tour of un building new york

In-Person Guided Tours

• Virtual Tours
• About the Guides
• Request a Speaker
• About the UN
• Teach The UN
• Explore UN Headquarters
• Visitors Services

Standard Guided Tour

• Visit the United Nations in the heart of New York City! A one-hour guided tour offers an exciting opportunity to discover UN Headquarters. One of our multilingual Tour Guides will take you on a brief journey through the corridors of international diplomacy. You will learn about the history and work of the United Nations and visit the famous General Assembly Hall and Security Council Chamber (meetings permitting).
• Tours are offered in all six official languages of the United Nations ( Arabic , Chinese , English , French , Russian , Spanish ), as well as in additional languages in high demand. Tours in languages other than English may be available upon request. Please contact [email protected] for availability.
• Children ages 5 to 12 must be accompanied by an adult . Unfortunately, children under 5 are not permitted on tour .
• The United Nations Headquarters is accessible for persons with disabilities or with a mobility impairment. Visitors may request the use of a wheelchair when checking in.
• Guided Tours are also offered at other United Nations Offices around the world, including   Geneva ,   Nairobi   and   Vienna .

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Garden Tour

• Special tours of the UN's North Lawn are offered from May through August .
• Take a stroll around the gardens with their exceptional rose collection and iconic cherry trees: learn about the story behind the “George and the Dragon” statue, see an actual segment of the Berlin Wall, and discover a “hidden gem” honouring one of the most important women in the history of the United Nations: Eleanor Roosevelt.

BOOK THE GARDEN TOUR HERE

Please note that the Garden Tour is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible. 

Art Tour

• Visit the unique art collection of the United Nations Headquarters! The UN gifts collection is a combination of artworks, historic objects, and architectural components donated by member states, foundations, and individual donors since 1950. Many of the most prominent figures in the art world, such as Marc Chagall, Candido Portinari, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, are represented in the UN collection. In this tour, you will see a selection of the artworks located in the building, and will access the Security Council, the General Assembly Hall, as well as the Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council Chambers, meetings permitting.
• The Art Tour is available every other Thursday at 1:15 pm and  upon request , please contact [email protected]

BOOK THE ART TOUR HERE

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Architecture Tour

• The UN architecture tour is dedicated to a marvel of modernist design and international style - the UN headquarters building in New York. Our tour will explore the fascinating history behind the “Workshop for Peace”, a collaborative effort of 11 renowned architects from around the world to build a home for the United Nations, and explore how this ‘workshop’ reinforces and accommodates peacebuilding and multilateralism until this day.
• The Architecture Tour is available every other Tuesday at 1:00 pm and  upon request , please contact [email protected]

BOOK THE ARCHITECTURE TOUR HERE

Children's Tour

• Children aged 5 to 10 are invited to learn more about the UN and how to be global citizens on a special UN Children’s Tour . A special child-friendly “Kids  Corridor” features wall-sized world maps, mounted flags of the Security Council’s members,  an actual refugee tent and more!  Interactive games with the Tour Guides , quizzes and role-playing help young visitors understand the work of the UN and how it relates to their daily lives. Please note: the Children's Tour does not access the Conference Building. Participants will visit the Kids Corridor and the General Assembly Hall (meetings permitting). 
• The Children's Tour is available on   Fridays at 1:30 pm and  upon request , please contact [email protected]

BOOK THE CHILDREN'S TOUR HERE

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Black History Tour

• Come celebrate Black History at the United Nations by taking our special Black History Tour!
• The Black History-themed Tour of the United Nations will grant you a unique look at the Ark of Return, a permanent memorial in honor of the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, located on the United Nations Visitors Plaza. The special tour will also include access to the Security Council Chamber, the Trusteeship Council Chamber and the General Assembly Hall (meetings permitting). You will learn about the contribution of people of African descent to the work of the United Nations in fields such as peace and security and human rights, with a special emphasis on decolonization.
• The Black History Tour is available every other Tuesday at 1:30 pm and  upon request , please contact [email protected]

BOOK THE BLACK HISTORY TOUR HERE

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Focus on Women Tour

• The Focus on Women Tour introduces significant contributions of women to the United Nations (UN) work on Peace & Security, Human Rights and Development. Women make up more than half of the world’s population, and although their voices have often been silenced, their resilience and insight have made them agents of change! This Tour will cover women who have influenced the history of the UN as an organisation, as well as topics such as Security Council resolution 1325 on the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts; the unique and growing contribution of women in Peace Operations; Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment; and other General Assembly milestones helping advance the status of women around the world. In addition, the tour will showcase the gift of Panama in the General Assembly Lobby, a traditional Mola style tapestry that was made by indigenous Kuna women.
• The Focus on Women Tour will also include access to the Security Council Chamber, the Economic and Social Council Chamber, and the General Assembly Hall, meetings permitting.
• The Focus on Women Tour is available every other Wednesday at 1:30 pm and  upon request , please contact [email protected]

BOOK THE FOCUS ON WOMEN TOUR HERE

   The United Nations Headquarters is accessible to persons with disabilities.

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• A maximum of 20 people are allowed per tour.

Price and Payment

Individual Tickets:

Rates for individual tickets to join our In-Person Guided Tours at the UN Headquarters are:

• Adult:  $26.00
• Student (Ages 13+ with student ID):  $18.00
• Senior (Ages 60+):  $18.00
• Child (Ages 5-12*):  $15.00

A 6% booking fee will apply. 

Group Tickets:

Rates for group tickets to join our In-Person Guided Tours at the UN Headquarters are:

1 Private Group Tour Block = up to 20 People

• Adult Block:  $520.00
• Student Block (Ages 13+ with student ID):  $376.00
• Senior Block (Ages 60+):  $360.00
• Child Block (Ages 5-12*):  $344.00

A 3% booking fee will apply. 

Before purchasing your tickets, please note that:

• For security reasons, children  under 5 years of age are not permitted  on tour.
• For groups which combine different age categories, the pricing will reflect the majority of participants.
• We accept only credit card payments.
• All sales are final - no exchanges or refunds are offered.
• To purchase Tickets for In-Person Guided Tours , please CLICK HERE .
• Guided tour tickets may also be purchased onsite based on availability. 
• Tours in languages other than English may be available upon request. Please contact [email protected] for availability.

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Tours of the United Nations Building in New York

This post has all the information needed to take a tour of the United Nations Headquarters, including information about tickets, directions, what you will see there, and nearby sights.

• Guided Tours of the UN
• How to Get Tickets
• Plan Your Visit
• Nearby Sights and Activities
• Things to Do in NYC
• Free Tours By Foot

GUIDED TOURS OF THE U.N.

United Nations' guided tours are a great way to learn more about the organization and its contributions to the world order.

You must purchase tickets for the tour.

If you prefer to visit the United Nations for free, you can, but you will not see any of the significant parts of the Headquarters.

See below to find out what you can see without taking a tour. 

Pre-booked tickets and proof of full COVID-19 vaccination are strongly recommended but not required for entry. All visitors are recommended to wear mask but not required.

Tour Schedule

Tours are offered Monday-Friday, between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, and last between 45 minutes to an hour. 

There are no weekend tours .

The Visitors Center is open on the weekends, but you will not be able to see any other areas of the building.

Tours are offered in the six official languages of the United Nations, which are English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, and Russian.

Tours are also sometimes offered in German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Swedish.

If for some reason a booked language tour is not available when you arrive, the tour will be conducted in English.

