Please Note: 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.
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!
All participants must sign waiver upon arrival. No children under 10 years old. No scooters, wheel chairs 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.
100% refund up to a week prior to the start of your tour.
Tickets are not refundable or exchangeable starting a week prior to the date of the tour.
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 long is the tour?
This tour is 1.5 hours long
How strenuous is this tour?
This tour is easy and most people can participate.
Is this tour ADA accessible?
Unfortunately this tour is not ADA accessible.
Is this tour mostly indoors or outdoors?
This tour is mostly indoors.
Who will be our guide?
This tour will be led by a Save Ellis Island docent.
Are pets allowed on the ferry or in the park?
No. Pets are prohibited from using the ferry system and being on Liberty and Ellis Islands. However, documented service/assist animals are exempt from this policy. Please contact Statue City Cruises
