The Tenement Museum Reopens its National Historical Landmark at 97 Orchard Street after a Year-Long Preservation

The Tenement Museum, the iconic New York institution devoted to sharing the stories of the immigrants, migrants and refugees who built New York and America, reopened its national historic landmark at 97 Orchard Street today after a year-long preservation.  

The once-in-a-lifetime construction project strengthened the 160-year-old building – protecting original features and finishes and comprehensively supporting the building’s ongoing use for the safety and comfort of visitors. The project reinforced key interior structures, repointed and repaired the brick of the historic facade, installed an HVAC system to deliver passive air through 1905 air shafts, and specifically designed historic windows to include state-of-the-art UV filtration to help preserve the recreated apartments.  

The renovation will support the opening of the fifth floor of the building for the first time in the Museum’s history. Its newest permanent exhibit, A Union of Hope: 1869, will launch in December in the newly opened space, delving into the story of Joseph and Rachel Moore, a Black family who lived in a rear tenement in modern-day SoHo.

“In 2020 and 2021, there was real uncertainty around the future of our city’s cultural institutions, the Tenement Museum not least among them. The reopening of 97 Orchard Street is in so many ways a celebration of how far we’ve been able to come in just a few short years,” said Annie Polland, President of the Tenement Museum.  “As our city works to support an influx of migrants, it is also an urgent reminder of the crucial role of immigrants in our city. We learn by examining our past that New York is a city built and sustained by immigrants; we hope to carry that knowledge into the future.”

The Tenement Museum was founded with a goal to share the stories of diverse immigrant, migrant, and refugee families to build knowledge, empathy, and connection in the world today. The completion of its once-in-a-generation preservation project protected original features and finishes and comprehensively supported the building’s ongoing use for the safety and comfort of visitors. Alongside the launch of its reimagined tours, and the impending opening of its new exhibit, the museum is now best positioned to fully realize its founding mission.

With stories spanning over a century, the Tenement Museum now brings to life family stories from China, Eastern Europe, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Russia, offering a unique window into our shared American story and underscoring the pluralism at the heart of both New York City and the larger United States. 

About the Tenement Museum 

Since 1988, the Tenement Museum has forged emotional connections between visitors and immigrants past and present, through educator-led tours of its two historic tenement buildings on Orchard Street and the surrounding neighborhood, enhancing appreciation for the vital role immigrants and migrants play in shaping America’s identity. The museum has become one of New York City’s preeminent cultural and educational institutions, welcoming more than 200,000 visitors including students.