About the Tour 

On the tour, you will visit the 

• General Assembly Hall
• Security Council Chamber
• Trusteeship Council Chamber
• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber
• and much more!

About the Guides

• There are 24 United Nations Tour Guides.
• The guides are from 15 different countries and speak a combined 12 languages.
• Tour Guides are referred to as United Nations Ambassadors to the Public because of their direct contact with millions of visitors.
• The guides are briefed every morning so that they will be current on the ongoing work of the organization.
• Guides also sometimes wear the native dress of their home country.

Kids Tour - Thematic Guided Tours

Since 2019, the UN started offering tours for children ages 5 through 10.

The tour includes a visit to the kid-friendly UN Kids Corridor".  

Guides interact with children and role-play so that young visitors learn how the UN relates to their lives.

The Corridor has huge world maps on the walls, mounted flags of the countries that are included in the Security Council, and even an actual refugee tent. 

To know more about the Kids tour, click here .

Standard Guided Tour

In the centre of New York City, visit the UN! An intriguing chance to learn about UN Headquarters is provided by a one-hour guided tour.

You'll go on a brief tour of the halls of world affairs with one of the multilingual Tour Guides.

You will gain knowledge of the UN's past and current activities while touring its renowned General Assembly Hall and Security Council Chamber. (meetings permitting).

To know more about the tour, visit .

Garden Tour

In the autumn, Wednesdays at 2:30 pm offer special tours of the UN's North Lawn.

Learn about the history of the "George and the Dragon" statue, see a real section of the Berlin Wall, and find a "hidden gem" honouring Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the most significant women in the history of the United Nations, as you stroll through the gardens with their exceptional rose collection and recognizable cherry trees.

Thematic Guided Tour - Black History Tour

Take the unique Black History Tour to commemorate Black History at the UN!

Tour is available at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

You will get a special opportunity to see the Ark of Return, a permanent monument to those who perished in enslavement and the transatlantic slave trade, on the United Nations Visitors Plaza as part of the Black History-themed Tour of the UN.

Access to the General Assembly Hall, Trusteeship Council Chamber, and Security Council Chamber will also be included in the special visit.

With a focus on decolonization, visitors will learn about the contributions made by people of African origin to the UN's work in areas like peace and security and human rights.

Thematic Guided Tour - Focus on Women Tour

The Focus on Women Tour highlights the important contributions made by women to UN efforts in the areas of peace and security, human rights, and development.

More than half of the world's population are women, and even though their opinions have frequently been muted, their tenacity and wisdom have made them change agents!

This tour will discuss women who have had a significant impact on the history of the UN, as well as issues like Security Council resolution 1325, which emphasises the critical role that women play in conflict prevention and resolution, the distinctive and expanding role that women play in peace operations, Sustainable Development Goal 5, which focuses on gender equality and women's empowerment, and other General Assembly milestones that have improved the status of women globally.

A traditional Mola tapestry created by Kuna women from Panama will also be on display as part of the tour in the General Assembly Lobby.

If there are no meetings scheduled, the Focus on Women Tour will also have entry to the General Assembly Hall, Economic and Social Council Chamber, and Security Council Chamber.

To learn more, click here .

Other Things to See at the UN

Whether you take a tour or not, there is plenty to do at the United Nations.

The lobby and atrium are open for visits and you can see their permanent and changing  exhibits .

You can also browse their  bookshop ,  purchase a souvenir , and send a postcard with a  UN stamp!

You can also dine alongside UN delegates at the  Delegates Dining Room . You must make a reservation by calling 1-917-367-3314.

For a less expensive meal, try the casual Visitor’s Café in the Visitor’s Center.

NOTE:   The UN no longer offers the opportunity to have your passport stamped.

Instead, the UN Post Office sells souvenir passports for $1.00 which you can have stamped for free. 

Also, they will stamp any type of paper product, such as postcards, pamphlets, or even blank paper. This makes for a unique one-of-a-kind souvenir. 

HOW TO GET TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased online at the UN's Visitor Center website page .

Note that tickets are sold through this site via an online vendor. If you purchase with a credit card, Vendini Tickets is the name that will appear on your statement.)  

Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Visitors Center for the next available tour that day.

Because of limited availability, it is strongly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance.

Prices 

• Seniors (60 and up): $18
• Students (with ID): $18
• Children (5-12 years old): $15
• Children under 5 years old are not permitted on tours but are allowed inside the UN building.
• Kids Tours are offered for children 5-10 years old. For the Kids Tour, see above .

Purchase tickets here .

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The Visitor Entrance is at First Avenue and 45th Street.

You can use this link to Google Maps to get exact directions from your departure location to the U.N. 

By subway:   Take the 4/5/6 trains to Grand Central-42nd Street Station).

Exit Grand Central Station on 42nd Street (look for signs that say "42nd Street Exit". 

Once on the street, you can walk along 42nd Street to 1st Avenue and then walk north 4 blocks to the Visitor Entrance. 

If you don't want to walk from Grand Central, you can take the M42 bus heading east on 42nd Street. It is a free transfer from the subway.

TIP:  You may find our posts on  navigating the NYC subway  and choosing the right subway pass helpful.

By bus:   The crosstown M42 bus heading east. The Uptown M15 bus along 1st Avenue stops in front of the U.N. 

By ferry: The East River ferry has a stop at 34th Street and 1st Avenue. It costs the same as the subway and you will have fantastic views during your ride. See our post about the  East River Ferry .

By car: We advise you to not drive to the UN, as there is no visitor parking and traffic in Midtown is very heavy. 

When you arrive

Be sure that everyone in your group who is 18 years or older (and unaccompanied children 12 years and older) has their government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license.

Go to the Visitor Check-in Office at 801 First Avenue at 45th Street, across the street from the UN.

For 9:30 am and 9:45 am ticket holders, please be advised that the Check-in Office opens at 9:00 am.

Because you must go through a security screening, which may take some time, the UN asks that you arrive  an hour prior to your tour so you will not be late.

You won't be able to bring in big bags or tripods. We have great suggestions for where to store your bags for under $6.

Note:  If you are more than 15 minutes late your reservation may not be honored.

For more information about what to expect when you arrive, see the UN website .

Good to Know

• Tours take place during working hours, so groups are asked to keep quiet while walking in between stops.
• There are no restrooms along the tour route, so take care of any needs before the tour begins.
• TIP: If you have bags and would like to store them somewhere during your visit to the UN, look at our post on  where to store luggage in NYC .

What you can and cannot bring

The UN takes security seriously. Check their long list of prohibited items here .

You CAN bring the following:

• battery-operated electronic devices, as well as medical devices
• cameras, video recorders, or any type of recording device
• creams, lotions, or perfumes
• strollers (not permitted on the tour route)

NEARBY SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES

You may want to link your trip to the United Nations with a few other activities. 

One activity is to join us for one of our pay-what-you-like tours of Midtown Manhattan or Grand Central Terminal .

Explore  Grand Central Terminal  (also a great place to grab food!). 

You can enhance your visit to Grand Central by using our  self-guided Grand Central tour  or our audio tour . 

For a stunning view of the NYC skyline, ride the aerial tram to Roosevelt Island.  Once you are on Roosevelt Island it is a lovely place to spend an hour or 2.

See our  Self-Guided Roosevelt Island Tour  for information on what to do on the island. 

You can also visit the New York Public Library . They offer free tours daily. 

