A Walking Tour with the Municipal Art Society

The Municipal Art Society's walking tours have run since 1956, and MAS calls them the oldest walking-tour program in New York. Expert guides, many of them architectural historians and preservationists, lead small groups for 90 minutes to two hours through neighborhoods across all five boroughs. The fall 2026 calendar ranges from Grand Central with an MAS docent to the original brownstone Bed-Stuy, the South Bronx, Art Deco in Murray Hill and the Gilded Age mansions just off Fifth Avenue.

As of October 2026 most tours cost $35, or $25 for members, and the Grand Central tour is discounted for fall at $25. Book ahead online, since groups are kept small. All in-person tours are outdoors, so dress for the weather. Pick a neighborhood you think you know; that is where these guides are most rewarding. MAS also runs Jane's Walk NYC each spring, a weekend of free volunteer-led walks citywide, and virtual talks through the winter.