Discover Lower Manhattan on Foot With a Free Jane’s Walk Tour This Weekend

Not that Lower Manhattan is wanting for walking tours, but if you’re looking to stretch your legs and learn a little about downtown history, this weekend provides an excellent opportunity. From May 2 to 4, the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) will host the annual Jane’s Walk festival, with free community-led in-person and virtual walking tours covering all aspects of New York City’s history.

Inspired by urbanist Jane Jacobs, the Jane’s Walk festival is a great way to connect with your neighbors and learn more about the city, and this year there are a whole host of tours to check out downtown. You can see the full schedule on MAS’s website, but here are a few downtown-specific ones to whet your appetite:

More Than a Memorial: This guided tour, led by Erin Donnelly of Reel New York City, will explore the public art and architecture around the perimeter of the 9/11 Memorial. Sunday, May 4 at 3 p.m.  

Get Schooled: Public Education in NYC: This walking tour, led by education researchers Emma Alterman and Emily Schwartz, will take you through Lower Manhattan as you learn about public education from the POVs of the many groups involved: NYC Public Schools, the mayor and politicians, teachers, students and families and graduates. Meets at the Tweed Courthouse (52 Chambers St.). Saturday, May 3 at 11 a.m. 

Money, Power and Party Bosses: The Civic Center in the 19th Century: Ben Weinberg, director of public policy at the Citizens Union of the City of New York, will take you on a walk around City Hall Park and the surrounding area, diving into the dodgy and corrupt politics of Boss Tweed/Tammany Hall-era New York. Sunday, May 4 at 11 a.m.

The British Invasion: OG Edition: Jenny Green leads this historical walk through Lower Manhattan, where you’ll learn about the British Loyalists and royalists who lived in New York in its colonial era. Saturday, May 3 at 3 p.m.

And many more! As a reminder, these tours are FREE — but please do RSVP in advance, as space is limited.

photo: the Tweed Courthouse at 52 Chambers St., now home to the NYC Department of Education. (courtesy iStock)