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Tour the United Nations Headquarters in NYC

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Strolling through the fascinating corridors of international diplomacy at Manhattan's United Nations Headquarters is an educational journey not to be missed. Interestingly, while set on the east side of Midtown Manhattan, fronting the East River, the U.N.'s 18-acre parcel of land is considered "international territory" that belongs to members of the United Nations and is, therefore, not technically part of the United States. An hour-long tour here offers enriching insight into the important work of the United Nations organization.

What Will I See?

The best (and only) way to see the inner workings of the United Nations Headquarters is via guided tour. Approximately hour-long guided tours are offered Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 4:45 pm. Tours start in the General Assembly building and afford a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the organization, including a visit to the General Assembly Hall. The General Assembly Hall is the largest room in the United Nations, with seating capacity for more than 1,800 people. In this room, representatives of all 193 Member States gather to discuss pressing issues that require international cooperation.

Tours also take in the Security Council Chamber, as well as the Trusteeship Council Chamber and the Economic and Social Council Chamber (note that access may be limited to rooms if meetings are in progress). En route, tour participants will learn more about the history and structure of the organization, including the scope of issues that the United Nations regularly deals with, including human rights, peace and security, disarmament, and more.

Note that a kid-friendly Children's Tour, geared towards children ages 5 to 12, is also available for booking with advance online purchase; all participating kids must be accompanied by an adult or chaperone.  

What Is the History?

The United Nations Headquarters complex was completed in New York City in 1952 on land donated to the city by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The buildings contain chambers for the Security Council and General Assembly, as well as offices for the Secretary-General and other international civil servants. The complex received an extensive overhaul in celebration of the United Nations' 70th anniversary in 2015.

Where Is It Located? 

Fronting the East River, the United Nations Headquarters is located on 1st Avenue between East 42nd and East 48th Streets; the main visitors' entrance is at 46th Street and 1st Avenue. Note that all visitors need to first get a security pass to visit the complex; passes are issued at the check-in office at 801 1st Avenue (at the corner of 45th Street).

Guided tours are available on weekdays only; the UN Visitors Lobby with exhibits and UN Visitor Center remains open on weekends (though not in January and February). It's highly recommended to book your tickets for guided tours online in advance; a limited number of tickets may be available for purchase at the United Nations on the day of your visit. Note that children under 5 years of age are not permitted on the tours. (Tip: Plan to arrive at least an hour in advance of your scheduled tour to allow for time to go through the security screening.) There is a Visitors Café serving food and beverages (including coffee) on-site.

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The UN Headquarters in New York

Visiting the united nations headquarters in new york.

You've probably seen meetings at the United Nations headquarters on television – that’s where the 15 member states of the Security Council meet. But not many people know that this large building, located in New York City along the East River in Manhattan, is actually open to the public. It is possible to take a tour of the UN headquarters in New York, and it is even one of the most visited places in the city, welcoming more than a million people every year. 

In this post, you will find out everything you need to know to prepare your visit to the UN headquarters in New York . This is an activity you can unhesitatingly add to your list of things to visit, especially if you don't know what to do in New York yet.

THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS

The United Nations was founded in 1945 , in the aftermath of the Second World War, by the representatives of 51 countries. The purpose of this organisation is to help coordinate international operations, ensure the maintenance of peace, and improve security, economy and respect for human rights.

There are currently 193 member states of the UN, and the organisation’s headquarters are located in New York. The headquarters, however, are not U.S. territory – the territory belongs jointly to all member states.

The UN headquarters are actually composed of 4 major buildings:  the General Assembly, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, the Secretariat Building and the Conference Hall Building . In front of the entrance to the complex are the 193 flags  of the UN member countries, which are arranged in alphabetical order and form a large arc. To symbolise the equality of all member states, all of these flags share the exact same distance between them. 

THE ENTRANCE TO THE UN HEADQUARTERS BUILDING

You do not need a ticket to access the building's inner courtyard and main lobby – but should you want to go further, you must first go to the  visitors' desk , which is located at the corner of First Avenue and 45th Street. You will be asked for your reservation and a valid ID. You will need to arrive at this desk at least 45 minutes before your visit.

Once you have passed through security, you will receive your Security Pass, after which you can cross the street to the main building. More security checks await you before the tour begins, but in the central  hall  you will already see many works of art that have been donated to the UN by heads of state. You can also see photo exhibits  and videos that showcase the work of the UN and address issues such as children's rights and global warming.

Your guided tour will begin from this central hall.

THE GUIDED TOUR OF THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS

The visits of the UN buildings are done during the week and last about one hour. The tour begins in the lobby with a brief presentation of the United  Nations , including its history, member states and missions.

You will then have the opportunity to discover the famous conference rooms that can be seen during television news. It is there that meetings and debates on often very difficult topics are held. One of the most famous of these rooms is the Trusteeship Council Room , one of the six major organs of the UN, which is responsible for making decisions regarding the territories under the UN's trusteeship.

During your visit, you will not be able to visit the rooms that are occupied by parliamentarians – but never fear: a projection screen will have been placed at the entrance of the rooms concerned, thereby allowing you to follow live the sessions in progress.

The highlight of your visit will be the United Nations General Assembly Hall , which has received many world leaders, and where important decisions are regularly taken on international security issues.

To finish your visit, you can go to the store, where you can find books and souvenirs of all kinds. This store is located in the basement, and you can also find a restaurant and the post office right next to it.

In this post office you can find UN stamps, which are only usable in the territory of the United Nations, and which can be used to send a most original postcard to your relatives.

BOOK YOUR GUIDED TOUR OF THE UN BUILDING

The tours are offered in six official languages of the UN (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). If you wish to take a guided tour in one of these foreign languages , I recommend booking your tour at least 2 months prior to your visit .  You should know that for security reasons, the tours are done in small groups only, and due to the building’s popularity, you will have a hard time finding a place in a tour, if you wait too long before booking one.

Even if you want to take a tour in English, I advise you to book a few weeks before the date of your choice.

Reservations are made online on the official UN website . As you make your reservation, you will have to choose the time of your visit. The United Nations building is open to the public   from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 4:45 pm.

RATES FOR THE UN HEADQUARTERS TOUR

• For adults, the price of the visit is   $ 22 (£17) per person
• For people over 60 years old and students (upon presentation of their student card), the visit costs $ 15 (£11.50)
• For children aged 5 to 12, the tour costs $ 12 (£9)
• Children under 5 years of age are not allowed to visit

HOW TO GET TO THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS?

The UN headquarters is located in Manhattan 's Midtown neighbourhood, right on the East River. To get there, you can take the 42nd Street bus or the underground to the iconic Grand Central Station, from which you can walk down 42nd Street.

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United Nations Headquarters

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Sam Rohn 360° Photography

360° VR Panoramic Photography & Virtual Tours

United Nations General Assembly Hall :: 360° Virtual Tour

The General Assembly Hall is the largest room in the United Nations , with seating capacity for over 1,800 people. The design of the room was a collaborative effort by the team of 11 architects led by Le Corbusier & Oscar Niemeyer who designed the UN Headquarters , and to emphasize the international character of the room it contains no gift from any Member State. The only gift in the General Assembly is anonymous: two abstract murals on each side of the Hall – designed by the French artist Fernand Leger – were given by an unnamed donor through the United Nations Association of the United States.

The General Assembly Hall is the only conference room at the United Nations containing the UN emblem. The emblem consists of a map of the world, as seen from above the North Pole, flanked by olive wreaths as a symbol of peace.

