Made possible by The David Berg Foundation

Family-run stores filled the lower level of 97 Orchard for over a century, where they struggled to adapt to an ever-changing neighborhood and achieve the American Dream. Visit the 1870s German saloon of John and Caroline Schneider, and use interactive media to trace the stories of turn-of-the-century kosher butchers, a 1930s auctioneer, and 1970s undergarment discounters.

Limited Wheelchair Capacity
Call 1-877-97LESTM in advance for wheelchair tickets.

Ground floor - 90 minutes - Recommended Ages 12+

Pay a visit to the Levine family's garment workshop and the Rogarshevskys' Sabbath table at the turn of the 20th century, when the Lower East Side was the most densely populated place in the world. Explore how immigrants balanced work, family and religion at a time of great change.

3rd Floor - 1 Hour - Recommended Ages 8 +

Discover how immigrants survived economic depressions at 97 Orchard Street between 1863 and 1935. Visit the restored homes of the German-Jewish Gumpertz family, whose patriarch disappeared during the Panic of 1873, and the Italian-Catholic Baldizzi family, who lived through the Great Depression.

2nd Floor - 1 Hour - Recommended Ages 8 +

Experience the heart of the immigrant saga through the music of Irish America, then tour the restored home of the Moore family, Irish-Catholic immigrants who left their home in the Five Points to start a new life in Kleindeutschland. Explore how this family dealt with being 'outsiders' in 97 Orchard and how they coped with the death of their child in 1869.

4th Floor - 1 Hour - Recommended Ages 12 +

Spend extended time inside the Levine and Rogarshevsky apartments and join in a discussion about themes arising from the tour. Share your experiences, thoughts and family histories with your educator and fellow visitors.

3rd Floor - 2 Hours - Recommended Ages 12 +

Spend extended time inside the Gumpertz and Baldizzi apartments and join in a discussion about themes arising from the tour. Share your experiences, thoughts and family histories with your educator and fellow visitors.

2nd Floor - 2 Hours - Recommended Ages 12 +

 Go behind the scenes at the Tenement Museum and explore the layers of history in the tenement’s physical fabric. Learn how legislation and fashion spurred landlords and tenants to leave their mark on the building, and how paint experts, wallpaper conservators and urban archeologists "read" these layers to uncover 97 Orchard's stories.
* Offered only on Thursdays

1st, 2nd, & 4th Floors - 90 Minutes - Recommended Ages 12+

made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation

Visit the apartment of a Greek Sephardic family and meet a costumed interpreter playing 14-year-old Victoria Confino, who lived in the tenement in 1916. Visitors take on the role of newly arrived immigrants, and ask Victoria questions about adjusting to life on the Lower East Side . Designed for families, this tour allows visitors to handle household objects. 

Meet Victoria Confino is recommended for visitors with low vision.

1st Floor - 1 Hour - Recommended Ages 5 +

Taste dumplings, fried plantains, cream puffs and more while exploring the immigrant experience and some of the ways immigrant foods have shaped American food. Note: This tour does not enter any buildings, other than a short introduction and conclusion in our Visitors Center.

*An alternate indoor version is offered on Thursday evenings at 6:30.

Limited Wheelchair Capacity
Call 1-877-97LESTM in advance for wheelchair tickets.

2 Hours - Recommended Ages 8 +

See the Lower East Side through the eyes of the immigrants who have lived here for 150 years. Discover the towering Jarmulowsky Bank building, where immigrants deposited (and eventually lost) their life savings; the Daily Forward building, where socialists fought for worker rights; and PS 42, where generations of immigrants learned how to be "American." [Note: This tour does not enter any buildings.]

Limited Wheelchair Capacity
Call 1-877-97LESTM in advance for wheelchair tickets.

1 Hour 30 Minutes - Recommended Ages 8 +

For generations of immigrants, the Lower East Side wasn't just a place to find a cheap home. It was also where they learned how to start a business, build a congregation, educate their children, and lobby the government. Discover the fascinating history of this neighborhood and find out why it�s such an ever-changing mix of the old and the new. [Note: This tour does not enter any buildings.]

Limited Wheelchair Capacity
Call 1-877-97LESTM in advance for wheelchair tickets.

2 Hours - Recommended Ages 8 +