Gilded Age Mansions Tour: Explore New York's Majestic Architecture
4.9
123 Ratings
New York
Step inside the remaining Gilded Age mansions of Fifth Avenue and uncover the scandals, murder, and romance behind New York's majestic architecture. Explore the fascinating stories of power, greed, love, and generosity during America's rise to wealth and power.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • 1 E 78th St - Our first mansion, we go into the mansion learn about the owner, architects and get an introduction to the Gilded Age and New York Society
What's Included
  • Access to historical mansions
What's Not Included
  • Snacks
Additional Information

Drama! Homicide! Romantic Design! Welcome aboard a journey through some of the last standing mansion masterpieces from Fifth Avenue’s Gilded Age and discover the characters who both crafted and inhabited these spectacular landmarks.

If the HBO series The Gilded Age captivates you, this exploration will definitely delight you. During the Gilded Age, New York City transformed into the epicenter of colossal wealth accumulation unmatched in history.

Watching America’s fresh crop of millionaires in a competitive race at showcasing the most opulent mansion along the newly forged Central Park was a spectacle, They poured copious resources into commissioning architects influenced by European chateaux to conceive unprecedented marvels in American architecture.

Our narrative highlights these personalities — as captivating and multifaceted as the homes they occupied. You’ll listen to tales of audacious power, unchecked ambition, love-lorn sagas, and philanthropic magnanimity emanating from a time when America was rapidly ascending to become one of the world’s richest and most influential nations.

Location
1 E 78th St
East 78th Street
We will meet you on the steps at the building at 1 East 78th street. Right on 78th street, just off 5th avenue.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(123 Ratings)
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Northportgirlie
Mar 22, 2024
Very informative! - Matthew was very professional and informative and passionate about this subject. I would highly recommend! !!!!!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_b
Mar 22, 2024
Gilded Age tour, guided by Matthew - Matthew is an excellent, enthusiastic, engaging tour guide. He brought an era to life for us, put faces and stories to the names we’ve previously only read or heard about. I thoroughly enjoyed his tour and I learned a few things as well.
Review provided by Viator
Mojoben24
Mar 22, 2024
Knowledgeable , interesting, entertaining tour guide! - Matthew was incredibly entertaining and had a quick answer to every question we threw at him. So knowledgeable about the time period and frequently referenced the TV show that we all watch and love! Vintage photos of the people Matthew spoke about were passed around on his iPad was a great addition to the tour. Highly recommend Waiting for his T. Swift tour! Sue B.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dianell9636ad
Mar 17, 2024
A great way to spend an afternoon in NYC! - Matthew was an excellent tour guide. He provided a lot of great information about the places that we visited. I would highly recommend this tour to any who has an interest in The Gilded Age of NYC history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jill_w
Mar 17, 2024
Fun afternoon! - Matthew did a great job! He was very knowledgeable on his subject, easy to hear, and we loved learning about this era in New York’s history. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Kimberlypm8258cq
Mar 17, 2024
This gilded age tour is solid gold! - Really fun and informative. Matthew is great at giving context and keeping you engaged. I’d recommend this to anyone interested in the Gilded Age.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catherine_n
Mar 16, 2024
Fun and informative - The guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable. The buildings were beautiful and we learned so much about the time period of history.
Review provided by Viator
Emilie_b
Mar 15, 2024
Must do! - Matthew was an excellent storyteller and full of facts! The weather the day of our tour was beautiful. My daughter and I have watched every Gilded Age episode, and it was really neat to see the connections to real life.
Review provided by Viator
Blanche_b
Mar 15, 2024
Gilded age history - Our tour guide, Mathew was well educated and passionate about the subject! The weather was perfect and we had a great time. We learned some new history in a city we thought we knew.
Review provided by Viator
Kathy49nj
Mar 10, 2024
History and Humor - I don't know what to write that others haven't already said. This tour was wonderful, absolutely worth taking! Matthew had plenty of history to share, but it never felt like a lecture. He made it a series of stories to tell--stories of the rich and famous, how they made (and spent) their fortunes, plus a few scandals. We learned about preservation and also about buildings that have been lost. His love of the subject is unmistakable, and that's what makes a great tour guide. You don't need to have watched "The Gilded Age" series to follow the stories Matthew tells. But if you want to know who the Russells are based on, he'll tell you! I'm from New Jersey, go to the city all the time, even used to work there. So I knew some of the history, but I learned a lot more. Best fun fact was learning that the facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is unfinished. How many times have I been there, looked at it, and not noticed the blocks of stone that aren't carved??? Well, now I know why--and a whole lot more!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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