Ellis Island Hospital Hard Hat Tour

Explore one of New York City’s most haunting and extraordinary historic sites—the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital complex, a vast 100-year-old institution once regarded as the pinnacle of American medical care. Closed in 1954 and left untouched for nearly six decades, this hospital later served as a US Coast Guard base and an FBI detention center before falling into decay. Now, through an exclusive partnership with Save Ellis Island, you can step inside this hidden world on a rare hard hat tour that grants access to buildings normally off-limits to the public. As you walk through the deserted laundry facility, contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms, staff quarters, and more, you’ll uncover the powerful stories of the immigrants who passed through these halls on their way to a new life in America.

Throughout the experience, you’ll also encounter striking life-sized photographs from JR’s exhibition “Unframed – Ellis Island,” placed throughout the hospital to bring its forgotten history to life. These images—pasted onto crumbling walls and worn passageways—create an unforgettable dialogue between past and present. Though just steps away from the main arrival point for visitors, the 29-building south side hospital complex remains hidden in plain sight, a skeletal reminder of one of the largest public health projects in American history. Guided by a Save Ellis Island docent, this tour uncovers the site’s many buried secrets while directly supporting its preservation.