11. Louis Armstrong House Museum
Louis Armstrong and his wife lived in this beloved home at 34-56 107th Street in Corona, Queens, in 1943. Now the Louis Armstrong Museum, the home and furnishings are said to be well-preserved from when the Armstrongs lived there. Archives include never-before-heard recordings of Armstrong’s music, and his secret reel-to-reel tapes where he talks about getting caught with marijuana and refusing to play music unless he can smoke without getting caught. Other gems include the den where he wrote letters, the mirrored bathroom, and the gorgeous Japanese-inspired backyard garden.
Amstrong has said that when he thinks of his famous song “What A Wonderful World,” he remembers his time here in his beloved home in Corona. It was the only place where he felt he could be himself when not performing for concerts, retreating to simple pleasures such as playing his saxophone outside for neighborhood children. Guided tours have resumed at the historic Louis Armstrong House Museum. All guests must adhere to COVID-19 social distancing and mask-wearing policies and purchase advanced tickets. The tour capacity caps at four people only and tours are given from Thursday through Saturday, with the first tour beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the last ending at 3:30 p.m.