Historic Richmond Town Walking Tours on Staten Island
Difficulty
easy
Duration
1–1.5 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for anyone comfortable walking 1–2 miles on uneven terrain and standing periodically.
Overview
Step back into the 1820s with Historic Richmond Town’s daily walking tours in Staten Island. Discover restored buildings, artisan trades, and the vibrant social hubs that defined early American village life.
Daily Guided Tours
Wed-Fri. 2pm | Sat-Sun. 11, 12, 1 & 2pm
Select participants and date
About This Adventure
Experience the rich history of Staten Island on a captivating walking tour that transports you to the 1820s. Explore restored buildings, including a working kitchen and artisan shops, while learning about local trades and the role of taverns in society. Discover the transformative decade that shaped a young nation.
Wednesday-Friday | 2:00pm| Saturday & Sunday | 11, 12, 1 & 2pm##
1820s Village Life Tour focuses on the early 19th century on Staten Island, in which a young nation is rapidly expanding and grappling with the American democratic experiment. Discover the role taverns played in local society, as a gathering and polling place; learn about the trades industrious Staten Islanders worked at the Basket Maker's house and the Kruser-Finley House Broom Shop; explore an 1820s kitchen in the Guyon-Lake-Tysen House, where enslaved and emancipated Africans labored.
The Two Centuries Tour |Wed-Fri & Sat-Sun 12pm & 2pm##
The Two Centuries Tour is a survey of Staten Island through time - beginning with an encounter of the Native Encampment, depicting 1640s contact period, followed by the Voorlezer’s House, interpreting the early colony of Cocclestown, the Christopher House, circa 1720, which witnessed the divided loyalties of Staten Island in the Revolution, and the Guyon Lake Tysen House, which reveals the story of slavery and emancipation in 1820s New York.
On this tour, your will visit:
- The Native Encampment
- Voorlezer's House
- Christopher House
- Guyon-Lake-Tysen House
Village Life: 1820s | Sat & Sun, 11:00 & 1:00##
Led by expert Historical Interpreters, the doors of the past open to you in a walking tour like none other in New York City. See the restored interiors of buildings chronicling eras of Staten Island's past, furnished with reproductions and artifacts in the Historic Richmond Town Collection.
About the Tour##
This walking tour focuses on the 1820s, a transformative decade for Staten Island and for the United States. Tour the Guyon-Lake-Tysen House, which features a working 1820s kitchen, complete with tools and implements, many of which were made by artisans in the village. Learn about the typical shop and home trades of 1820s Americans, as the tour stops in the Basket Maker's House and Broom Shop. The tour's last stop is the village Tavern, a place where people met for entertainment, and to discuss the politics of the day. Long before Staten Island was a part of the City of New York, it was a quiet and bucolic landscape, dotted with small villages and farmsteads; this program invites you to imagine what life was like here two hundred years ago.
On this tour, your will visit:
- Guyon Tavern
- Broom Shop
- Basket Maker's House
- Guyon-Lake-Tysen House
Your tour ticket also includes access to the Historical Museum.##
You can access the Museum at any time on the day of your visit. The Museum is open 11-4pm.
Ticket Price Promise##
Guided Tours provide access to historic structures across the Historic Richmond Town campus. Led by Historical Interpreters, trained and knowledgeable experts in the history of Staten Island and the village site, tours offer educational content and interpretive connections to the visitors' experience.
Know Before You Go##
Historic Richmond Town is an historic site that includes paved and unpaved roads that lead to the various public spaces, including historic buildings restored to resemble their original construction from the 17th-19th centuries. This tour covers uneven ground, and includes walking across busy streets, and walking and standing for short periods of time. Please call 718-351-1611 x247 for additional information.
Duration: 75 Minutes Not Recommended for Visitors with mobility issues
Adventure Tips
Wear sturdy shoes
Tours involve walking on uneven, sometimes unpaved paths; comfortable, supportive footwear is recommended.
Arrive early for the museum
Your tour ticket includes museum access open 11am-4pm; arriving early maximizes your visit.
Use public transportation
Historic Richmond Town is accessible via Staten Island public transit, avoiding parking hassles.
Bring water and sun protection
Tours are outside and last about 75 minutes, so hydration and sun protection are important.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Eastern gray squirrels commonly dart through the village green.
- Various songbirds are active in the trees surrounding the historic buildings.
History
Historic Richmond Town preserves structures from multiple key periods in Staten Island’s history, uniquely connecting colonial, revolutionary, and antebellum America.
Conservation
The site maintains environmentally sensitive preservation practices to protect its historic buildings and surrounding landscapes for future generations.
Select participants and date
Adventure Hotspots in New York City
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Comfortable walking shoes
Provides stability and comfort on uneven and paved paths during the tour.
Water bottle
Stay hydrated during the 75-minute outdoor walking tours.
spring|summer|fall specific
Sunhat or sunscreen
Protects from sun exposure under minimal shade along the route.
summer|spring|fall specific
Light jacket or layers
Useful for fluctuating temperatures and wind during cooler months.
spring|fall|winter specific