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Visitor Centers and Tours
Those interested in experiencing some of the culture that Columbia and the community have to offer have several options. For a listing of cultural organizations in the area, visit Columbia University Arts Initiative’s Harlem Arts Map. Visitor centers and sightseeing tours offer brochures and guided tours of all varieties. Below is a sampling of those available that focus on Columbia University and greater Upper Manhattan.
Columbia University in the City of New York, Morningside Heights campus, Visitor’s Center
213 of Low Library
535 W. 116th Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 854-4900
Columbia University’s Visitors Center offers a friendly one-stop guide to New York’s oldest university. Columbia University is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The main entrance to the Morningside Heights campus is on 116th Street and Broadway; the Medical Center can be found at 168th Street and Broadway. Both campuses are easily accessible by public transportation or car. The Visitor’s Center serves as a central location for prospective students, visitors, school groups and tourists seeking general information about the university. Tours are available every weekday. Reservations are required for groups of ten or more and require at least two weeks notice. A special campus tour for students at middle schools can be arranged by calling the Visitors Center. The Visitors Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on major holidays.
NYC & Company Harlem Information Kiosk
Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building Plaza
163 W. 125th Street
(just east of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard/Seventh Avenue)
(212) 484-1222
The Harlem Visitor Information Kiosk is located at the State Office Building plaza at 163 West 125th Street at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. Open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, the kiosk serves as a source of information to visitors. The kiosk staff provides information about Upper Manhattan including directions, attractions, maps and brochures.
Harlem is Home Tours
37 Hamilton Terrace
New York, NY 10031
(212) 658-9160
Harlem is Home Tours are organized by Harlem One Stop, a cultural tourism initiative of the West Harlem Community Preservation Organization. Their tour leaders are licensed New York City guides and local Harlem residents who work to preserve Harlem's cultural and architectural treasures. Several tours are offered and Customized Group Tour Packages are available.
Central Park Conservancy
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 310-6600
Discover the Park's history, ecology and design on volunteer-led walking tours sponsored by the Central Park Conservancy. Year-round, the Conservancy offers at least ten different walking tours that highlight several areas of Central Park. Free guided walking tours available.
Harlem & the Heights Heritage Culture Loop and Tours
550 West 155th Street
New York, NY 10032
(212) 694-8824
Loop toursprovide an intimate experience with the people and places that make Northern Manhattan an exciting place. Learn new hotspots; snatch a glimpse of colonial Harlem and access fantastic Hudson views.
Harlem Heritage Tours
Harlem Heritage Tours & Cultural Center
104 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10026
(212) 280-7888
Day trips, slide shows, jazz, gospel, bus/walking hip hop, art, multimedia, and poetry tours. All tours conducted by Harlem residents, to give an insider's view of the community.
Harlem Spirituals/New York Visions
690 Eighth Avenue, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 391-0900
Tours of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx; Gospel, jazz, heritage, ethnic and contemporary art tours offered. Available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Harlem, Your Way! Tours
129 West 130th Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 690-1687
Interactive bus and walking tours of Harlem, Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Tour African, West Indian, and soul food restaurants; landmarks; cultural institutions; jazz and rhythm and blues venues. Customized planning for groups and individuals.
