How do I join the virtual tour?

The meeting point is Zoom; you'll receive a Zoom link in your order confirmation after registering.

Is there an age limit for attendees?

No minimum or maximum age is listed; the program is family-friendly and suitable for teens and adults.

Will the program be recorded if I miss it?

Recording and replay availability are not guaranteed; check the order confirmation or contact the Museum at Eldridge Street for specifics.

Is the tour accessible for listeners with hearing needs?

Live guide languages are not listed; reach out to the Museum at Eldridge Street ahead of the event to request accommodations.

What is the cancellation or refund policy?

Cancellation details are not specified in the event summary; consult your booking confirmation or the museum's booking page for policy information.

Virtual Tour of Lower East Side Entertainers with Bradley Shaw

Q: What does the tour cost?

Ticket tiers listed include Adults $15, Seniors/Students $10, and a discounted Cool Culture Pass / SNAP rate at $5.

On a Tuesday evening, the Lower East Side's dense blocks of tenement buildings and former Yiddish theaters come alive again — not on cobblestone streets but on your laptop screen. 'Virtual Tour: Entertainers of the Lower East Side' is a live Zoom program led by urban historian Bradley Shaw, produced by the Museum at Eldridge Street. The program traces the pipeline from crowded tenements and local performance halls to Broadway, Hollywood, and beyond, and is delivered from the same neighborhood that was home to more than a million Jewish immigrants between 1881 and 1924. Shaw guides viewers through the landmarks and lore of a neighborhood that launched comedians, actors, songwriters, and comic-book artists. Expect clear, image-rich narration about the Eldridge Street Synagogue — the restored National Historic Landmark opened in 1887 — and neighborhood stages such as the Grand Street Theatre that once hosted Yiddish vaudeville and early 20th-century popular entertainment. The tour highlights physical features: narrow tenement facades, fire escapes, storefront theaters, and archival posters and playbills that survive in museum collections. This virtual format makes the Lower East Side accessible to travelers who can't be in New York, and it deepens an in-person visit by layering archival photos, historical context, and first-person stories. Shaw's background as a borough native and licensed New York City guide brings local detail: how immigrant networks supported performers, the role of Yiddish theater in cultural life, and the odd coincidences of family dynasties that moved from neighborhood stages to national fame. Practical details are straightforward: the meeting point is Zoom; ticket tiers include Adults $15, Seniors/Students $10, and a discounted Cool Culture Pass / SNAP rate at $5. You'll receive a Zoom link in your order confirmation. The program is suitable for anyone curious about social history, performance history, or urban change, and it pairs well with a subsequent visit to the Museum at Eldridge Street to see the synagogue in person. Why this program stands out: it treats an urban neighborhood like a geological strata of culture—layered, compact, and legible when you know where to look. For cultural travelers, neighborhood historians, and armchair adventurers, Shaw's virtual stroll is a sharp, human-scaled lens on how a small corner of Manhattan reshaped American entertainment. Whether you want to reconnect with family history or add historical texture to a city trip, this virtual tour is a focused, affordable way to put faces and stages back into the crowded streets of the Lower East Side. Registering is simple, and the program's modest price keeps this rich cultural material within reach of students, family researchers, and travelers planning a deeper, on-the-ground exploration of Manhattan's immigrant neighborhoods; it's a compact, well-researched primer that rewards curiosity and sparks further visits.

About Museum at Eldridge Street

Museum at Eldridge Street preserves and interprets the Eldridge Street Synagogue, a landmark on Manhattan’s Lower East Side established in 1887. The museum offers a range of guided and self-guided experiences, including docent-led discovery tours, self-guided visits, architecture and anniversary building tours, virtual talks, and multilingual programs.
Regular offerings highlight walking tours that explore Jewish history across neighborhoods such as the Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, and Historic Jewish Harlem, as well as themed walks about activism, love and courtship, and the Jewish gangsters of Lower Manhattan. Monthly Spanish-guided tours are held every last Monday of the month, and special events include concerts, exhibition talks, and food-focused walks like the Eldridge Eats Food Tour.
The museum presents virtual programming, including seminars tied to exhibitions such as the Lower East Side in 1975 photography project and virtual book talks. The Anniversary Building Tour celebrates the synagogue with artifacts, documents, and images presented by guides like Scott Brevda.
By combining historic preservation, community programming, and educational tours, the institution supports research and public engagement without relying on conjecture. Visitors can expect factual interpretation rooted in primary sources, curated exhibitions, and live-led programs produced by professional staff and volunteer docents. Located in New York, New York, the Museum at Eldridge Street serves both local audiences and visitors seeking authentic stories of Jewish immigrant experience, architecture, and cultural history on the Lower East Side. Programs include guided education for schools, public lectures, family activities, and seasonal events that deepen neighborhood connections and archival access.