Arts and Entertainment
August 29, 2023
From: South Street Seaport MuseumSouth Street Seaport Museum Presents Sinister Secrets of the Seaport Walking Tours September 2023
South Street Seaport Museum presents Sinister Secrets of the Seaport: a 90-minute walking tour that will take participants on a winding journey that unravels the darker past of the South Street Seaport Historic District and Lower Manhattan. Tours began on July 30, 2023 and will continue throughout September and beyond. seaportmuseum.org/sinister-secrets
Created with support from the Alliance for Downtown New York’s Walking Tour Incubator program, Sinister Secrets of the Seaport tells the scandalous, dubious, and sinister tales lurking in the cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and waterfront. Throughout this interactive tour, your guide will share historical stories ripped from the headlines of newspapers and publications from the 1790s to the 1990s that provide a new perspective on the history of the area that helped to make New York a global metropolis.
“Guests at the South Street Seaport who expect a stuffy museum tour filled with boring facts are in for a surprise when they sign up for the Seaport Museum’s 'Sinister Secrets of the Seaport' tour of the historic district in Lower Manhattan...[The tour guide] is entertaining and engaging when he talks about the area’s dark past. The sinister, dubious, and sometimes scandalous stories are ripped from the headlines of newspapers and publications from the 1790s to the 1990s and tell a tale about murder, arson… blackmail, and illegal animal fights. The stories involve prominent business people, scorned husbands, New York politicians, crooks, and organized crime.” - AMNY
Meet your tour guide at Ryan Maguire’s Bar & Restaurant at 28 Cliff Street, where one happy hour drink or soft drink is included in your registration for the tour. Arrive 30 minutes early and be treated to a few scandalous stories inspired by the historical images on view at the bar.
Registration is required. Content is appropriate for fans of true crime stories and history-buffs age 13 and up. Tickets are $40 for adults, with discounts available for members, seniors, students, and youth. Please note that the tour requires walking approximately one mile and some stops on this tour require walking up and down small flights of stairs.
Tour Dates for September 2023:
Wednesday, September 6, 6–7:30pm
Saturday, September 9, 3–4:30pm
Sunday, September 10, 3–4:30pm
Saturday, September 16, 3–4:30pm
Wednesday, September 20, 6–7:30pm
Sunday, September 24, 3–4:30pm
Wednesday, September 27, 6–7:30pm
About the Alliance for Downtown New York
Since 1995, the Alliance for Downtown New York has provided service, advocacy, research, and information to enhance the quality of life in Lower Manhattan and advance the dynamic, vibrant neighborhood as a global model of a 21st century Central Business District for businesses, residents, and visitors. The Walking Tour Incubator awarded grants to five organizations for the development of compelling and original walking tour experiences that can be sustained in Lower Manhattan for at least one year. downtownny.com
About the South Street Seaport Museum
The South Street Seaport Museum, located in the heart of the historic seaport district in New York City, preserves and interprets the history of New York as a great port city. Founded in 1967, the Museum houses an extensive collection of works of art and artifacts, a maritime reference library, exhibition galleries and education spaces, working 19th century print shops, and an active fleet of historic vessels that all work to tell the story of “Where New York Begins.” seaportmuseum.org