Built for an important international organization, this modern complex helped revitalize New York City at the end of the second world war. Located between First Avenue and the East River at the terminus of 42nd Street, the 18-acre site was donated to the newly-formed United Nations by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. To facilitate access to the UN site, Robert Moses (then the city’s construction coordinator) diverted traffic from First Avenue. The centerpiece of the UN complex is the Secretariat , an International Style skyscraper based on plans by Le Corbusier, one of the most well-known modern architects. The actual design for the building was carried out by an international team of architects under the direction of Wallace Harrison . This 39-story building was the first major International Style building to be constructed in New York. Typical of the International Style are its simple, geometric form, the absence of historical references, and its glass curtain wall. The architects’ use of green glass, marble, and bands of metal detailing are modifications to the modern architectural vocabulary. Located on a highly visible site and surrounded by open spaces, this tower is the only freestanding skyscraper in New York .

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http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID001.htm

http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/untour/subgen.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Headquarters

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United Nations Guided Tours Celebrates 70 years in New York City

The United Nations Department of Global Communications celebrates today the seventieth anniversary of its Guided Tours operation, the same day that the doors of the Organization’s Headquarters in New York City were opened to the public in 1952.

To mark the occasion, an exhibit on the history and the role of the tour guides as “Ambassadors to the Public” is on view in the United Nations Visitors Lobby, available also in digital format.  The United Nations Postal Administration has issued a special commemorative stamp sheet for purchase at the stamp shop.

For seven decades, visitors from around the world have toured United Nations Headquarters, giving them the opportunity to see, hear and feel diplomacy in action.  Escorted by guides well-versed in international affairs, visitors walk through corridors buzzing with diplomats and international civil servants, learn about pressing geopolitical issues, and while seated in the General Assembly Hall, reflect on our world’s need for international cooperation.

“Our multilingual tour guides have been the face and voice of the United Nations to over 42 million visitors from around the world,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.  “We celebrate their seventieth anniversary and honour their vital ongoing mission to enhance understanding of the essential work of the United Nations.”

The one-hour Guided Tour is conducted in 13 languages by a team of tour guides from 17 countries.  As per tradition, the tour guides have been clothed by leading designers, from Edith Head, Christian Dior and Benetton in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, to Elie Tahari from 2017 to the present.

Access to a multi-media kit about the United Nations Guided Tours can be found here ; and the digital version of the seventieth anniversary exhibit at:  www.un.org/en/exhibits/ambassadors-to-the-public .  During the Unit’s anniversary month of November, visitors can also request a United Nations tour, or an interview with a tour guide in a foreign language, Monday through Friday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., by reaching out to the media contacts below.

United Nations Guided Tours offer an exciting opportunity to discover United Nations Headquarters on a brief journey through the corridors of international diplomacy, all while admiring the unique collection of artworks on display in the United Nations compound.  During the hour-long tour, visitors will learn from a multilingual tour guide about the history of the Organization, as well as the work of its 193 Member States in the areas of peace and security, development and human rights .  Guided Tours are also available at United Nations Offices in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna.  For more information, please visit www.un.org/visit .

Media Contacts:  Vincenzo Pugliese, Acting Chief, Visitors Services, New York, at email:  [email protected] , tel.:  +1 212 963 6984; or Rula Hinedi, Chief, United Nations Guided Tours, New York, at email:   [email protected] , tel.: +1 212 963 5052.

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United Nations Visitors Centre

• New York City
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Every year, the United Nations Headquarters in New York welcomes over 1 million visitors from around the world. Book a Guided Tour of the UN Headquarters and visit their fascinating exhibits!

Photo courtesy of the United Nations Visitors Center

Standing on the eastern shore of Manhattan Island, on the banks of the East River, the United Nations Headquarters remains both a symbol of peace and a beacon of hope. Representatives of the earth’s seven billion people converge at the UN Headquarters to discuss and decide issues of peace, justice and economic and social well being.

Every year, the United Nations Headquarters in New York welcomes over 1 million visitors from around the world. You may book a Guided Tour of the UN Headquarters, visit the  exhibits , browse the  UN Bookshop , ask a question,  purchase a souvenir , and send a postcard with a  UN stamp . The  Delegates Dining Room  accepts lunch reservations during the week. Call 1-917-367-3314 for additional details.

Visit the United Nations – it’s your world!

9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.  Monday through Sunday.

Guided tours are only available from Monday through Friday.

Take Amtrak to the United Nations Visitors Centr e  

Experience the United Nations Visitors Centr e   via Amtrak to Penn Station in New York City —Don’t forget to use the Amtrak  See New York and Save 15% discount!

From 34th Street-Penn Station, take the A, C, or E subway train to ride one stop to 42 St – Port Authority Bus Terminal Station. From 42 Street Station, walk (about four minutes) to the Times Sq – 42 St Station and take the 7 subway train. Ride three stops to the Grand Central – 42 St Station. Head  south  on  East 42nd St  toward  3rd Ave toward  United Nations Secretariat Building (about a ten-minute walk).

Or rent a car with Enterprise! Pick up your reserved  NYTRAIN  Enterprise Rent-a-Car right at the Penn Station.  Click here to reserve your car  or call the New York City office today at:  845-485-2222 .

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Every year, the United Nations Headquarters in New York welcomes over 1 million visitors…

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How to take a guided tour of the UN Headquarters in New York

Last updated: 03/15/2019

A different and very instructive tour in New York is visiting the headquarters of the United Nations (UN). Learn a little more about the history of this important institution and get to know the places where decisive meetings are held between member countries, which guide the course of our planet.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (UN)

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization charged with promote international cooperation and create and maintain international order . It was created shortly after the end of World War II on June 26, 1945, with the aim of preventing another such conflict. Although there are offices in other countries ( Geneva , in Switzerland; Nairobi, Kenya; and Vienna in Austria), the organization's world headquarters are in New York  in a complex of buildings designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer , opened in 1952.

At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193 participating. The organization is funded by voluntary and assessed contributions from its member states. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, promoting social and economic development, protecting the environment and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster and armed conflict.

The UN has six main bodies: the General Assembly (the main deliberative assembly); the Security Council (to decide on certain resolutions for peace and security); Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC, to promote international economic and social cooperation and development); the Secretariat (to provide necessary studies, information and resources to the UN); International Court of Justice (main judicial body); and the UN Trusteeship Council (inactive since 1994).

The agencies of the United Nations system include:

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• World Food Program, conceived at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

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HOW TO BOOK THE UN HEADQUARTERS TOUR

To book your ticket for the UN Headquarters tour, visit this link . You will be on the UN Visitors Center page that sells tickets for the coming months. There are tours practically every day of the week (Monday to Friday, except when there is a special event. month that you intend to visit.

You will then be directed to a screen where the days available within that month . Scroll down on the right to get to the desired date.

Clicking on the date, a new window will open, with the options of the schedules and tour information at other languages . There are cases of having more than one tour at the same time. Take care to select the one in the desired language. In this simulation, we chose April 3, 2018.

Please note that there is a tour in Portuguese at 2:30 pm and at the time of our inquiry there were 15 of the 20 seats available. Click “ORDER” to select the tour. In the next window, it is necessary to select the amount and type of ticket to be purchased: adults, senior (over 60 years old), students (you must present a document proving this) or children (from 5 to 12 years old). In our simulation, we put 1 adult ticket and 1 senior ticket. An internet booking fee of US$ 2 is charged for each ticket in addition to the price of each ticket.

Then, it is necessary to include the personal data of the person who is buying and inform the credit card data so that the amount related to the tickets is charged. You will receive an email with the purchase confirmation and you must print the tickets that arrive as an attachment to take with you on the day of your visit.

