The holiday season brings with it all kinds of exciting new ways to explore New York City! Join us this week to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the classic poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” see the festive decorations of 5th Ave as you learn about the illustrious street’s mansions, and find more ways to uncover the untapped stories of NYC with our expert guides. Don’t forget, Untapped New York Insiders get $5 off any Untapped New York public walking tours.

Bridges of Gowanus Tour

Gowanus Canal

Wednesday, November 29th – The Bronx Nobody Knows Book Talk

Bronx mural

Uncover hidden gems of the Bronx from the late author Bill Helmreich’s urban guide, The Bronx Nobody Knows! Helmreich spent years walking every street of New York City in all five boroughs. In this virtual talk, his wife and frequent walking partner Helaine will share highlights of the book with Untapped New York’s Cheif Experience Officer Justin Rivers!

This virtual talk is free for Untapped New York Insiders!

Thursday, November 30th – Explore the Hidden Gems of Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal NYC walking tour

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!

Thursday, December 30th – Brooklyn Miniaturists Talk at Center for Brooklyn History

Miniature exhibit at the Center for Brooklyn History

Danny Cortes, Aaron Kinard, and Jack Giambanco have many things in common. They are all longtime Brooklynites, all self-taught artists whose passion for making miniatures took hold in just the last few years, and all make work that represents Brooklyn in stunningly intricate detail. Join them in a conversation about their craft, Brooklyn, and how they found themselves in this world of tiny art. Following the program, meet the artists and enjoy a pop-up exhibit of their work! This free event will take place at the Center for Brooklyn History.

Friday, December 1st – Explore Gilded Age Mansions of 5th Avenue

Ukrainian Institute

Step into the world of HBO’s period drama The Gilded Age and see homes that were once occupied by the real-life millionaires of 19th-century NYC. On this tour, you’ll see which mansions 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, December 2nd – Hard Hat Tour of Ellis Island’s Abandoned Hospital

Ellis Island

Explore the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital complex, once the standard for United States medical care and later transformed into a US Coast Guard base and FBI detention center. Left dormant for nearly 60 years, now, Untapped New York has partnered with Save Ellis Island to create an exclusive behind-the-scenes hard hat tour of the abandoned hospital. Discover the laundry building, contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms, staff house and so much more as you walk in the footsteps of the immigrants who were there a hundred years ago.

Sunday, December 3rd – Bridges of Gowanus Tour

Carroll Street bridge

Discover the past, present, and future of Gowanus as told through its pedestrian bridges and the Culver Viaduct. Moving south to north, you’ll visit the oldest retractable bridge in North America, explore the Gowanus Canal and its mitigation work up close, and learn all about the many changes happening in this rapidly changing Brooklyn neighborhood.

Monday, December 4th – Underground Subway Tour

A tour guide points to a subway map

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.

This tour is offered every Monday through Saturday!

Tuesday, December 5th – The Poet of Christmas Eve Tour

General Theological Seminary

Explore Clement C. Moore’s New York City on a tour of the General Theological Seminary and the park named after the writer of the classic holiday poem, Twas the Night Before Christmas. You’ll enjoy a complimentary hot chocolate and go home with your own copy of the tale, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year!

This tour is $10 for Untapped New York Insiders!

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