PLAN YOUR VISIT
Our Museum
The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in the historic Eldridge Street Synagogue. Built in 1887, it is an architectural marvel and a symbol of immigrant aspirations realized. The building is the first grand synagogue purpose-built by Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the United States, and was nearly lost to neglect before the Museum’s 20-year, $20 million restoration project returned the space to glory and public use.
Visitors are welcome to tour the National Historic Landmark and learn about its time as a cultural hotspot in the bustling Jewish Lower East Side, to its decades of decay, to its miraculous rebirth as a 21st-century Museum in present day Chinatown.
Public tours guided by our docents are available Sunday – Friday at 11AM, 1PM, 2PM, and 3PM.
Visitors may also tour the Museum on their own through a self-guide, available on the Bloomberg Connects app.
Advance registration is strongly encouraged.
Hours & Admissions
HOURS
Sunday - Friday: 10AM - 5PM
CLOSED: Saturday
Special Hours & Closures
Tue, December 31 | CLOSE at 3PM | New Year's Eve Wed, January 1 | CLOSED | New Year's
ADMISSIONS
Adults: $15
Students & Seniors: $10
Children 5 - 17: $8
‘Pay What You Wish’ admission is offered Mondays & Fridays.
*Please note groups 10 people and over must book in advance and pay admission.
Please carefully review our COVID-19 Policies and Procedures before your visit.
The Museum at Eldridge Street offers free admission (with valid ID) to:
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IDNYC cardholders
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Children under 5 (must be accompanied by an adult at all times)
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Federally disabled visitors, plus attendant
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Active duty military personnel and their families, as a proud Blue Star Museum
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SNAP benefits recipients with EBT card or WIC card via Museums for All (valid for four visitors)
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Cool Culture families
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Culture Pass (reserve ticket first through culturepass.nyc)
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Members of Museums Council of New York
Visitor Policies
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Backpacks are not permitted inside the Museum and must be checked.
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Luggage and wheeled bags are not permitted and cannot be checked.
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All bags will be inspected upon arrival. We reserve the right to refuse items.
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Personal transportation devices such as bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards are not permitted and cannot be checked.
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Food and drink are not allowed inside the Museum.
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Animals are not permitted in the Museum. Service dogs are welcome.
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Groups of 10 and over must book tickets in advance. Reserve by clicking here or by emailing contact@eldridgestreet.org.
Photography Policy: You are welcome to take photographs without the use of flash. We encourage visitors to take casual photographs for their own personal, non-commercial use. Personal photos of family and friends in casual clothes and not involving a special photographer or a tripod does not require special permission. However, if you are planning to take posed photographs of people, whether amateur or professional, an appointment is required.
Any photography of people where a separate photographer is present, or a tripod and other ancillary equipment is used to photograph people requires an appointment. This also includes posed photos of people in special event attire and photography related to any wedding, engagement, prom, graduation, maternity photos, ceremony, modeling, etc.
"Amazingly beautiful synagogue, a hidden gem in LES Chinatown. Pay what you wish on Monday & Friday. Friendly staff. Great digital guide with a lot of information. The architecture is a treasure. All the details are just so wonderful and full of rich history."
Christine C, Google Reviews
Directions
Transportation
BUS
M15 to Grand and Allen Streets
Walk two blocks south on Allen Street. Turn right on Canal Street. Walk one block west on Canal Street and turn left on Eldridge Street. The Museum will be on your left. Two-minutes from bus stop)
M15 Select to Hester and Allen Streets
Walk south on Allen Street. Turn right on Canal Street. Walk one block west on Canal Street and turn left on Eldridge Street. The Museum will be on your left. (Two-minutes from bus stop)
Bus service is subject to change. Visit the MTA for up-to-date service information.
SUBWAY
F to East Broadway
Exit at Rutgers Street and Canal. Walk four blocks west on Canal. Turn left on Eldridge Street. The Museum will be on your left. (Five-minute walk from station)
B or D to Grand Street
Walk one block east on Grand Street to Eldridge Street. Turn right on Eldridge and walk south two and a half blocks. The Museum will be on your left. (Five-minute walk from station)
6, N, Q, R, J or Z to Canal Street
Walk east on the north side of Canal Street. Continue past the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. Turn right on Eldridge Street. The Museum will be on your left. (Ten-minute walk from station)
Subway service is subject to change. Visit the MTA for up-to-date service information.