ENTRY TO THE UN: STEP-BY-STEP

• STEP 1 – MAKE YOUR IDENTIFICATION: The official website recommends that you arrive one hour before your tour time and explain why. Before entering the UN Headquarters, you will need to go and do your identification. The location is on the other side of Avenida 1, right in front of the UN building. Cross the street and enter the place. Get in line and let them know you're there for the tour. You will have to show a document with photo to prove your identity. The best thing to do is take your passport, but I took my Brazilian driver's license and they accepted it just fine. As soon as you register, you will receive a sticker with your photo and name and you will have to stick it on your clothes.
• STEP 2 – GO THROUGH SECURITY: Exit, cross the street again and go to the UN entrance gate. A security guard will ask you to verify your ID. Just show the sticker to be able to enter.  At this point, you will have to go through the security itself (x-ray and metal detector), the same as at the airport . Do not take sharp objects or objects that may present any risk. Aerosols are not allowed, but bottles of water and liquids over 100 ml are allowed . See the full list of objects in this link .
• STEP 3 - SERVICE DESK: Leaving security, you will have access to the outside area of the UN which has some statues and decorative objects (more on them later). Go through the door on the right and enter the building. Go ahead, past some of the exhibits and you'll see a tour desk. Get in line for show your ticket (that one that you received by email and printed it out before going there). O attendant will confirm your visit and will give you an ID for you to put). Wait for your tour time until an employee calls the group of people at that time.

WHAT IS A VISIT AT UN HEADQUARTERS?

The UN Headquarters in New York welcomes over 1 million visitors every year! Even those who do not have a tour booked can visit the place. The procedures are identical to those mentioned above, you will not need to go to the service desk to confirm your tour, but you will be able to walk around the area and check what is open to the public.

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1. EXTERNAL AREA

After passing through security, take some time to admire the external area of the building designed by Oscar Niemeyer and appreciate the works of art that are on display in the open. All of them were gifts given to the UN by some national states and were placed there to further beautify this region. Check out some examples:

2. FREE CIRCULATION AREA: EXHIBITIONS, BOOKSTORE/SHOP AND Snack Bar

After confirming your tour, take the opportunity to take a tour of the area that is open to the public. They exist exhibitions that change periodically, photographs, works of art and even a window where you can see one of the meeting rooms being used.

On the ground floor, underground, there is a cafeteria, a large bookstore /gift shop and restrooms. This entire area of the building is freely accessible and is not included in the tour that will follow. You can get to know it before starting your tour (if you have time to spare) or right after your tour ends (it ends right in the basement of the building, close to the bookstore/gift shop, where you can purchase a souvenir of the UN).

3. UN HEADQUARTERS GUIDED TOUR

As your tour time approaches, please be ready in the area next to the service desk. There are several sofas there and just wait for your guide to show up and call for the people who will participate in the tour at that time. Follow the guide to enter a restricted area. You will go up the escalators to start the tour. The guide who accompanied my tour started by asking some basic questions about the UN to find out how knowledgeable the group was. She then commented on the creation of the UN, the member countries and the institution's objectives.

We went through a corridor with works of art and information on some of the UN's fronts, as the organization has important subdivisions that deal with science, education, human rights, children's rights, food and agriculture, disarmament, etc. We were able to enter some rooms where meetings were not being held at that time (the tour depends a lot on the day you visit, as you will be taken to those rooms that are empty, in order not to disturb the progress of the meetings).

The guide showed us some of the items on display in the rooms, which were present from different member countries of the organization. One of the most shocking areas is about instruments that were used in wars and the guide commented on some resolutions that were taken so that some types of weapons were no longer used, mainly on the civilian population.

The highlight of the visit is precisely for the end: the main meeting room of the UN General Assembly. The decor is beautiful, with drawings on the walls and a golden panel on the central wall at the back, where the United Nations logo is located. When I visited, there was a session taking place in this room and our tour quickly passed through the upper area, not being able to stop to look at the details of this impressive room.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

United nations headquarters.

• Address: 405 E 42nd Street (46th St & 1st Ave), New York, NY 10017, USA
• Schedules:  Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4:45 pm
• Tours: Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 4:45 pm every 15 minutes / most tours are in English, but there are other languages, including Portuguese on some days / maximum 20 people per tour
• Entrance:  US$ 20 adults / US$ seniors and students / US$ 11 children / a service charge of US$ 2 is charged for each ticket in addition to the entrance price / buy tickets in advance on the official website through  from this link

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  hotel reservation :  use the  booking.com to book your accommodation,   car rental : get a quote at  rentcars   and check the price at the main rental companies in the world,   tickets & tours :  buy tickets to the world's top attractions online with get your guide ,   tickets & tours :  buy tickets for tours and guided tours online at civitatis ,   sports events tickets :  buy tickets to major us sporting events online with hellotickets ,   travel insurance :  quote with the  promo insurance  for different plans and destinations. use code "viajonarios5" to guarantee 5% off,   train in europe :  buy your train tickets at the best prices at  trainline ,   international cell phone chip  with the easysim4u  and leave with the chip working  before travelling,   purchase of foreign currency with the best exchange rates with exchange now , related articles more from the author.

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11 comments.

[…] How to take a guided tour of the UN Headquarters in New York […]

Hi! I loved the post. Just ask me a question, can all the places you visited with the guide be visited by people without a guide? Another thing, I saw on the website that it works from Monday to Sunday, that is, I can visit on Saturday or Sunday, but without a guide.

Items 1 and 2 that we talked about in the post yes. Item 3 only through guided tour. The guide needs to be present because the tour itinerary changes according to the rooms that are being used on the day. Therefore, access is restricted and only available with a guided tour. On weekends, tours are not offered and you will only be able to visit items 1 and 2.

Hugs and a great trip to you! 🙂

[…] Read more: How to take a guided tour of the UN Headquarters in New York […]

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Tour the United Nations Building in New York City

I invited my teenage son to join me on a business trip to NYC. We had a few hours free to explore the city, so I had him pick what he wanted to do. He suggested a tour of the United Nations Building, and with a little research, I reserved our guided tour for a Friday afternoon.

The hour-long tour offered glimpses into the workings of the United Nations and their efforts in addressing global issues. If you’re planning to visit New York City and want to tour the United Nations Building, these tips will help you plan your visit.

RELATED POST: 12 Best Things to do in New York City

Book Your Guided Tour in Advance

When you know you want to tour the United Nations Building, visit their website to book your tour . Guided tours are available Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. There are some holidays the UN Building is closed, so you’re want to check their website to see what is available.

Note that children 5 and under are not permitted on the guided tour.

Get your Visitor’s Badge Across the Street

If you’ve scheduled a guided tour, you’ll want to arrive at the building 45-60 minutes before your tour. It takes some time to get your visitor’s badge, and you don’t want to miss the start of your tour.

The tall, iconic building you see in movies houses the offices of those working in the United Nations. The smaller building to the north of the tall building is where the tour actually takes place. But before you can make your way through the security check point, you have to visit the building across the street (to the west of the entrance) to get a visitor’s badge. That building is on the corner of 1st Avenue and E 45th Street.

RELATED POST: Two-day Itinerary for New York City

Bring a government issued, picture I.D. (passport, driver license, etc.) for everyone over the age of 18. Your confirmation email will contain additional information about the types of I.D.s that are accepted.

Once you get your visitor’s badge, head across the street to the security checkpoint that will allow you into the United Nations Complex.

