Religious Studies School Trip to New York

A WST tour to New York can support the study of elements of the following exam board specifications:

THE NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM

Located on the World Trade Center site this memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honour to the people killed in the terrorist attacks of 11th September 2011. The main feature of the memorial is the twin reflecting pools which sit within the footprints of where the twin towers once were. The names of every person who died are inscribed into bronze panels edging the pools. The 9/11 Memorial Museum includes an exhibition on the events of 9/11 and the aftermath.

9/11 TRIBUTE MUSEUM

Located next to FDNY firehouse and across from the World Trade Center site, the 9/11 Tribute Museum offers a ‘person to person history’ to help visitors to New York understand the historic events and the people who experienced them. Your students can have the unique opportunity of taking a guided tour around the 9/11 Memorial with a  Walking Tour Guide; survivors, workers who assisted in the recovery efforts, lower Manhattan residents, or family members that lost loved ones. Each tour will offer a unique personal experience of the events, the aftermath and how life goes on.

CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

Central Synagogue is one of the largest Jewish congregations in North America and the oldest synagogue in New York City in continuous use. Group tours can be booked and tailored to your studies.

ELDRIDGE STREET SYNAGOGUE & MUSEUM AT ELDRIDGE STREET

The Eldridge Street Synagogue is one of the first synagogues erected in the United States by Eastern European Jews (Ashkenazis) in 1887. Further to members dwindling there was a period of renovation in the 80’s and 90’s before the Museum at Eldridge Street opened to the public. The museum which is within the synagogue building, reflects a cultural and educational mission. Evening services still take place in the main sanctuary. A range of fascinating tours for schools around the museum and synagogue cover immigration and Jewish culture. The museum also provides a guided tour around the Lower East Side neighbourhood.

ELLIS ISLAND MUSEUM

Located in the Main Building of the former immigration station complex, the Ellis Island Museum holds the history of the 12 million immigrants who came to America through the golden door of Ellis Island. The exhibits in this museum include artefacts, photographs, prints, oral histories and much more.

THE JEWISH MUSEUM

Located on New York City’s Museum Mile, The Jewish Museum is a hub for art and Jewish culture. On a school trip to New York, visitors can go along self guided or choose from a range of educational programmes.  

MAHAYANA BUDDHIST TEMPLE

Located in Downtown Manhattan this temple offers visits for school groups to help them understand worship and faith. Availability is limited and visits can not be guaranteed. 

MUSEUM OF CHINESE IN AMERICA

This museum provides a great opportunity to learn more about Chinese immigration to the US and how Chinese culture has developed in the US. Guided tours cover customs and traditions, family journeys and stereotypes. The museum also provides guided walking tours around Chinatown.

MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE

Created as a living memorial to those who perished during the Holocaust, the Museum honours those who died by celebrating their lives—cherishing the traditions that they embraced, examining their achievements and faith, and affirming the vibrant worldwide Jewish community that is their legacy today. Educational guided tours here include topics on Immigration, Jewish Heritage, Community Life and the relationship between the USA and Israel . 

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

Part of the Smithsonian Institute this museum is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere. Through self guided or guided visits, student can learn more about the traditions and culture of American Indians, but also the issues they face today.

ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL

St Patrick’s Cathedral is a prominent landmark in New York City. It is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and a Parisian church, located on the east side of Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets in Midtown Manhattan, directly across the street from Rockefeller Center. Guided tours are available throughout the week.

ST PAUL’S CHAPEL

St. Paul's Chapel is part of Trinity Wall Street, an Episcopal parish that has been a part of New York City since 1697. Paul's Chapel is located just across the street from the World Trade Center, St. Paul’s played an important role in hosting recovery workers after the attacks of September 11, 2001. We recommend visiting after the 9/11 Memorial to take a look at the exhibit dedicated to volunteers, rescue and recovery workers.

THE TENEMENT MUSEUM

The Tenement museum shows the experiences of 19^th and 20^th century immigrants from many different cultures. It allows students school trip to New York to visit one of the tenement apartment buildings which was home to almost 7000 working class immigrants and tells the stories of their lives in America. Guided tours at the Tenement museum can be fairly interactive with visits such as the Victoria Confino tour. This allows students to visit the flat of Victoria Confino, a 14 year old girl who lived in the tenement in 1916. An actor will be playing the role of Victoria Confino, allowing the students to ask her questions about her life as a poor immigrant in 19^th century America.

UNITED NATIONS BUILDING

The UN Building is the work place to representatives of the earth’s six billion people who discuss and decide issues of peace, justice and economic and social well being. Going on a guided tour of the United Nations headquarters in New York can offer your students a behind-the-scenes view of this organisation at work. 

MEET AND GREET QUIZ

On school trips to New York, we always arrange a meet and greet for your group on arrival, so a representative will meet you at the airport, take you to your coach and transfer to your accommodation to ensure your arrival is a smooth one. If you want to make it fun and really get them ready for the next few days ahead, then we can arrange for your guide to do a fun quiz all about New York city on board your coach and each student will get an I Love NY T-Shirt as a reminder of their trip. Ask us for more details and prices.

