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Offered languages
- English
In the crisp autumn air, our tours feel especially immersive, timed perfectly for the Halloween season when New York’s history seems at its darkest.
Explore the secrets hiding in plain sight inside New York City’s most iconic park.
Beneath the greenery and postcard views of Central Park lies a far more provocative history. This walking tour uncovers the scandals, crimes, controversies, and erased communities that helped shape the park as we know it today. From mass evictions and celebrity arrests to hidden gathering spots, sensational headlines, and statue-related debates, you’ll discover a Central Park most visitors never imagine.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
The Arsenal is located in Central Park on 5th Avenue and East 64th Street. The meeting point is by the Arsenal steps.
The tour will end in the Ramble in Central Park. All guests will be escorted out of the Ramble at the end of the tour (unless they wish to remain). The nearest exit out of Central Park is at West 77th Street and Central Park West, close to 81 St-Museum of Natural History subway station (B, C).
Itinerary
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1The Arsenal
Guests will be told a brief history of Central Park, followed by the Arsenal, as regards its history of 19th century infamy and violence. The evictions of the Central Park area prior to its construction will also be addressed.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Central Park Zoo
Guests will discover the strange origins of the zoo and the arrests for indecency that occurred there.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Balto Statue
Guests will hear about the controversy regarding the city's first dog statue as well as scandalous stories relating to other Central Park statues.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Rumsey Playfield
Guests will hear about the quarrels relating to the Wisteria Pergola and the prohibition nightclub that used to exist in Central Park.
7 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Bethesda Terrace
Guests will hear about the scandalous affair of Jacob Wrey Mould, the unsung third designer of Central Park, and the history of crime and vandalism that ultimately became the catalyst for the Central Park Conservancy.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Sheep Meadow
Guests will learn about Central Park's "Hooverville" settlement during the Great Depression as well as Sheep Meadow's protest and demonstration history.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Strawberry Fields
Guests will hear about a gruesome murder connected with Strawberry Fields that intersects with class and subculture.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8
Guests will discover the curious interconnecting history of Central Park-related accidents, stunts, and suspicious deaths.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9American Museum of Natural History
Guests will hear about a notorious park-adjacent heist and another tale concerning a witness protection incident gone horribly wrong.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10The Ramble
Guests will discover the "cruising" history of the Ramble, the nighttime incidents, the police raids, and the films and TV shows that this activity inspired.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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