Explore the UN Complex & Visitors Center

Once through security, we took a few moments to explore some of the gifts in the UN Gift Garden. We found a cultured gifted to the United Nations from the City of Luxembourg, which was a revolver with it’s barrel tied up – promoting peace and not violence. Some of the gardens were blocked off, so we could explore everything there is there.

Once inside the visitor’s center, you can explore certain areas of the building without being on the guided tour. This includes a display on the priority areas of the United Nations – like clean water, food, diseases, etc. – and a gift shop so you can grab a souvenir from your visit. This part of the area is free to access. It’s only the guided tours that cost money – but you’re also able to see a lot more, making the tour worth it.

What to Expect on the Guided Tour

Follow the signs in the visitors center to where the guided tours take place. If you didn’t purchase your ticket in advance, you can purchase them onsite for whatever tour times still have room.

Check in roughly 15 minutes before your tour start time and then wait for the tour guides to arrive. The tour takes you to a few notable areas within the building (not the tall offices building). However, if meetings are in session in the chambers, some may be unavailable for tour groups.

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Here are the few rooms you’ll be able to visit on the guided tour of the United Nations Building. They aren’t listed in the order in which you’ll see them while on the guided tour.

United Nations Security Council Chambers

I wasn’t really familiar with the operations of the United Nations prior to the tour. But I discovered that 15 members serve on the UN Security Council. There are five permanent members of the Council (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.

General Assembly Hall of the United Nations

The most iconic stage and room inside the United Nations Building is the General Assembly Hall. It’s the room where countries from around the world are represented and where discussions take place to tackle global issues.

Don’t worry, the tour does allow you some time to grab a few photos or selfies in the General Assembly Hall.

Other Chambers at the United Nations Building

There are two other chambers you can visit as part of your tour, unless they have meetings in progress: The Trusteeship Council Chamber and the Economic and Social Council Chamber.

Other Exhibits on the United Nations Building Guided Tour

Between the iconic chambers, there are displays throughout the hallways you’ll learn about during your tour. For example, one of the main purposes of the United Nations is peacekeeping. You’ll learn about their efforts and the locations around the world where they have assigned UN peacekeepers.

There are several gifts from other countries on display as well. But the room that has a meaningful impact is about war. You can see the magnitude of nuclear war and the race to arms around the globe. There’s a stone statue from Japan that was blasted by the atomic bombs dropped near the end of World War II. The front of the statue looks fine – but the back of it is melted. It was interesting to see the effect the atomic bombs had on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Details

Address:   46th St & 1st Ave, New York, NY 10017

Hours of Operation:   Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Guided tours are only available Monday – Friday as well.

Costs:  It’s free to visit the United Nations Complex and visitors center. However, a guided tour (as described above) is $22 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and $12 for children, ages 5-12. For security reasons, children under 5 are not permitted on the tour.

Website: https://visit.un.org

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I would absolutely LOVE to do this. We were in NYC with the kids last summer but only for a day and went exploring instead (it was their first time in the city) but I cannot wait to to go back. Saving your tips for then!

Thanks. We really enjoyed the tour and learning about steps being done to address global issues.

Dying to check out the United Nations. Good to know I can bring the boys.

Yep. My boy enjoyed it – and we both learned a lot.

My daughter just did a Model UN conference in NYC and got to attend the opening ceremonies at the UN – what a great experience.

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How to visit United Nations headquarters in New York (for free)

by Dan Miller | Nov 24, 2016 | all , family travel | 6 comments

(READ MORE: Most Traveled People – tracking places you’ve been )

Where is the United Nations headquarters in NYC?

United Nations Headquarters is in Manhattan (New York City), on the east side of the island.  The UN headquarters building is located off of 1st Avenue between 42nd and 47th streets

While the skyscraper that you THINK is the United Nations headquarters (technically the “United Nations Secretariat Building” is between 42nd and 43rd street, the actual visitor’s entrance into United Nations headquarters building is opposite 45th street.

There is no parking at the UN headquarters building – the UN website recommends walking or taking public transportation. We were staying at the Sheraton Times Square New York , so we walked over.  One advantage of walking is that on your way to visit the United Nations Headquarters, you’ll pass by many countries’ diplomatic missions, so it makes a good game of “spot the flags”

You will see an entrance building on the east side of 1st Avenue opposite 45th street.  It looks like this

If you look closely in the picture, you can see 2 armed guards in front of the UN building who will not let you in… unless…. you get a visitor’s badge.

Getting a (free) visitor’s pass to visit United Nations headquarters

Unless you work there, you will need a Visitor Pass to visit the UN Headquarters building.  The Visitor’s Check-In office for the United Nations headquarters building is (conveniently) right across the street from United Nations Headquarters, on the northwest corner of 45th Street and 1st Avenue (801 First Avenue is the address)

The UN website suggests arriving to check-in at least one hour before any scheduled tours you might have to go through the security process.  The security check in building opens at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday and at 10 a.m. on weekends.  Every visitor 18 and older needs to show government ID (original; no photocopies) in order to get a visitor pass.  The UN website does not mention this, but there is a sign in the building stating that your identification must be in English

My daughter (10 years old at the time) did not need to show ID but also got a visitor’s pass / bracelet.  Children under 5 years of age are not permitted to visit the United Nations headquarters building (supposedly for “security” but I’m not sure I understand that)

You’ll get a badge that looks something like this

and then you can cross back over 1st Avenue to visit the UN headquarters building

When to visit the United Nations Headquarters building in New York

The United Nations headquarters building is open most days from 9 a.m. (weekdays) or 10 a.m. (weekends) to 5 p.m.  Although the UN building itself closes at 5 p.m. they stop letting people inside at 4:30

• Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.
• All visitors must exit the building by 5:30pm

Visiting the UN headquarters building is not allowed on certain holidays – check the UN website for more information.  Another thing to note is that guided tours are only offered on weekdays, while the United Nations headquarters building lobby, shops and Post Office are open on weekends (except January and February)

How to visit United Nations headquarters for free

There are United Nations tours that are guided tours (but only on weekdays; see above).  The current price for United Nations tours is $22 for adults, $15 for “Students” (ages 13+) and Seniors (60+) and $13 for children ages 5-12 (Children under 5 are not permitted on UN tours or in the UN headquarters building at all).

That’s well and good, but we want to visit United Nations headquarters for FREE!

When my daughter and I were at the United Nations headquarters building, we decided not to pay for a UN tour and instead just visit the building.  The good news is that the lobby, shops, Post Office and atrium are open for free and even on weekends (when there are no UN guided tours)

We were there on a Sunday morning – it was super empty and I felt that it was a good time for general reflection.  The atrium in the United Nations headquarters building in NYC is very large and has lots of information about the United Nations itself, UNICEF, and other

I enjoyed this picture of former UN secretary general Boutrous Boutrous Ghali ( thank you Animaniacs !)

The shops were closed because we were there pretty early in the morning, but we spent an hour or so looking at the different displays both inside

and the sculptures outside the United Nations headquarters building

Definitely worth a trip to United Nations headquarters if you’re visiting NYC.

Have you been to the United Nations headquarters building in New York City?  If you took the UN Tour, was it worth it?  Or would you recommend just visiting the lobby and atrium for free?

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rocking the double tee

Do you have to be in a tour to visit here?

No. We went in without a tour, but I’d imagine if you’re on the tour, you may have better access to things. For my purposes, just walking around the “open” part of the building was more than enough

Thank you for sharing this information.