PARKING
Cars
Parking is available on the street or in the following garages:
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Bridgeview Auto Center
26 Forsyth Street (between Canal and Division Streets)
Open 8am – 11pm daily, hourly parking rates apply
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Champion Parking
2 Division Street (between Market Street and Bowery)
Open 24 hours daily, hourly parking rates apply.
Early Bird rates available.
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Imperial Parking
59-63 Allen Street (between Grand and Hester Streets)
Open 24 hours daily, hourly parking rates apply.
School & Tour Buses
We recommend that buses drop off visitors in front of the synagogue and park afterward. There are two options for parking buses in the neighborhood:
Street Parking
Bus parking may be available one block away from the Museum along the Manhattan Bridge on Forsyth Street between Canal and Division Streets. Buses can rest in any available parking spot. Per New York City regulations, drivers must remain in the bus with the engine turned off.
Please note that e-scooters and e-bikes are not permitted in the Museum and may not be stored anywhere in the Museum. Visitors may be denied entry if they wish to bring them in.
Accessibility
We welcome all visitors with disabilities and their caretakers to the Museum at Eldridge Street. Guests are welcome to request accommodations at least two weeks ahead of their planned visit by calling (212) 219-0302 x305 or emailing contact@eldridgestreet.org.
Building Access
All four levels of the Museum at Eldridge Street are fully accessible by ramp and elevator.
The stair-free entrance is on the north side of the building; visitors will enter at the gate indicating accessible entry and press the labeled doorbell to their right.
Public restrooms on the lower level include an accessible stall.
Accommodations
The Museum offers complimentary admission for any personal care attendant accompanying a visitor.
Verbal descriptions or touch tours, and social stories are available upon request. We also offer special tours for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
When booking your visit, communicate all special needs by emailing contact@eldridgestreet.org or calling 212.219.0302. Our staff will work with you to put together an itinerary that best meets your needs and visitation goals. Please reach out to us with special requests at least two weeks in advance of your visit.
Self-Guided Tours
Our digital Self-Guided tour, via Bloomberg Connects, is available in a variety of languages. We offer printed copies in English, Chinese, Spanish, Hebrew, French, Arabic, and Portuguese. We also offer our Self-Guides in braille versions and in English in large format. For assistance accessing one of these guides, please ask at the admissions desk upon your arrival to the Museum.
Assistive-Listening Devices
The Museum offers assistive-listening devices on Docent-Led Tours, Walking Tours, and in-person lectures and other in-person programs at the Museum. For assistance, please contact us two weeks in advance of your visit.
Museum educators offer a range of guided visits for individuals and groups with special needs which must be booked at least two weeks in advance. For more information call (212) 219-0302 x305 or email access@eldridgestreet.org.
COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES
Safety continues to be our top priority. Face masks are recommended for all visitors ages 2+, even if you are vaccinated. In keeping with public health recommendations, we strongly recommend COVID-19 vaccinations for our visitors.
For more information, visit our Covid Policies & Procedures page.
FOOD
The Museum at Eldridge Street does not have a dining facility and does not allow eating inside the Museum.
Customizable Private Group Tours
Private tours allow your family, alumni, students, seniors, staff, or other groups to explore the Museum at Eldridge Street with a dedicated guide. These custom tours are tailored to your group's needs and interests. Looking for school programs? Visit our education page.
We recommend groups to book at least 2 weeks in advance.
Virtual and on-site experiences are currently available.
HISTORY & CULTURE TOUR
Our most popular tour!
Explore the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, the first great house of worship by Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the United States.
This magnificent National Historic Landmark has been lovingly restored and today is a touchstone of the Lower East Side immigrant experience.
Timeframe: 45 - 60 minutes
JEWISH LOWER EAST SIDE WALKING TOUR
Once home to the largest Jewish population in the world, the Lower East Side still bears traces of life at the turn of the last century.
Your knowledgeable guide will lead you to old synagogues, Yiddish newspaper buildings, socialist hot spots and the best pickle shop in New York.
Combined building tour and outside walking tours are also available. Ask about our Lower East Side Food Tours too!
Timeframe: 60 - 90 minutes