Lower East Side Tenement Museum facts for kids
|
The Tenement Museum
(Tenement buildings at 97 & 103 Orchard St.) |
|
The museum building at 97 Orchard Street in 2010.
|
|
 Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in Lower Manhattan
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in New York City
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in New York
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 97 Orchard Street, Manhattan, New York 10002 |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.0925 acres (4,030 sq ft; 374 m2) |
| Built | 1863 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000556 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1992 |
| Designated NHL | April 19, 1994 |
| Designated NHS | November 12, 1998 |
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is a special museum and a National Historic Site in New York City. It is located in two old apartment buildings, called tenements, at 97 and 103 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
These buildings were once home to about 15,000 immigrants from more than 20 different countries. People lived at 97 Orchard Street from 1863 to 1935, and at 103 Orchard Street from 1888 to 2015. The museum teaches visitors about the lives of these immigrants and helps us understand their experiences.
Contents
History of the Museum
What is a Tenement Building?
The building at 97 Orchard Street was built in 1863 by Lukas Glockner, an immigrant from Prussia. A tenement is a type of apartment building that was common in cities during the 19th and early 20th centuries. They often housed many families in small spaces.
When it was first built, 97 Orchard Street had 22 apartments and a saloon in the basement. Over the years, some apartments were turned into shops. The building changed to follow new laws called the Tenement House Acts. These laws required better living conditions, like adding indoor plumbing, toilets on each floor, and better airflow.
In 1935, the landlord decided it was too expensive to keep updating the building. Instead, he asked all the residents to leave and sealed up the upper floors. Because of this, the apartments were left untouched for many years, like a time capsule. This allows us to see exactly how people lived long ago.
How the Museum Was Created
.jpg)
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum was started in 1988 by Ruth J. Abram and Anita Jacobson. They wanted to preserve the building and share the stories of the families who lived there. In 1988, they began the process of turning the building into a museum.
Because of its importance, 97 Orchard Street was named a National Historic Landmark in 1994. This means it is a special place in American history. The museum is connected to the National Park Service but is run by its own organization. Over the years, it has received awards and grants to help preserve the buildings and continue its work.
In 2015, the museum expanded to include the building next door at 103 Orchard Street. This allowed the museum to tell even more stories about immigrant families.
What to See at the Museum
The museum offers tours of restored apartments and shops. These rooms are set up to look just like they did when immigrant families lived in them. You can see how people lived between the 1860s and the 1980s.
Apartment and Neighborhood Tours
Visitors can take guided tours to learn about the real families who lived in the buildings. Some tours even have actors in costume who play the parts of former residents. You can also go on neighborhood walking tours to see where these families worked, shopped, and prayed.
The museum's tours connect the personal stories of immigrants to the bigger story of American history. They show the challenges people faced and the communities they built.
New Exhibits and Stories
The museum is always finding new stories to tell.
- Under One Roof: This exhibit, which opened in 2017, is located at 103 Orchard Street. It tells the stories of three different families: a family who escaped The Holocaust, a family who moved from Puerto Rico, and a family who immigrated from China.
- Reclaiming Black Spaces: In 2021, the museum added a tour about the lives of Black New Yorkers on the Lower East Side. This was inspired by the discovery of a man named Joseph Moore, a Black man who lived in a nearby tenement. The museum created an exhibit about his family's life, showing that the immigrant story includes people from all backgrounds.
The Museum Buildings and the Law
The design of the museum's buildings was shaped by laws meant to make housing safer.
- The building at 97 Orchard Street was built before the first major law in 1867. At first, it had no running water or toilets inside the apartments. Many rooms had no windows for fresh air or light.
- Later laws, like the 1879 act and the 1901 act, required major changes. Landlords had to add windows to inside rooms, build air shafts for ventilation, and install running water, gas, and toilets.
These changes show how ideas about safe and healthy housing evolved over time. Visiting the Tenement Museum lets you see these changes firsthand.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Lower East Side Tenement para niños