Had a wonderful visit to United Nations Headquarter yesterday! Thanks

I’m glad you had a good time!

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Woman falls from ‘elevated position’ in Greenwich Village near 5 Boro Bike Tour route

A woman was injured when she fell from an “elevated position” in Greenwich Village near the route of the city’s Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday morning, according to the NYPD.

The unidentified 33-year-old woman was found outside a four-story building at 73 W. 11th St. near Sixth Avenue in Manhattan after a 911 call came in about 9:15 a.m.

First responders found the woman “conscious and responsive with injuries indicating a fall from an elevated position,” an NYPD rep said.

EMS workers rushed her to Bellevue Hospital, according to police. She is in stable condition.

It was not clear how far up the woman was when she fell.

The building is near the corner of West 11th Street and Sixth Avenue — the road that tens of thousands of riders pedaled up early Sunday as part of the event. Cops wouldn’t say whether the victim was watching the event.

Although the investigation is still ongoing, cops said they have no reason to believe there was foul play.

“Right now, we have no criminality suspected,” the Police Department representative said.

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Life Behind a ‘Poor Door’: I Pay $1,300 a Month for Affordable Housing in a Luxury Manhattan Building—but I Desperately Want To Get Out

My apartment in New York is the envy of all my friends: a one-bedroom in the heart of midtown Manhattan—a short stroll to Central Park and performances at Lincoln Center. And I pay just $1,300 in rent.

That’s less than one-third of Manhattan’s median rent, which currently hovers at $4,500 per month .

I constantly tell myself I’m lucky. But I’m also desperately trying to move. Why? Let’s just say it all starts with the “poor door.”

(Kimberly Dawn Neumann)

My building has two entrances. One, at 1 West End Avenue, leads up through a gleaming, glass tower to 247 luxury condo apartments inhabited by the rich and famous. Apartment 29B , a four-bedroom unit in the building, recently sold for $14.8 million.

(Realtor.com)

This entrance at 1 West End is manned by numerous doormen who cater to every whim of the residents within. The lobby, with its spacious seating area around a fireplace, is as luxurious as what you’d find in a high-end hotel.

But I’m not permitted to set foot in this lobby. Instead, I must enter the same building through a different entrance, around the corner, at 100 Freedom Place South.

Aka the “poor door.”

According to marketing materials, this is not a “poor door.” Rather, it’s a “first-class entrance experience”—a separate, but still nice enough, entry for the 116 apartments within the building’s stone base, earmarked as affordable housing. These affordable units reportedly benefit from a $120,000 yearly subsidy coming from the 247 luxury units, while the developer gets a tax break for housing the poor.

New York banned the construction of separate entries for affordable housing residents in 2015— but not in time for the ruling to take effect in my building.

Meanwhile, Vicki Been , commissioner of the Housing Preservation and Development Department, told the Wall Street Journal that she believes this building serves as a model that signals to its affordable housing residents, “You are welcome here. You are just as valuable as every person in this neighborhood.”

But does this building deliver on that promise?

Life behind a poor door: What it’s really like

For the record, I do not consider myself “poor.” But my income as a Broadway performer, writer, and fitness instructor barely makes ends meet in this expensive city, where one recent study revealed that a $138,570 salary is necessary just to comfortably get by. I make nowhere near that amount.

I had been applying to affordable-housing lotteries for about five years with no luck before I tried 100 Freedom Place South, where applicants could make anywhere from 60% to 80% of the area’s median income. After about six months of paperwork, I succeeded. In July 2018, I moved in.

When I first settled in, I was thrilled. The building was clean, and my apartment has a spacious, modern kitchen. Plus, there’s not just one but two walk-in closets.

Pretty quickly, however, the cracks began to show. For starters, since our address, 100 Freedom Place South, was not officially registered with the U.S. Post Office, we did not receive our mail.

Making matters even more complicated, “our side” of the building was assigned a different ZIP code than 1 West End Avenue—they’re 10023, and we’re 10069. For a while, our entrance didn’t even show up on Google Maps, which became a logistical nightmare for deliveries and visitors, including maintenance and repairs from the power and water utilities, cable company, and others.

Another problem was that while our lobby and hallways were supposed to be regularly cleaned, this rarely happened. Carpets were never vacuumed. Trash was not removed, piling up and causing a stench. For upkeep and repairs, we had our own management company that was different from the company used by 1 West End. Our superintendent, however, lived off site and was managing all 116 apartments by himself—an impossible task. And he was only available from 9 to 5 on weekdays; if problems arose on the weekends, we were left to fend for ourselves.

To make matters worse, our management company was gone before I’d even lived there a year. Needless to say, things went downhill from there before our current management company turned things around.

Life in the ‘Wild, Wild Upper West’

When friends asked me how things were going in my fancy new apartment, I would half-jokingly say I was living in the “Wild Wild Upper West” because it was a free-for-all. No rules. No accountability. No security. While we have some of the loveliest tenants—including lawyers, art dealers, social workers, even a lower court judge—we also have neighbors who are all too happy to take advantage of the situation.

Security has been the biggest issue from day 1. Although the “rich” side has a doorman and at least two additional porters on call at all times, our side has no security. While we do have a few video surveillance cameras, we could never ascertain if they were working—let alone being monitored.

As for our “first-class” entrance, the entry buzzer system was always broken or malfunctioning, so if you pulled really hard on the glass “poor door,” it would just open. Random strangers could (and would) just walk into our building day and night.

Word traveled fast on the street that our building was easy to break into, so we soon had homeless people sleeping on our lobby sofas and squatting in our stairwells. Gangs of teenagers loitered in the hallways after school, and rumors of drug deals in public spaces cropped up.

Packages started going missing all the time. One time, a resident actually had to stop some strangers from just walking out of the front door with one of the lobby couches. We even had a flasher in our laundry room, according to local papers , which dubbed 100 Freedom Place South a “lawless land.”

I (and many other tenants) began carrying pepper spray inside the building, because we never knew what might be around the corner. I’ve had to call the police more times than I can count after witnessing nonresidents wandering our halls late at night, banging on people’s doors.

One of my neighbors actually put it perfectly when he said, “I love my apartment, but I wish I could just teleport in and out of it, so I don’t have to deal with what’s happening in the rest of the building.”

Fully frustrated, a large contingent of 100 Freedom Place South residents joined forces to demand a minimum standard of care. But every time we’d start to make progress, we would suddenly have a new management company and had start all over. There were four management companies in nearly six years.

The fight for our only shared amenity: the roof deck

(Jordan Eagle)

While “our side” of the building is not allowed access to the building’s indoor swimming pool or other amenities, the one area we all get to share with the 1 West End Avenue residents is the 12,000-square-foot roof deck. I love this roof deck so much, I jokingly call it my “office” during the summer months since I work up there.

However, since our entrance was unsecured and unsupervised, random people off the street were entering and finding their way to the roof. As a result, 1 West End Avenue tried to restrict the affordable-housing tenants’ roof access.

We quickly mobilized, calling politicians and threatening media coverage. We were actually preparing to take the issue to housing court when, finally, the 1 WEA board relented.

Are separate doors ever equal?

We still have lots of issues at 100 Freedom Place South. And naturally, in January 2024, we discovered we had yet another new management company. But this time, instead of blowing us off, the company has been refreshingly responsive to tenants’ requests and inquiries.

For instance, we’d had issues with poor water pressure and intermittent lack of hot water for over a month when the company over. To our shock, they immediately found the root of the issue and got it fixed.