GUIDED WALKING TOURS

As always the best way to get around and see a city is on foot, especially when looking at it from a historical perspective. We offer a wide choice of walking tours for New York school trips that can be tailored to study needs and interests. The most popular walking tours are:

• Midtown Manhattan Walking Tour – including Fifth Avenue, 42nd street, Central Park, Times Square, Empire State Building
• Downtown Manhattan Walking Tour – Wall Street, New York Stock Exchange, Battery Park, Little Italy, Soho

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

No visit to New York is complete without a visit to the top of New York’s most iconic skyscraper. 

FRIENDS OF THE HIGHLINE

This unique visit allows the public to explore what was once a major train line known as New York Central Railroad. The train line, which was very popular in the 1930’s became less successful in the 1980’s, forcing it to close. In 1999, Friends of the Highline decided there was still life in the old railroad yet and embarked upon a journey of re-development. The train line is now a beautiful public park and architectural masterpiece. 

HARBOUR CRUISES

Get a close up view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island you can choose from two options:

• Liberty Cruise - A 1 hour cruise of the harbour.
• Island Cruise - You can disembark at both Liberty Island and Ellis Island on this hop on hop off cruise

HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD   

The Hershey’s Chocolate World Sweet Educational Tour is ready to show you a world you've never known. Set as A walking tour of the iconic Times Square location, this learning experience is about more than milk, sugar and cocoa. You'll learn more about Hershey’s iconic brands, why we decided to come to the crossroads of the World, Times Square, and of course taste several different Hershey’s products. Milton Hershey loved nothing more than to enrich the lives of others, and this tour plans to do just that!

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ALL ACCESS TOUR

An insider’s look at this state of the art arena. You will explore the Knicks and Rangers locker rooms and relive historic moments with the new Garden 366 experience and Defining Moments exhibit.

NBC STUDIO TOUR

Go behind the scenes of some of the most well-known TV shows. You will visit the NBC Sharp Globe Theatre, Broadcast Operations, the Make Up room, and even produce your very own news and weather programme.

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

As the largest indoor theatre in the world, when depression hit this prime spot in Midtown New York, it was turned into the Radio City Music Hall. Visiting Radio City can allow your students to learn about its history, listen to the ‘mighty Wurlitzer’ and enjoy ‘a masterpiece of American Modernist design’.

TOP OF THE ROCK

The observation desk at the top of the Rockefeller Center provides a unique 360 degree view of New York, including the Empire State Building.

ONE WORLD OBSERVATORY

The tallest observatory in the western hemisphere, located at the 9/11 memorial site, offering spectacular panoramic views of New York. The visit also includes numerous videos and multimedia experiences. There are 5 lifts including a sky pod elevator that ascends to the 102nd floor in under 60 seconds. You can choose from various cafés and restaurants. The visit lasts approx. 45 to 60 minutes.

TV & MOVIE SITES TOURS

Choose from a range of coach or walking tours around the city, taking in locations of well-known shows and movies, venues where the stars hang out and even see where your favourite celebrities live. Shows and movies include Friends, Seinfeld, Glee, The Devil Wears Prada, Spiderman, Elf, Hitch and many more. Themed tours include Sex and the City Hotspots, Central Park Movie Sites, Gossip Girl Sites and Sopranos Sites.

On Location Tours is receiving very positive feedback from happy students - See for yourself what it’s all about…

NEW YORK’S ART GALLERIES:

The Metropolitan Museum

One of the largest art galleries in the world, located on Fifth Avenue next to Central Park. Closed on Mondays.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Often seen as one the most influential museums of modern art, the MoMA offers a collection of both modern and contemporary art. It is centrally located between 5^th and 6^th Avenues. Closed on Tuesdays.

The Guggenheim

The Guggenheim is visited not just for its exhibitions of impressionist, post-impressionist, early modern and contemporary art, but also its iconic building which is known as one the 20th Century’s important architectural landmarks. The museum is located on the exclusive Upper East Side.  Closed on Thursdays.

BROADWAY THEATRE PRODUCTIONS

Give your students an experience to remember by arranging a trip to a Broadway show. They’ll really go home with the ‘WOW’ factor. Here is a range of the most popular shows currently available on Broadway.

SHOPPING

A trip to New York is not complete without a trip to world famous shops and department stores. Shops are open 7 days a week in New York, usually from 10.00 until 7.00pm on Monday to Saturday and 11 until 6.00 pm on Sunday. Department stores tend to stay open a little later.

• Fifth Avenue: Some of New York’s best known shops can be found here including FAO Schwarz, Apple Store, Abercrombie & Fitch and Saks
• Bloomingdales: Located close to Fifth Avenue, a little brown bag from Bloomingdales is an iconic souvenir from a trip to New York.
• Macy’s: The largest department store in New York, located on West 34^th Street
• Century 21: A bargain hunters paradise, located close to Ground Zero
• South Street Seaport: This Lower Manhattan’s eastside shopping destination offers a distinct mix of shops, restaurants and cafés. 

RESTAURANTS

We can arrange evening meals in restaurants in the city with options to suit all tastes. Our most popular choices are:

• Planet Hollywood
• Hard Rock Café
• Bubba Gump Shrimp
• Buca Di Bepo
• Dave & Busters
• B Smiths
• Bowlmor – bowling and dining
• Italian Restaurants
• Chinese Restaurants