Does anyone have experience with the Tenement Museum Combo tour? It looks like they space the two combined tours apart by about an hour or so.

So if your first tour begins at 2:20, it ends around 2:50, but your second tour does not begin until 4:00.

Any idea why there is this gap between the tours?

I'd like to do a combo tour on a Thursday in August, then have dinner in Alphabet City, so the timing is probably ok. I'm just wondering what I'm supposed to do for the hour between tours. Hang out? Use the facilities? Shop? Other?

Well, as a fan of the movie Crossing Delancy, I'd look for the pickle store -

http://web.honorscollege.cuny.edu/st...ina/index.html

Here's another reference mentioning the tenement museum -
http://nymag.com/listings/stores/guss_pickles/

You will want to cool off somewhere--the tenement museum is a fabulous experience, and it gives you a full appreciation of the lack of light and air in dwelling places earlier in this country. We were PANTING after only one tour, I can't imagine doing two without a little duck into air-conditioning for a cold drink!

You'd better check on the length of the tours; I think most of them are about an hour.

I thought every tour was an hour in length -
but if the times have changed and you have any breaks there is no issue filling the time:

you can watch the film on immigration inthe facility center - about 20 minutes or so -

browse thru the facilities bookstore

walk Delancey/Ludlow/ Orchard Street and look at stores/galleries - get an ice cream or cold drink in one of the cafes -

the Gallery Bar at 120 Orchard St is always fun -
a gallery by day that becomes a bar at night - cool decor and usually a funky exhibit

I like the store Renato Vasconcelos at 166 orchard
- website is
www.RenatoVasconcelos.com
I particularly like his earrings b/c I can wear the designs even though they are large - b/c they are so light

You'd better check on the length of the tours; I think most of them are about an hour.


Thank you! You are correct. I kept reading the bit about tours beginning every 1/2 hour. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. The timing makes much more sense now too.

Since that's the case, I'll probably just opt for one tour.

Thank you everyone who posted ideas of interesting things to do in the area! I'm loving the pickle place and gallery bar ideas!

Watch the movie Crossing Delancy too!

Another reason for not taking 2 tours back to back is the fact that you are standing for the whole hour. WHen I was there someone wanted to take 2 tours and they strongly advised against it as it was hard enough to stand for one whole hour. I agree with Escargot that the movie and area will provide you with enough ways to fill in your time if you take the Combo.

yeah, the movies and pickles are good, but for something really great:
http://www.laboratoriodelgelato.com
right up the block from the museum.

Widely acknowledged to be the best in Manhattan - although supposedly the new Grom store on the UWS is giving the Lab a run for it's money . . . . and I do love the gelato at Otto . . . . so much ice cream, so little time.