And after six years of tolerating a broken air conditioner/heating unit in the lobby (an issue previous management had told us was “too difficult” to fix), we were thrilled when the new management repaired that as well. What a relief it will be to walk through a lobby that isn’t 100 degrees this summer.

With new management came a new superintendent who, for once, seems to care about us.

He told me, “Look, you all pay rent, too—even if you’re not wealthy like next door, you deserve to have this building maintained.”

Though he’s still only here on weekdays, he’s gone above and beyond. For example, when our “first-class” front door recently broke for the umpteenth time (so badly that it actually came off of its hinges and had to be removed, leaving the entryway wide open), he stayed all night to make sure we didn’t have vagrants wandering in.

Management also assured us that they’re looking into improved security options, which are still desperately needed. In just three months, this new team has accomplished more than we’ve seen in years.

When I told one of the new building managers I was so grateful they were trying to help, after years of us being treated like the building’s unwanted stepchildren, he replied, “For the record, you’re my only children.”

I can’t begin to explain the hope this response gave me. Of course, we’ve heard such promises before, so only time will tell whether we residents will get what we need to remain safe in our building.

Whatever the case, I hope the management company continues to recognize that there are many hardworking people at 100 Freedom Place South.

In the meantime, I will keep fighting for things to improve here. I’m still looking for opportunities to move out, though.

The current owner and management company for 100 Freedom Place South have been contacted for comment but did not respond. 

Kimberly Dawn Neumann is a multi-published journalist based in New York City. She's written hundreds of articles on home-related topics for major publications including Forbes, Real Simple, and Realtor.com. For more visit: www.KDNeumann.com or IG @dancerscribe.

Twitter Follow @KimberlyNeumann

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Police enter Columbia in apparent bid to break up student occupation

Images on TV show police on campus in New York after students take over Hamilton Hall building amid continuing protests

New York City police entered Columbia University on Tuesday evening in a reported effort to disperse the students who took over an academic building – and are facing expulsion – earlier in the day and those who have been encamped on school property for two weeks as tensions surrounding the pro-Palestinian demonstration escalated.

TV images showed police entering the elite university in upper Manhattan, which has been the focal point of student protests that have spread to dozens of schools across the US.

The specter of expulsion came after dozens of protesters took over Hamilton Hall, an academic building on the New York campus, barricading the entrances and unfurling a Palestinian flag out of a window.

“We made it very clear [on Monday] that the work of the university cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules,” a Columbia spokesperson, Ben Chang, said. “Continuing to do so will be met with clear consequences. Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation – vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances – we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday.

“Students occupying the building face expulsion.”

At an evening news briefing, Mayor Eric Adams and city police officials said the Hamilton Hall takeover was instigated by “outside agitators” who lack any affiliation with Columbia and are known to law enforcement for provoking lawlessness.

Hamilton Hall was one of several buildings occupied during a 1968 civil rights and anti-Vietnam war protest on the campus. Student protesters there have overtaken it once again, displaying a large banner that reads “Hind’s Hall”, renaming it in honor of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl from Gaza City who was killed by Israeli forces earlier this year.

Representatives for the university did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment early on Tuesday. But in a statement, the university’s public safety department said it had limited campus access to students living in residential buildings and essential employees, such as dining, public safety and maintenance staff.

The statement said there was a single access point in and out of campus.

Adams suggested some of the student protesters were not fully aware of “external actors” in their midst.

“We cannot and will not allow what should be a peaceful gathering to turn into a violent spectacle that serves no purpose. We cannot wait until this situation becomes even more serious. This must end now,” the mayor said.

One of the student leaders of the protest, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian scholar attending Columbia’s school of international and public affairs on a student visa, disputed assertions that outsiders had initiated the occupation.

“They’re students,” he told Reuters.

Tensions rose after nightfall, a couple of hours later, as growing numbers of police, some in riot gear, became visible on city streets near campus and university administrators issued a “shelter in place” email notice to students.

Columbia’s pro-Palestinian protesters ignored the Monday ultimatum to abandon their encampment or risk suspension. The university said it started suspensions early on Monday evening, hours before the takeover of Hamilton Hall.

“We have begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus,” the university said in an update on its website . “Once disciplinary action is initiated, adjudication is handled by several different units within the university based on the nature of the offense.”

The ultimatum came after the university’s president, Minouche Shafik, announced that efforts to reach a compromise with protest organisers had failed. She said that the institution would not bow to demands to divest from Israel.

Universities across the US are grappling with how to clear out encampments as commencement ceremonies approach, with some continuing negotiations and others turning to force and ultimatums that have resulted in clashes with police.

Dozens of people were arrested on Monday during protests at universities in Texas, Utah and Virginia.

Demonstrators are sparring over the Israel-Gaza war and its mounting death toll, and the number of arrests at campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000 as the final days of class wrap up. The outcry is forcing colleges to reckon with their financial ties to Israel, as well as their support for free speech.

Some Jewish students say the protests have veered into antisemitism and made them afraid to set foot on campus. One prominent supporter those voices are counting on is the US House speaker, Mike Johnson.

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The Louisiana Republican on Tuesday accused pro-Palestinian protesters such as those at Columbia of going beyond their right to engage in “vigorous disagreement”.

“Shutting down the campuses, you know, control of buildings … at some point you cross the line, and they have,” Johnson said . “This is not protected free speech. This is violating the rights of others.”

At the University of Texas at Austin, an attorney said at least 40 demonstrators had been arrested on Monday. The confrontation was an escalation on the 53,000-student campus in the state’s capital, where more than 50 protesters were arrested last week.

Later on Monday, dozens of officers in riot gear at the University of Utah sought to break up an encampment outside the university president’s office that had gone up in the afternoon. Police dragged students off by their hands and feet, snapping tent poles and using zip ties on those who refused to disperse. Seventeen people were arrested.

The university said it was against code to camp overnight on school property and that the students were given several warnings to disperse before police were called in.

The UN human rights chief said on Tuesday he was “troubled” by the heavy-handed tactics of security forces across US campuses.

“I am concerned that some of law enforcement actions across a series of universities appear disproportionate in their impacts,” Volker Turk said in a statement sent to journalists, in which he made reference to arrests and sanctions of students.

“It must be clear that legitimate exercises of the freedom of expression cannot be conflated with incitement to violence and hatred,” he added.

Human rights clinics at law schools at Columbia, Harvard, Yale, New York University, Cornell and others called recent actions taken by university administrations “the latest escalation in a wave of repression of student speech in support of Palestinian human rights”.

“Protection of freedom of expression and assembly are also central to our institutions’ educational missions. Retaliatory actions against students and suppression of freedom of expression and assembly interfere with a number of other core human rights, including, critically, the right to education,” a joint statement from the clinics said.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become a central part of protests, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters.

The Texas protest and others – including in Canada and Europe – grew out of Columbia’s early demonstrations that have continued. On Monday, student activists defied the 2pm deadline to leave the encampment. Instead, hundreds of protesters remained.

Columbia’s handling of the demonstrations has prompted federal complaints.

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of Jewish students alleges a breach of contract by Columbia, claiming the university failed to maintain a safe learning environment, despite policies and promises. It also challenges the move away from in-person classes and seeks quick court action requiring Columbia to provide security for the students.

Meanwhile, a legal group representing pro-Palestinian students is urging the US Department of Education’s civil rights office to investigate Columbia’s compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for how they have been treated.

A university spokesperson declined to comment on the complaints.

Reuters contributed to this report

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