Ellis Island Hospital Hard Hat Tour

Explore / New York / Walking & Food Tours

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. It has been left to decay for nearly 60 years. Now, Untapped New York partnered with Save Ellis Island to create an exclusive behind-the-scenes hard hat tour of the abandoned hospital. On this experience, you will 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. While exploring the buildings you will also see several life-size photographs of immigrants pasted on the walls of the abandoned buildings. They are part of JR’s exhibition “Unframed – Ellis Island”.

The 29-building South Side hospital complex is hidden in plain sight, just to the left of disembarking passengers headed towards the Great Hall. Looking at its desolate, skeletal frame now, it’s difficult to imagine its backstory as one of the largest public health undertakings in American history. Join us for our upcoming Ellis Island hospital tour, guided by a Save Ellis Island docent, where we’ll uncover its many, buried secrets.

Save Ellis Island is a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise the funds needed to rehabilitate and repurpose the twenty-nine historic buildings on the south side of Ellis Island for a new and exciting purpose. Your tickets directly contribute to the restorations efforts, so thank you!


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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. It has been left to decay for nearly 60 years. Now, Untapped New York partnered with Save Ellis Island to create an exclusive behind-the-scenes hard hat tour of the abandoned hospital. On this experience, you will 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. While exploring the buildings you will also see several life-size photographs of immigrants pasted on the walls of the abandoned buildings. They are part of JR’s exhibition “Unframed – Ellis Island”.

The 29-building South Side hospital complex is hidden in plain sight, just to the left of disembarking passengers headed towards the Great Hall. Looking at its desolate, skeletal frame now, it’s difficult to imagine its backstory as one of the largest public health undertakings in American history. Join us for our upcoming Ellis Island hospital tour, guided by a Save Ellis Island docent, where we’ll uncover its many, buried secrets.

Save Ellis Island is a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise the funds needed to rehabilitate and repurpose the twenty-nine historic buildings on the south side of Ellis Island for a new and exciting purpose. Your tickets directly contribute to the restorations efforts, so thank you!


  • Exclusive hard hat tour inside the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital, in partnership with Save Ellis Island

  • Access buildings usually off-limits to the public

  • Discover the history of this hospital, once the standard for the U.S. medical care and abandoned since 1954

  • See what life was like in the hospital as you explore the laundry building, contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms, staff house and more

  • Your tickets include: Round trip ferry tickets to and from Ellis Island, access to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, exclusive hard hat tour inside the abandoned hospital

Normally

$95.40

Important information

  • You will need to be at the ferry terminal (Castle Clinton, Manhattan or Liberty State Park, NJ) at least 2 hours prior to the start of the tour to go through airport style security and board the ferry to Ellis Island.
  • All participants must sign waiver upon arrival.
  • No children under 10 years old.
  • No scooters, wheelchairs or walkers.
  • All participants must wear closed toe and closed heel shoes.
  • All participants must wear a face mask (until further notice).
  • All guests must remain with the guide at all times.
  • Everyone must wear a hard hat for the duration of the tour.
  • Hard Hats provided at the beginning of the tour.
  • Guests may take photographs, but tripods, monopods or filming are not allowed.
  • While there are a lot of opportunities to take photos on this tour, this is not a photo tour and guests are expected to stay together as a group.
  • Unfortunately this tour is not ADA accessible.
  • This tour is mostly indoors.
  • This tour will be led by a Save Ellis Island docent.

Address

  • Meeting Point: The tour meets at the information desk located on the ground floor of the Ellis Island Museum adjacent to the National Park Service information desk. When you get to the meeting location, we will need your first and last name to check you in.

    How To Get There: You get to Ellis Island by ferry from either Castle Clinton, Manhattan or Liberty State Park, NJ. Your ferry tickets to and from Ellis Island are included in the price of this tour, and you will receive them by email the week leading up to your tour. Please print them to board the ferry.

    Departure from Castle Clinton, Manhattan:
    If your tour starts at 2pm on Ellis Island please arrive at Castle Clinton, Manhattan

Opening Hours

Duration: 1.5 Hours

Instructions

  • Present your digital ticket upon arrival on your reserved date and time.

Cancellation Policy

Unused tickets may be refunded up to 72 hours prior to scheduled tour date.

Normally

$95.40

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