groups brochure - Lower East Side Tenement Museum

GROUP Programs

About the
Lower East Side
Tenement Museum
The Tenement Museum preserves the history of immigration through the
personal experiences of those who built lives in and around 97 Orchard
Street. Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side – an
immigrant portal for 200 years – 97 Orchard was home to an estimated
7,000 people from over 20 nations between 1863 and 1935.
Museum educators take visitors on guided tours of apartments that
recreate immigrant life in the 19th and 20th centuries. In combination
with building tours, our walking tours explore immigrant life in an
ever-changing neighborhood. These programs offer a glimpse of the
past, and insights into current debates about immigration, cultural
identity, discrimination, and more.
The Tenement Museum is a National Historic Landmark and a
National Trust Historic Site.
How to Visit
the Museum
The Tenement Museum is available by guided tour only.
Group reservations are available during daytime museum hours
or in the evenings when the museum is closed to the public. Each
tour lasts 1-2 hours, depending on the program. Groups can choose
from building tours, walking tours, and special tours that are offered
exclusively in the evenings. Evening events can include multiple
programs and can be scheduled in conjunction with group discussions,
receptions or dinner programs.
A minimum of 15 people is required. Minimum of 45 people required for
weekend evening bookings.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org 1

Programs
Programs are led by experienced educators and are customized for visitors of different ages and abilities.
Please contact us to determine which programs will best suit the needs of your group.
tour
the building
Hard Times
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.
Sweatshop Workers
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.
Irish Outsiders
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.
Tour and Discussion
Tour and Discussion programs are available for our Hard Times, Sweatshop Workers, and Irish
Outsiders tours. Groups can spend extended time in the family apartments and join in on a
discussion about themes arising from the tour.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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Shop Life
Family-run stores filled the lower level of 97 Orchard for over a century. Visit the 1870s German
saloon of John and Caroline Schneider, and use interactive technology to trace the stories of turnof-the-century
kosher butchers Israel and Goldie Lustgarten, 1930s auctioneer Max Marcus, and
1970s undergarment discounters Frances and Sidney Meda.
Exploring 97 Orchard Street
Exclusive evening program
This behind-the-scenes tour explores the architectural layers of history buried 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.
WALK
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Outside the Home
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 Forward building, where socialists fought for worker rights; and PS 42,
where generations of immigrants learned how to be “American.”This tour does not enter any
buildings.
Then and Now
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. This tour does not enter any buildings.
Foods of the Lower East Side
Taste dumplings, fried plantains, cream puffs, and more while exploring how the immigrant
experience has shaped American food. Indoor and outdoor versions of this tour are available.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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storefront stories
For 150 years, people have flocked to the Lower East Side to buy and sell all kinds of goods, and
Orchard Street has long been this shopping district’s busiest and most iconic street. Find out how
merchants and shoppers have navigated this chaotic marketplace for more than a century. This
tour does not enter any buildings.
TASTE OF THE TENEMENT
Embark on a culinary journey of the Lower East Side. As students investigate the neighborhood
restaurants and markets, they sample foods and learn about the role immigrants play within
American food culture. Available for elementary school students only.
Meet
THE RESIDENTS
Victoria Confino
Visit the apartment of a Greek Sephardic family and meet a costumed interpreter playing 14-yearold
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.
Meet Bridget
Travel back to 1868 and help Bridget Moore prepare for her housewarming party. Students talk to
Bridget about her experience as one of only two Irish families at 97 Orchard Street and draw
connections between Bridget’s experience and discrimination today. Available for student
groups only.
Tenement Inspectors
Take on the role of housing inspectors in 1906. Conduct interviews and investigate 97 Orchard
Street to determine if the building is up to code. As students debate who is responsible for taking
care of the building, they think critically about safety and gain the tools to inspect their own
homes today. Available for student groups only.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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victoria at play
Imagine growing up in 1916. Meet Victoria Confino, a 14-year-old immigrant who lives at 97 Orchard
Street, and help her take a family photograph. Students help Victoria stage the picture and
learn about her family life and the challenges immigrants face in developing a new American
identity. Available for student groups only.
LIVE! At the Tenement
Exclusive evening program
“Meet” the residents of 97 Orchard Street. Actors playing characters from the Levine (1897), Rogarshevsky
(1915), Moore (1869), and Baldizzi (1935) families talk to visitors about how they made
their homes in our historic tenement. Learn how culture and community affected how people lived
