Literary, Art & Music Tours in New York

Bar hop through literary history on a walking tour of Times Square. Skip the large, impersonal bus tours and head straight to historic locations often missed by visitors and locals alike. As you make your to each bar, your guide points out the haunts of famous literary figures from J.D. Salinger to Dorothy Parker. Leave with a new appreciation for Times Square that doesn't involve its billboards.

Experience New York City's historic jazz district, Harlem, with an insider guide. Get to know the uptown scene on this nighttime walking tour and members-only jazz club experience. Stroll the storied main street of this celebrated Manhattan neighborhood, 125th Street, and listen to live music at a private venue in a historic Harlem brownstone, admission included. Enjoy entertainment, craft cocktails, and down-home cooking on this memorable evening outing.

Experience Harlem's gospel music and culture with a 4-hour walking tour through the historic New York City neighborhood. Listen to the distinctive harmonies of a Harlem gospel choir in a local church, and hear how that music has transformed American culture. Explore Harlem's vibrant streets with an experienced guide as you learn about the neighborhood's art, literature and political history, follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, then see the celebrated Apollo Theater, where some of America's most iconic artists ignited the Harlem renaissance.

Join us for a bespoke experience with special access through The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Take in the expansive interiors as we reveal hidden gems or explore classical highlights. Our engaging art experiences focus on you as they inspire curiosity, encourage questions, and invite dialogue. Let us tailor to suit your artistic tastes from the incredible options ranging from antiquities to contemporary art.Along the way, you can relax and imbibe in the Met's wine lounge as your expert guide will act as your own personal art historian, answering any questions about art and artists, the museum or New York. Treats and beverages can be purchased a la carte. ART SMART's team is comprised of fresh, engaging art historians, curators and specialists at the top of their field who are trained to deliver custom experiences that are focused on the client's interests and expectations.

Feast Your Eyes Tour blends a love of food, drink and culture on a guided private tour through The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Carefully crafted by art historians and food scholars, this fresh offering details a visual banquet presented through more than twenty-five paintings, sculptures, and objets d'art peppered throughout the galleries. The artwork spans six different cultures ranging from ancient to modern. Presented in ART SMART's signature of-the-moment style, the Feast Your Eyes Tour conversation is inspired by dining rituals, popular culture, and contemporary food and drink trends. This Met tour supports ART SMART's mission to provide tours that speak to the unique interests and experiences of individuals while helping clients navigate the vast art resources of New York City and beyond in exceptional ways - this time with a foodie twist.

Experience the rich cultural legacy of Harlem and the soul-stilling rhythms of gospel on an immersive Sunday morning tour. Travel through the northern Manhattan neighborhood with a guide while learning about the history of the area and its landmarks like the Apollo Theater, Sugar Hill and Columbia University. Then, join a local Baptist congregation for a Sunday service featuring the exuberant vocals of a live gospel choir. 

New York's vibrant Lower East Side neighborhood has, in recent years, become a hub of some of the city's most experimental and boundary-pushing street art. Go on a small-group, cultural walking tour of the neighborhood, and spot noteworthy works by internationally renowned artists. Meet your guide at the Houston Bowery Wall in Nolita - famed for its ever-changing murals - and then venture to the LES. You'll admire pieces in the 100 Gates Project, will see work by Shephard Fairey and Space Invader, and learn more about the vibrant local street art community.

Discover the three genres of music that helped form rock culture in New York City's East Village on this guided, 2-hour rock walk. Rock, punk and glam helped introduce new music, rock 'n' roll fashion and a way of life to the world. See where bands like the Ramones, the New York Dolls, the Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop and others wrote music and played gigs. Soak up the rich musical history and get to know the East Village rock scene on the Original Rock 'n' Roll Walking Tour.

Hip-hop music began in New York City. There's no better way to explore the genre of music than by taking this entertaining and informative tour with one of rap's Grandmasters. The unique experience offers an interactive tour through Manhattan, Harlem and the Bronx, showing the origins and evolution of hip-hop and rap music.

Watch Harlem come alive after dark with a 3.5-hour evening tour to historic churches, landmarks and one of the neighborhood's best jazz spots. Walk with your guide along vibrant Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, and learn about the cultural heritage of Harlem's night clubs and gospel churches. Spot some of New York City's distinctive brownstone architecture as you walk, then finish your evening at a live jazz club, where some of today's best artists play tunes by Harlem's music greats.

Well before the Globetrotters and the "Harlem Shake" appeared, there was Harlem, the neighborhood that is the birthplace of hip-hop. Harlem's contributions to hip-hop art and culture are unmatched. On this guided, 2-hour walking tour, led by a hip-hop historian, check out important landmarks like the Apollo Theater, the Graffiti Wall of Fame, Lenox Lounge, historic Harlem jazz clubs and more. See popular locations for hip-hop music videos and hear exclusive stories. Admission to the Museum of the City of New York is included.

Experience Harlem's gospel heritage on a 4-hour private tour that explores the vibrant New York City neighborhood's music, art and culture. Attend a local church service to hear an extraordinary morning of prayer and singing, then spot area landmarks and architectural gems as you take a walking tour of Harlem's local markets. Finish your morning with a visit to the iconic Apollo Theatre, the world-famous venue that was at the heart of the Harlem Renaissance.

Get a renegade take on New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art with an exciting 2-hour art tour through the Met's weirdest, most wonderful and scandalous displays. Enjoy exclusive skip-the-line access, then follow your guide through the museum's sprawling galleries to hear insider secrets about infamous artists and their creations. Make your museum visit a fun adventure with games, selfies and surprises as you experience the Met on your own terms.This is an unconventional tour of the Met. Not recommended for participants under 16 years old.

Spend an afternoon discovering the historic Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem on a guided, 4-hour tour. From Dutch farming community to the capital of 'Black America,' visit popular locations like Sugar Hill, Morningside Heights, the Apollo Theater, Sylvan Terrace, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and more. See where President Bill Clinton's office is located. Then attend a true gospel mass at local Covenant Avenue Baptist Church. Choose from English and German or Italian and Spanish language.

Explore Harlem's history and culture with a 3-hour walking tour and an unforgettable afternoon jazz performance. Follow your experienced guide through the heart of this vibrant neighborhood, see Harlem's celebrated landmarks and architecture, then head to a local Presbyterian church for a live concert. Watch local artists bring jazz's immortal tunes to vivid life as they pay tribute to Harlem's greatest performers.