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Ellis Island Hospital Tour: History and Mystery
5.0
151 Ratings
Jersey City
Uncover Ellis Island’s hidden past on a 90-minute Hard Hat Tour of its abandoned hospital complex. Explore history, art, and immigration stories.
Uncover Ellis Island’s hidden past on a 90-minute Hard Hat Tour of its abandoned hospital complex. Explore history, art, and immigration stories.
Duration:
1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Ellis Island - Discover the hidden side of Ellis Island with the Hard Hat Tour—a special 90-minute guided journey through the abandoned hospital complex, usually closed to the public. Organized by Save Ellis Island, this tour guides you through 29 unrestored buildings on the island’s south side, including contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms,…
- Ellis Island - Discover the hidden side of Ellis Island with the Hard Hat Tour—a special 90-minute guided journey through the abandoned hospital complex, usually closed to the public. Organized by Save Ellis Island, this tour guides you through 29 unrestored buildings on the island’s south side, including contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms, laundry facilities, and staff quarters. Follow in the footsteps of doctors, nurses, and immigrants as you navigate the eerie corridors and operating rooms that once served those seeking a new life. During the tour, you’ll encounter “Unframed”—a captivating art installation by French artist JR, featuring life-sized historic photos within the decaying spaces. Your participation aids in the ongoing preservation of these historic structures. This tour is perfect for history enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone looking for a deeper, more meaningful connection to America’s immigrant heritage.
What's Included
- Admission fees
- Guide
- Admission fees
- Guide
What's Not Included
- The Ferry ticket is NOT included - This must be purchased through Statue City Cruises.
- The Ferry ticket is NOT included - This must be purchased through Statue City Cruises.
Additional Information
Embark on a captivating 90-minute Hard Hat Tour of the abandoned hospitals on Ellis Island, exclusively presented by Save Ellis Island. Uncover the island’s rich yet often forgotten history as expert guides take you through this former cutting-edge medical facility that cared for over a million immigrants. The tour features stunning art installations…
Embark on a captivating 90-minute Hard Hat Tour of the abandoned hospitals on Ellis Island, exclusively presented by Save Ellis Island. Uncover the island’s rich yet often forgotten history as expert guides take you through this former cutting-edge medical facility that cared for over a million immigrants. The tour features stunning art installations and the touching stories of those who dreamed of a better future. This exceptional experience is ideal for history buffs and anyone interested in America’s immigration heritage.
- 90-minute guided exploration of the historic Ellis Island Hospital Complex
- Access to a location closed to the public for more than 60 years
- Guided by knowledgeable experts with extensive insight into the island’s past
- Hard hats provided on-site for your protection
- No children under 10 will be allowed on the tour
Location
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
Ellis Island Bridge
We meet at the information desk next to the bookstore to the left when you walk in the main entrance of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(151 Ratings)
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Happytraveller613
Feb 19, 2026
Well worth the time and money - a great learning experience! - An extremely interesting and educational and eye opening experience.
Charlie, our guide, was very informative and pleasant and encouraged questions. We had some major misconceptions about the hospital itself and the immigrants experiences there. We learned how they were well taken care of and given excellent care.
We were a small group of 4 - the group after us had 2. Apparently during peak season, the tours can have 15-20 people but off season, you don’t really have to get your tickets in advance.
We did the Pedestal tour ( sadly, the crown tour was sold out - get those 3 weeks in advance if you can ) at the Statue of Liberty and got those tickets through Statue City Cruises. If you are doing just the ferry and the hard hat tour you can get those in advance through Statue City Cruises, but if you are doing the pedestal or crown tour, they have to sell those as separate tickets and it cost more. It was cheaper through Trip Advisor to get the hard hat tour, but, it was actually $10 less if we would have waited and gotten them on Ellis Island. No risk of them being sold out off season. Can’t speak to peak season, though. It was pretty cold and damp. Wear waterproof non slip shoes in the winter - you do go outside and it could be muddy and there were lots of puddles.
It was totally worth the money and really enhanced our whole visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E4631sgmartinr
Feb 16, 2026
Ellis Island - Excellent Guide - very informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amyhy1016iq
Feb 16, 2026
Save Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour - Nick was an amazing tour guide full of information and history!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
540laylab
Jan 30, 2026
Hard hat tour fantastic - Sebastian was very friendly and knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed our guided tour. It was very interesting and informative
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Saman000
Jan 29, 2026
Off beat and informative!! - A great way to learn more about the history of Ellis Island and the lives of those who had to spend time at the hospital. You learn about the people, the island, the hospital and much more. A super fun off the beaten path view of an iconic place. The views are also incredible!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborah_g
Jan 19, 2026
Support Ellis Island with this Fabulous Tour! - This tour was fantastic! First, a guide will take you to the original hospital that was built to help cure immigrants of aliments they brought to the United States or contracted enroute to this country. Then, you will go to the infectious disease ward that was built for immigrants with highly contagious or incurable diseases such as tuberculosis. We were so impressed with the thoughtful planning, design, and construction of these buildings. Even more impressive was the care immigrants received when arriving to America. I was proud to be an American!
Something to consider when booking this tour - wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing (for the winter - we were here in January and it was snowing and chilly) as the buildings have been abandoned for decades. You will be shocked to see that this section of Ellis Island has not been better restored, and I hope that more and more people do this tour to help support the integrity of the facilities.
Thank you to our guides, Ben and Denise, for an informative tour with the backdrop of falling snow!
Review provided by Viator
W1999kmcarriem
Jan 13, 2026
Very good - This is very worthwhile, and we would definitely recommend. Dave was an excellent tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ecmcknight
Jan 6, 2026
Hidden treasures that is a must to experience - We had an amazing tour through this hidden part of US history. Allen was a brilliant guide who informed us of the amazing journey that some people went through as they entered the US. He explained about the dedication of the staff that worked in the Ellis Island hospital and the ground breaking medical practices that saved so many lives.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jody_c
Jan 5, 2026
Incredible tour!! - Ben was fantastic!! Super knowledgeable. So happy we took this tour to see the other buildings and learn more about Ellis Island.
Review provided by Viator
Bladoor
Jan 1, 2026
Great tour - I went on a family trip to Save Ellis Island and it was a really great experience.
I think it was a very learning tour for our teenage daughter and for us as parents.
We learned a lot about Ellis Island’s history with specific episodes that we had only ever known in fragments. The guide's explanation was just wonderful and it was very easy to understand the story of each immigrant and what purpose each room was used for at the time. It was also very interesting and impressive to explain what JR art means and why it is installed in this place.
In particular, the tour of the hospital area made me realize that this is not just an old facility but an important place that has become a crossroads in the lives of immigrants. I was able to see specifically that the U.S. was a place of hope for immigrants and what they would have done if they had an infection on the way, and I didn't have any negative impressions.
It was a 90-minute tour, but the content was so full, it felt so quick. I think it is a valuable experience for many people of all ages. If you're visiting Ellis Island, we recommend you join this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor