History Lessons in NYC, New York

In 1603, one of the momentous events in history occurred when the Scottish King, James VI inherited the throne of England following the death of his cousin Elizabeth. He combined his two nations and called them Great Britain – and all subsequent kings and queens of Britain are his descendants to the present day. The telling of British royal history...

Dinosaurs! Science! Adventure! Break out your pith helmet as we embark upon a brazen expedition through the halls of New York City's world-famous American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Join your maverick tour guide as we deftly navigate this massive 27-building, 1.6 million square foot landmark cultural institution. Learn the science...

Meet the badass Brooklynites who brought us the ballot. Behind the stately facades of Brooklyn Heights’ most gracious brownstones lies the history of firebrand feminism! The wise “women of Brooklyn” were doctors, lawyers, educators and orators who made some of the foremost contributions to the Suffrage movement. Join us for a walk through their...

When Hannah Arendt published The Origins of Totalitarianism in 1951 she set out to provide a political framework for understanding the phenomenal appearance of National Socialism in the world, and its terrifying consequences. Offering a historical account of imperialism, anti-Semitism, and the atomized individual, Arendt’s work remains...

In this talk, we'll first discuss the origins of coffee and coffee houses as a shared communal space. On our world tour, we will sample different coffeehouse experiences throughout history. After that we'll dive into the United States's love affair with coffee shops,particularly in the last century: coffeehouses as a counterculture performance...

Our experience is a journey from the 1500s to the present day. We’ll start with explorers trying to find a route to Asia but then encountered a new land. I’ll share Harlem’s role in the American Revolution and the meeting of Alexander Hamilton and General George Washington. Our group will discuss the Trans Atlantic Slave trade in North, Central...

Isn't it weird that one day a year it's appropriate to threaten people into giving you candy? Where did the Halloween tradition come from? And actually, how did we come up with candy in the first place? In this class, we'll cover a brief world history of candy, from the botanic roots of sugar cane, to the first processed confections from the Middle...

The history of Coney Island is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. From prostitutes living in a giant tin elephant, to the invention of the hot dog, to a ride that’s so scary it actually made its riders pee themselves, and we’ll tell you all about it!  Join New York Local Tours as we explore the engaging history of Coney Island’s...

Since the launch of Napster in 1999, there has been a massive transformation in how we create and consume media. This class charts the waves of change over the past two decades. We’ll start by looking at the tools and technology that underpin the digital revolution.  We’ll then trace what’s happened...

Can the bricks, glass, wood, and mortar of our city's most emblematic buildings reveal how and why New York City has become the modern global metropolis we know today? To celebrate the launch of his latest book, A History of New York in 27 Buildings: The 400-Year Untold Story of an American Metropolis, former New York Times urban affairs correspondent...

Early Life: From the Woodland Indians to the American Revolution! An exploration of the Native Americans who inhabited Staten Island and the archeological digs that have provided us with facts on the Lenape and their lives, will be followed by a discussion on the European settlers who changed everything. With the arrival of these colonizers enslaved...

“Bog bodies”: the eerily well-preserved remains of hundreds of people – men, women, and children – found in the swamps and peaty wetlands of northern Europe. Many times police have been called to what appears to be a modern murder scene, only to discover that the body dates back to the Iron Age, over two thousand years ago.  The...

When we say "Guinness," what comes to mind? An Irish countryside and a freshly poured pint of stout, no doubt.  Most people are fans of Guinness, but when you actually dive into the details of one of the world's most legendary breweries, you probably don't know too much.  Join Chris, a Senior Ambassador for the Guinness Brewery, on a journey...

Inspired by the Legislative branch of the United States government, ACTION will explore what it means to take action, both personally and politically, and the effect this actions have on our day-to-day lives. The show will begin with a brief but insightful interview with NWUF president Allison Brzezinski and a very special guest, followed by performances...

At the end of an early American funeral, participants were given a cookie: spiced with caraway, and stamped with a special design, they were often kept for years as a memento of the departed. Although mourning traditions have changed over time, and vary from place to place, what they have in common is food and drink. From the home parlour to the funeral...