Tenement Museum. Tips are not solicited or expected. If you would like to show your appreciation you are welcome to leave feedback online, through our post-visit survey, or in the Visitor Center. You are also welcome to leave a donation in the Visitor Center or through our website.

The Museum does not have any eating facilities. Water and select soft drinks are available for sale in our Museum Shop located at 103 Orchard Street. The Lower East Side is also home to a number of excellent restaurants. Feel free to ask Visitor Center staff for suggestions when you come for your tour.

The Tenement Museum does not offer onsite parking. Metered street parking is available, but limited. Please allow a lot of additional time to find parking if you require it. The nearest parking lot is Essex Street Municipal Parking, located at 109 Essex St, New York, NY 10002.

We recommend visitors travel using public transit over driving.

By Subway   B/D/F/M/J/Z

The closest subway lines are the B and D at Grand Street, the F at Delancey Street, and the J, M, and Z at Essex Street. For detailed directions, visit our Plan a Visit page.

Subway service can sometimes change. Please check the MTA website for service updates before heading to the Tenement Museum.

By Bus   M15

The M15 and Sightseeing buses stop at the corner of Grand and Allen Streets, one block east of Orchard Street.

Choosing A Tour

Yes, the Tenement Museum is accessible by guided tours and experiences only. Reservations are recommended for all tours.

Tours begin and end at the Museum Shop and Visitor Center, located at 103 Orchard Street, on the corner of Delancey Street.

Most tours are between one and two hours long. If you’d like to take more than one tour in a day, we recommend combining a building tour with a neighborhood walking tour and leaving 15 minutes between scheduled tours. All tickets are $30 per person, per tour.

You can contact our call center for assistance at 1-877-975-3786.

To enhance your experience, we recommend combining a building tour with a neighborhood walking tour after watching our films – available to view in our theater. We also have one of the most popular book/gift shops in NYC, so leave yourself time to browse and shop!

Feel free to email us at [email protected] for local restaurant and “things to do” recommendations!

Information for Families

While children under the age of 5 are welcome inside our Shop, Visitor Center, and Theater, they are not permitted on our apartment tours. Instead, we encourage families with younger children to take one of our outdoor walking tours or join a virtual event.

For children ages 5-12, we also recommend 100 Years Apart.

Feel free to email us at [email protected] for restaurant recommendations and sightseeing ideas!