Lower East Side Tenement Museum facts for kids
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The Tenement Museum
(Tenement buildings at 97 & 103 Orchard St.) |
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(2010)
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 Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in Lower Manhattan
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in New York
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Location in the United States
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| Location | 97 Orchard Street, Manhattan, New York 10002 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 in New York City. It is located on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. This museum is also a National Historic Site.
The museum uses two old apartment buildings, called tenements, at 97 and 103 Orchard Street. These buildings were home to about 15,000 people over many years. These people came from more than 20 different countries between 1863 and 2011. The museum helps visitors understand what it was like to be an immigrant in America. It also teaches about being accepting of others.
Contents
History of the Museum Buildings
The Building at 97 Orchard Street
The building at 97 Orchard Street was built in 1863 by Lukas Glockner, an immigrant from Prussia. Over time, the building was changed many times. These changes were made to follow New York City's housing laws.
When it was first built, the building had 22 apartments. It also had a bar in the basement. Later, some apartments on the ground floor and in the basement became shops. This left 16 apartments.
Changes made over the years included adding indoor plumbing. This meant cold running water and two toilets on each floor. An air shaft was also added for fresh air. Gas lines were installed, and later, electricity.
In 1935, the landlord decided not to make more changes. Instead, the people living there were asked to leave. The upper windows were covered, and the upper floors were sealed off. Only the shops on the ground floor and basement stayed open.
No more changes happened until the Lower East Side Tenement Museum got involved in 1988. Because of this, the building is like a time capsule. It shows how people lived in the 1800s and early 1900s. It also shows how ideas about good housing changed. Some parts of the upper floors are still not safe to visit.
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How the Museum Started
The Tenement Museum was started in 1988 by Ruth J. Abram and Anita Jacobson. The building at 97 Orchard Street was very important. It was named a National Historic Landmark on April 19, 1994.
Later, on November 12, 1998, it became a National Historic Site. The museum owns and runs the site. It works with the National Park Service.
In 2000, the museum received a grant of $250,000 to help preserve the building. In 2001, it won an award for its work in urban excellence. In 2005, the museum received a large grant from the Carnegie Corporation. This money helped many arts and social service groups in New York City.
In 2015, the Tenement Museum's National Historic Site status grew. It now also includes the building at 103 Orchard Street. The current president of the museum is Dr. Annie Polland. She took over in 2021.
What You Can See and Do at the Museum
Exhibits and Tours
The museum has many exhibits and programs. You can take tours of restored apartments and shops. These rooms show what life was like for immigrants. They lived at 97 Orchard Street between 1869 and 1935. Later, at 103 Orchard Street, from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The museum also has a film to watch. You can take tours with actors dressed in costumes. They pretend to be people who used to live in the building. Some tours let you taste foods from different immigrant communities. You can also take walks around the neighborhood.
These tours help you understand how immigrants' lives fit into the bigger story of American history. The museum also has many historical records. It offers different educational programs too.
"Under One Roof" Exhibition
An exhibit called "Under One Roof" opened in December 2017. It is located at 103 Orchard Street, above the Visitor's Center. This exhibit explores the lives of three different families. One was a Holocaust refugee family. Another was a Puerto Rican migrant family. The third was a Chinese immigrant family.
"Reclaiming Black Spaces" Tours
In spring 2021, the museum added "Reclaiming Black Spaces" tours. These are walking and virtual tours. They teach visitors about Black experiences in the Lower East Side.
This idea came from a discovery in the museum's collection. They found information about two men named Joseph Moore. Both lived in NYC and were about the same age. They also had the same job. The main difference was that one was a white Irishman. He lived at 97 Orchard Street, the museum's location. The other was a Black man who lived in a nearby apartment building.
The museum has already recreated the kitchen of the Irish Joseph Moore. They plan to open an apartment showing the home of the Black Joseph Moore and his family. This will be the first permanent exhibit at the museum to show the Black experience.
Important Housing Laws: The Tenement House Acts
Many Tenement House Acts were passed in the 1800s and 1900s. These laws changed living conditions in apartment buildings. Three acts were especially important. They were the Tenement House Act of 1867, 1879, and 1901. The 1901 act is part of the New York State Tenement House Act.
The Tenement House Act of 1867
The first act was the Tenement House Act of 1867. It was also known as "the Old Law." This was the first big housing reform law in the country. It required buildings to have fire escapes. It also said there must be at least one toilet for every 20 tenants. Buildings also had to connect to city sewers if possible. However, many building owners did not follow this law. So, it did not change much at first.
The Tenement House Act of 1879
The second act was the Tenement House Act of 1879. This was also called "the Old Law." It followed the 1867 law. This law made it illegal to build new apartments with inside rooms that had no windows. The 1879 law required all rooms to have a window. This window had to open onto the street, the back yard, or an air shaft. This was also important for tenants to escape in an emergency. This law led to the "dumbbell" tenement design.
The Tenement House Act of 1901
The third act was the Tenement House Act of 1901. This was known as "The New Law." The government realized that many tenement buildings were very dangerous. They were not safe places to live. The 1901 law required buildings to have running water, gas, light, and good ventilation. The "dumbbell" tenement design was made illegal.
Since earlier laws had not improved housing enough, this new law created the Tenement House Department. This department could inspect buildings. They made sure the new rules were followed.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Lower East Side Tenement para niños
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
- Jane Ziegelman, a culinary director and author connected to the museum
- Bialystoker Synagogue
- A Stoop on Orchard Street, a musical inspired by the museum
- Tenement House (Glasgow), a similar museum in Scotland