and what resources they had available to them in a new country.
TASTE
THE FOODS
Tastings at the Tenement
Exclusive evening program
Our Tastings at the Tenement program offers visitors a truly unique museum experience. Groups
start with a visit to the Rogarshevsky apartment, followed by a family-style dinner comprised of
foods from the Lower East Side. Visitors learn about the history of various dishes and how these
foods helped shape American cuisine.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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Group Dining
Dinner Program
Our Tastings at the Tenement program offers visitors a truly unique dining experience. Groups can eat a family-style dinner at the
museum comprised of foods from the Lower East Side, while learning about the history of various dishes and how these foods helped
shape American cuisine.
RECEPTIONS
Beverages and hors d’oeuvres are available for private group receptions. Menu options feature a variety of foods from local Lower East
Side businesses, including Italian meats and cheeses, Chinese dumplings, and other appetizers. Groups are also invited to provide
their own refreshments using our list of preferred vendors. Please contact us for a list of food and beverage options.
LOCAL RESTAURANTS
The Lower East Side features an eclectic mix of restaurants inspired by the neighborhood’s immigrant past.
Katz’s Deli
Classic New York City delicatessen serving famous
pastrami sandwiches.
205 East Houston Street
212-254-2246
katzsdelicatessen.com
Spitzer’s Corner
American gastropub that serves high-quality pub fare.
101 Rivington Street
212-228-0027
spitzerscorner.com
Golden Unicorn
A neighborhood favorite for Cantonese-style cuisine.
18 East Broadway
212-941-0911
goldenunicornrestaurant.com
Sauce
Traditional Italian cuisine made of local, seasonal
and sustainable ingredients.
78-84 Rivington Street
212-420-7700
saucerestaurant.com
Grey Lady
Nantucket-style seafood on the Lower East Side.
77 Delancey Street
646-580-5239
greyladynyc.com
Schiller’s Liquor Bar
Neighborhood restaurant with a continental menu.
131 Rivington Street
212-260-4555
schillersny.com
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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Private Events
All of our tours can be paired with a private
reception for a unique museum experience.
Event spaces are available in our visitor
center at 103 Orchard Street. For larger
events, groups can rent out the first and
second floors of the visitor center, which
includes all three event spaces as well as
our first floor shop space.
Floor Plan
The Hester Room accommodates 15 people for
a lecture or 20 people for a standing reception.
Computer, projection system, and internet
access are available.
The Orchard Room accommodates 65 people for
a seated lecture or 75-80 people for a standing
reception. Computer, projection system, and
internet access are available.
The Delancey Room accommodates 30 people
for a seated lecture or 40 people for a standing
reception. The Delancey Room also features a
prep kitchen equipped with a microwave, refrigerator/freezer,
dishwasher, and convection
oven. Computer, projection system, and internet
access are also available.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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How to Book
Contact Us
Daytime Reservations
Daytime group visits are scheduled during the following
time slots. Only certain programs are available at
specific times during the day. Please contact us for
more information on scheduling and availability.
September 15 – June 30
Monday-Friday: 10:00a, 11:30a, 1:30p, 4:00p
Saturday: 10:00a, 4:00p
Sunday: 10:00a, 11:30a, 2:30p, 4:00p
July 1 – September 14
Monday – Sunday: 10:00a, 4:00p
Daytime group reservations are accepted
according to the following schedule:
Starting April 1st
Reservations accepted for September – November
Starting August 1st
Reservations accepted for December – March
Starting October 1st
Reservations accepted for April – June
Starting March 1st
Reservations accepted for July – August
Daytime slots book up quickly, so early reservations are
recommended. Daytime groups must book at least four
weeks in advance.
Evening Reservations
For evening reservations, please contact Harrison Rivers
at 212.431.0233 x255 or HRivers@tenement.org. Please
provide contact information (name and phone number or
e-mail address), group size, and preferred tour(s).
Evening groups must book at least three weeks in
advance. Reservations are accepted up to a year
in advance.
For group reservations, please contact Harrison Rivers at
212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org.
Location
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is located
at 103 Orchard Street, between Broome Street and
Delancey Street.
By subway
F to Delancey Street, M to Essex Street, or B/D to
Grand Street
By bus
M15 to Delancey and Allen Streets, M9 to Delancey
and Essex Streets
Parking
On-street parking is available. Two hours of free parking
are available from 8am-10pm in the parking lot on
Broome Street between Norfolk and Suffolk Streets,
with museum validation.
Bus parking
Free bus parking is available by reservation through
the Lower East Side Business Improvement District (BID).
Groups should email reservations@lowereastsideny.com
at least 14 days prior to their visit. Include a contact
name, the group’s name, date and time of arrival, phone
number and size of the bus. Groups should receive a
confirmation e-mail if parking is available. All buses
must check in at the attendant’s booth located on
Broome St. between Norfolk St. and Suffolk St.
Reservations: Harrison Rivers at 212-431-0233 x255 or hrivers@tenement.org | Lower East Side Tenement Museum | www.tenement.org
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