Revisit the forgotten theaters of Brooklyn, climb to the top of NYC’s last fire watchtower, and find more ways to explore NYC! Don’t forget, Untapped New York Insiders get $5 off any Untapped New York public walking tours!
The Lost Theaters of Bay Ridge
Wednesday, November 1st – Uncover the Untold Story of the Black Angels
Join Untapped New York’s Chief Exprience Officer Justin Rivers and author Maria Smilios for a peek inside her new book, The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis! In this live virtual talk, Smilios will share the forgotten stories of how these trailblazing nurses broke down racial barriers and provided care for New Yorkers of the early 20th century.
This talk is free for Untapped New York Insiders! Not an Insider yet? Become a member today to gain access to member-exclusive in-person and online events. Use code JOINUS for your first month free!
Thursday, November 2 – Climb the Harlem Fire Watchtower
Admire the views of Marcus Garvey Park from the top of a structure that is the last of its kind. Built in the 1850s, the Harlem Fire Watchtower stands over 45 feet tall and boasts a bell that weighs 5,000 pounds! Rarely open to the public, you can join Untapped New York Insiders and an Urban Parks Ranger for a tour this week!
Friday, November 3rd – Explore the Hidden Gems of Grand Central Terminal
Peer into hidden tennis courts, find out what’s hiding beneath the iconic clock at the center of the main concourse, locate remnants of a lost movie theater, visit an office-turned-speakeasy, and uncover more secrets of this historic train terminal! This tour runs every day of the week.
Friday, November 3rd – Explore the Gilded Age Mansions
Step into the world of HBO’s period drama The Gilded Age and see homes that were once occupied by the real life figures who inspired the show characters like the old money Van Rhijns and nuevo riche Russells. On this tour, you’ll see which manions still stand, check out photos of those that are lost, and even get to step inside a former mansion that now serves a new purpose. This tour will run on Friday and Sunday this week!
Saturday, November 4th – Uncover the Lost Theaters of Brooklyn
Discover which gyms, supermarkets, catering halls and other modern businesses were once movie palaces of the 20th and 19th centuries! On this walk through Bay Ridge, your expert tour guide will reveal the architectural remnants of formerly grand theaters that have since been repurposed for new use. Along the way, you’ll learn about the evolution of the neighborhood and trace the boom and bust of its movie business.
Saturday, November 4 – Track Down the Remnants of Dutch New Amsterdam
Guided by a 17th century map of Manhattan, you’ll trace the island’s original shoreline, stand above what’s left of NYC’s very first City Hall, reach out and touch scars of the American Revolution on the city’s oldest fence, and uncover more tangible relics of New York City’s firs European colony!
Sunday, November 5th – Wander the Abandoned Halls of Ellis Island’s Hospital Complex
Put on a hard hat and venture into the abandoned structures on the lesser-traveled south side of Ellis Island. These 29 buildings once operated as a hospital for those passing through the immigration station. In later years, it served as a Coast Guard base and FBI detention center. Led by a docent from Save Ellis Island, you’ll explore space usually off-limits to the public, like the former autopsy room, laundry room, and contagious disease wards.
Monday, November 6th – Explore NYC’s Underground Subway System
Use a subway car as your own personal time machine as you travel through abandoned stations and trace the evolution of the transit system from its earliest days to the present. Along the way, uncover hidden art installations. forgotten passageways, and quirky historical anecdotes.
Tuesday, November 7th – Join a Curator-Led Tour of the Library for the Performing Arts’ Modern Art Exhibit
Hear the stories of overlooked dancers from the early days of modern dance on a curator led tour of Border Crossings: Exile and American Modern Dance, 1900–1955. This exhibit examines modern dance through an examination of war, exile, inequality, and injustice, constructing a new narrative of 20th century modern dance performance with a fuller, more inclusive history focusing on the exiled and marginalized dancers.
Wednesday, November 8th – Architect-Led Tour of Penn Station’s LIRR Concourse
The renovations the LIRR Concourse at Penn Station has undergone since 2012 have significantly expanded its concourses, opened its underground spaces to the sky, and both widened and heightened existing corridors. Join architects Peter Fajak, AIA, Senior Associate Principal, and Manuel Schmidt, AIA, Associate Principal for a tour of the space where they’ll point out new hidden features of the high-tech concourse, reveal historic remnants you may not be aware of, and explain the thought process behind the innovative design choices made.
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Check out all of our NYC walking tours here!