Lower East Side Tenement Museum
90 Orchard Street
Manhattan
(212) 431-0233

Summary: Picks up where Ellis Island left off, showing what Manhattan's Lower East Side was like when it was teaming with immigrants in the early part of this century.

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is housed in a building constructed in 1863 by a tailor who invested $6,000 and hoped to make a small profit from the rent he would collect from his tenants, most of whom had just come to America. It was closed 72 years later when its owners found they could no longer make money from the building.

The building was left completely untouched until the boards were taken away from the doors in 1988, much to the pleasure of the people who renovated the building and who now curate it. The first tenement building to be designated as a National Historic Landmark, it is a monument to the lives of millions of struggling immigrants who came to America at the turn of the century and found that the streets were not always "paved with gold."

Who Will Want To Go
American history buffs and descendants of nineteenth and twentieth century immigrants will appreciate what this small museum has to offer. Although the museum is appropriate for school-age children, parents might want to leave their toddlers at home. Even the floors and walls of this museum have to be maintained and cared for, and there is simply no place for youngsters to play.

Once You're There
We recommend that you see the media presentation in the basement of the building as soon as you arrive. It comes in two parts: first you will watch a video called "South of Delancey," which describes the terrible conditions in which many immigrants lived. The presentation includes interviews with former residents, who were immigrants who came to America at the beginning of the twentieth century. Secondly, you will see the slide show, "The Urban Pioneers," which puts the story of 97 Orchard Street in an historical context.

The entire presentation lasts for no more than an hour. Watch the presentation -- it will give you a better understanding of your tour through the museum. But definitely do not come to see the presentation alone. The museum's strength is not this presentation, but the tour guides who are very knowledgeable about the tenement and its history.

The Tour
You will begin by going through the first floor hallway. Notice how narrow the halls are and how dimly lit they are even today. Although it seems as though there is nothing to see in this hallway, your guide will be able to tell you some very interesting facts about these seemingly ordinary walls and ceiling.

There is more to see on the second floor. The guides will tell you stories about how specific families lived here, rather than about how people lived here in general. The museum staff has researched these people's lives and has even been able to speak to some of the descendants of the building's past tenants.

When To Go
We recommend that you avoid the museum on Saturdays, when it tends to be most crowded. We went on a weekday, and even with only thirteen people on our tour of the tenement, we were relatively cramped. Note that to keep the tour numbers low, the museum has a sign-up sheet, and practices a "first come, first served" policy.

How To Get There
By subway, take the F or the J train to Delancey Street. Go west on Delancey Street until you come to Orchard Street. Go down Orchard Street until you reach the Tenement Building.

If you drive, there is free parking available nearby on Broome Street between Norfolk and Suffolk Streets, open from 10 am to 7 pm for a period of up to four hours. The museum will validate the parking. There is also commercial and municipal parking close by.

Surf the Internet to Learn More
For more information about the history of the Lower East Side, or to check out museum hours and admission fees, visit the museum's website.

by Andrew Roche

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