THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Step into one of New York’s largest industrial complexes on a 2-hour walking tour with Turnstile Tours. Discover the Brooklyn Army Terminal’s wartime past and its vibrant present along the harbor’s edge.
Step into one of New York’s largest industrial complexes on a 2-hour walking tour with Turnstile Tours. Discover the Brooklyn Army Terminal’s wartime past and its vibrant present along the harbor’s edge.
Book with Turnstile Tours
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Turnstile Tours · Brooklyn, New York
Situated at 140 58th St #3b in Brooklyn, New York, the Brooklyn Army Terminal stands as an imposing relic of American industrial might transformed for the modern age. Turnstile Tours offers a focused, two-hour walking tour that plunges visitors into the layered history of this 4.5 million square foot complex designed by Cass Gilbert during World War I. Originally built as a supply base to fuel American efforts on the Western Front, the Terminal served military operations through WWII and the Vietnam conflict, handling millions of tons of cargo and thousands of personnel.
On this walk, your guide leads you through the architectural highlights, including Building B’s awe-inspiring atrium — once alive with the clatter of freight trains — and the cavernous, unrestored spaces of Building A. Alongside these structures, the story unfolds of soldiers, dockworkers, and mariners whose lives intertwined with this hub, bringing the past into vivid focus.
Today's Terminal pulses with renewed energy as over 100 diverse companies, ranging from biotech to artisanal chocolatiers, inhabit the sprawling industrial grounds. Panoramic views of New York Harbor frame the tour, underscoring the ongoing transformation of Brooklyn’s waterfront from a fading port to a thriving center of commerce and innovation.
This experience is a rare blend of industrial archaeology, urban renewal, and cultural heritage. Situated just a short distance from the heart of Brooklyn, Turnstile Tours' Brooklyn Army Terminal Tour offers a hands-on glimpse into an overlooked chapter of New York’s working waterfront. For history buffs and urban adventurers alike, this journey offers an immersive step inside one of the city’s most significant, yet underappreciated, landmarks.
easy.
2 hours.
Suitable for individuals in average physical condition comfortable walking a mile with occasional stairs.
The tour lasts approximately two hours, covering about one mile on foot.
Yes, though children should be able to walk for a couple of hours and navigate some stairs safely.
Tours operate rain or shine unless weather creates unsafe conditions, in which case Turnstile Tours will notify participants.
Absolutely, photography is encouraged to capture the Terminal’s vast spaces and harbor views.
The tour begins at the Brooklyn Army Terminal located at 140 58th St #3b, Brooklyn, NY 11220.
Yes, Turnstile Tours offers private tours upon request—contact them for details and scheduling.
Constructed during World War I, the Brooklyn Army Terminal was once the largest military supply base of its kind, pivotal through several major conflicts before its eventual transformation into a thriving business complex.
Current uses emphasize adaptive reuse of historic industrial structures, blending preservation with modern sustainability efforts to reduce environmental impact.
Turnstile Tours provides guided walking and bicycle tours that explore Brooklyn’s history, architecture, ecology, and industrial transformation. The company leads multiple itineraries, including the Prospect Park Walking Tour and a two-hour Prospect Park Tour that examine the park’s landscapes, historic architecture, and conservation efforts. Turnstile Tours offers several Brooklyn Navy Yard experiences: a World War II Tour, an Urban Ecology Bicycle Tour, a Past, Present & Future Walking Tour, and an Architecture & Infrastructure Tour. The Past, Present & Future and Architecture & Infrastructure tours are described as two-hour walking tours that highlight historic buildings, a working 1851 dry dock, modern LEED‑certified structures, and ongoing development at the Yard. Additional programming includes a two-hour Brooklyn Army Terminal Tour that covers the terminal’s history, architecture, and contemporary industrial uses, and an SVP Street Heroes Gala listing. Tours are presented as guided experiences focused on factual storytelling, on-site interpretation, and close observation of architecture and landscape. Routes traverse public spaces, historic structures, and active industrial sites in Brooklyn, using walking and bicycle formats when indicated. Published trip information specifies tour formats and durations for many itineraries, enabling visitors to select tours by interest—history, architecture, urban ecology, or industrial heritage—and to plan time and mobility needs accordingly. Several itineraries incorporate personal stories from workers and sailors, connecting visitors to the lived history of industrial sites. Prospect Park itineraries emphasize conservation, recreation, and cultural heritage within Brooklyn’s green space. Tour presentation can include interactive commentary and paused stops to examine notable architectural and natural features.
Book with Turnstile Tours