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Abandoned Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour
- 4 hours
- Small Groups (Max 15)
- Free Cancellation (72h)
- $96 per person
Tour Highlights
- The Abandoned Wards: Walk the hospital complex on Ellis Island’s south side, abandoned since 1954 and off-limits to the general public.
- Contagious Disease Wards and the Morgue: Enter rooms that held sick and dying immigrants, from the contagious disease wards to the autopsy rooms and the former morgue.
- Fewer Than 10,000 Visitors a Year: Most of Ellis Island’s south side is inaccessible. This tour is one of the only ways inside a site that receives a fraction of the visitors the main museum does.
- JR’s “Unframed” Exhibition: See life-size photographs of immigrants superimposed onto the crumbling walls of the hospital buildings by artist JR.
- From Model Hospital to Federal Ruin: Learn the full history, from America’s most advanced public health complex to US Coast Guard base to FBI detention center to abandoned landmark.
What's included
- Hard Hats
- Round-trip ferry tickets
- Admission to the National Immigration Museum
Your Own Guide. Your Own Schedule.
Itinerary
Castle Clinton, 11am
Show your ferry tickets, get in the reserve line, and go through airport-style security. Please arrive no later than 11am.
Ferry Crossing to Ellis Island, 11:35am
11:35am: Ferry Crossing. 40-minute ride with views of the harbor. Liberty Island is the first stop; stay aboard until Ellis Island.
Guided Tour Begins, 12:30pm
Meet your Save Ellis Island docent guide on the island and grab your hard hat!
Laundry Building
Contagious Disease Wards
Autopsy Rooms
Staff House
Former Morgue
JR Exhibition ('Unframed')
See life-size photographs of immigrants by artist JR, superimposed onto the walls of the abandoned buildings.
Guided Tour Ends, 2pm
2pm: End of guided tour on Ellis Island.
Ferry Crossing Back, 2:40pm
2:25pm, 10 mins ferry crossing to Castle Clinton, Manhattan. Want more time to explore the Museum? Ferries leave every 25 mins until 4:40pm.
Disembark at Castle Clinton, 2:55pm
About This Tour
Ellis Island received 12 million immigrants between 1892 and 1954. What almost no one knows is that it has a second half: a 29-building hospital complex on the south side of the island, abandoned for nearly 70 years and closed to the public. On this 4-hour experience, you’ll put on a hard hat and walk those buildings: the laundry rooms, the contagious disease wards, the autopsy rooms, the staff house, and the former morgue. Ferry tickets are included. Your guide is a Save Ellis Island docent. Your ticket directly funds the restoration of this extraordinary place.
Meeting location
How to get there
Cancellation policy
FAQ
Meeting location
The guided tour starts at the information desk on the ground floor of the Ellis Island National Immigration 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:
- Departure from Castle Clinton, Manhattan
View on Google Maps →
If your tour starts at 12:30pm on Ellis Island please arrive at Castle Clinton, Manhattan no later than 11am in order to get in line, go through the airport style security, and board the Statue Cruises ferry to Ellis Island. The boat ride itself takes 40 minutes. The boat will first stop on Liberty Island, stay on the boat and wait until its second stop which will be Ellis Island.
- Departure from Liberty State Park, NJ
View on Google Maps →
If your tour starts at 12:30pm on Ellis Island you will need to arrive at Liberty State Park, NJ no later than 11:00am in order to get in line, go through the airport style security, and board the Statue Cruises ferry to Ellis Island. The boat ride itself takes 15 minutes. Ellis Island will be the first stop
Cancellation policy
- Free cancellation up to 72 hours before the tour
- No refunds for no-shows or late arrivals
- Tours run rain or shine
FAQ
Where is the meeting location?
The guided tour starts 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 long is the tour?
The total experience is approximately 4 hours. The guided hard hat tour on Ellis Island itself is approximately 1.5 hours. The remaining time covers the ferry crossing, security screening, and return ferry.
Are ferry tickets included?
Yes. Your round-trip Statue Cruises ferry ticket is included in the price. You will receive tickets by email the day before. Print them or show them on your phone to board at Castle Clinton.
How strenuous is this tour?
Moderate. The route involves walking through abandoned hospital buildings on uneven surfaces. Closed-toe shoes are mandatory. Not suitable for guests with significant mobility limitations.
Is this tour good for locals?
Yes. The abandoned hospital on Ellis Island’s south side has been closed since 1954. Most New Yorkers have never had access. This tour shows you a part of Ellis Island that even lifelong New Yorkers do not know exists.
How is this different from a regular Ellis Island visit?
A standard visit covers the immigration museum and Great Hall on the north side. This hard hat tour takes you inside the abandoned hospital complex on the south side, which has been closed since 1954 and is accessible only through Save Ellis Island’s exclusive program.
Is there an age minimum?
Yes. Guests must be at least 10 years old to participate in this tour.
What should I bring?
Comfortable closed-toe shoes. Dress for the weather. Your ferry tickets, sent by email the day before. A camera is welcome. Tripods and monopods are not permitted.
Who leads the tour?
A Save Ellis Island docent, an expert in the history of the hospital complex and its restoration.
What is Save Ellis Island?
Save Ellis Island is the non-profit working to rehabilitate the 29 historic buildings on the south side of Ellis Island. Your ticket directly funds their restoration work.
Is this tour ADA accessible?
Unfortunately this tour is not ADA accessible.
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