Ellis Island Abandoned Hospital Nursing Tour
Enter Ellis Island's abandoned hospital and uncover its nursing history
Duration
4 hours
Includes
Ferry, museum entry, hard hat tour
Highlights
Explore the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital on a guided hard-hat tour through spaces normally closed to the public. Discover how nurses, hospital design, and public-health practices shaped immigrant care.
- Explore contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms, laundry buildings, and staff quarters
- Discover how Florence Nightingale's principles influenced hospital design and sanitation
- Learn about the nurses who cared for immigrants in the hospital
- See JR's “Unframed” installations within the abandoned buildings
Itinerary
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9:30am — Arrival at Castle Clinton, Manhattan Present your ferry tickets, enter the reserved line, and pass through airport-style security.
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10:15am — Ferry to Ellis Island Scenic 40-minute harbor crossing with iconic views. The ferry stops at Liberty Island first, then continues to Ellis Island. Guests remain on board at Liberty Island.
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11:00am — Guided Tour Begins Pick up your hard hat, leave the crowds behind, and enter the off-limits hospital buildings with your expert guide.
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12:30pm — Guided Tour Ends Guests can explore the National Immigration Museum with the self-guided audio tour included in their ticket, or return to Manhattan.
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1:15pm — Ferry Return to Manhattan Approx. 10-minute ride back to Castle Clinton. Ferries depart every 25 minutes until 3:30pm.
Departure from Liberty State Park, NJ also available.
What's Included
- Round-trip ferry tickets to Ellis Island
- Access to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and self-guided tour
- Guided hard-hat tour of the abandoned hospital
Important details
- Arrive at least 2 hours early from Castle Clinton, Manhattan, or 1.5 hours early from Liberty State Park, New Jersey
- Wear closed-toe shoes
- Ages 10+ only
- Sign a waiver upon arrival
- Wear a hard hat throughout the tour
- Stay with the guide at all times
- Wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers cannot access the tour
- Leave tripods and monopods behind; filming is not allowed
- Tour runs rain or shine
Cancellation Policy
Full refund for cancellations made 7 days or more before the tour. Tickets are nonrefundable and cannot be exchanged within 7 days of the tour.
Product ID: AGHBBR
FAQs
Wear closed-toe shoes; they are mandatory.
No. The tour is not accessible for people using wheelchairs or powered scooters, and walkers are not allowed.
Yes. Kids must be 10+ years old to join.
Meeting details
Information desk on the ground floor of the Ellis Island National Immigration Museum
Related locations
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
Admission includedStep onto the grounds of Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and you step into one of the most consequential chapters in American history. The restored Main Building rises above New York Harbor, its red-brick facade and copper-trimmed towers reflecting the ambitions of the era that built it. Inside, the soaring Registry Room still carries the weight of the more than twelve million people who passed through it. Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration holds their stories in photographs, passenger manifests, and personal belongings that make the past feel immediate and human.
