Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy -
Kling & Niman Family Visitor Center

Donations are securely processed by PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account. CLICK HERE for more information. The Visitor Center operates in large part from generous donations from our patrons. If you would like to make a donation specifically towards the Visitor Center you may do so here. We thank you for your support.

400 Grand Street, NYC
(at Clinton Street)

Click here for hours and location.

The extended family that is the Jewish people is comprised of many individual families, whose histories would amaze and inspire us if they were uncovered. Michael Pertain, through his generous donation, has chosen to sponsor the creation of the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy Kling and Niman Family Visitor Center to help preserve and make accessible to all the treasure trove of Jewish history and culture that remains on the Lower East Side and to encourage visitors of all ethnic backgrounds to preserve the treasure that is in the stories of all of our families.

Thanks to Michael Pertain and other generous donors our Visitor’s Center is welcoming guests. It is a gateway into the world of the Jewish immigrant experience of the last century. While waiting to begin their tours of historic architecture and religious centers, our guests now view photographs, memorabilia and artifacts that help bring their tours to life.

The Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy Kling & Niman Family Visitor Center welcomes patrons during our public hours and prior to tours. Learn about the history of the Lower East Side with our many displays. If you want to experience an insider view of the Lower East Side and see history first hand inquire about our public walking tours, or ask any of the Conservancy staff at the information desk. If you are a local resident, pop in and say hi! The visitor center is about community. We are here to serve locals and tourists alike!

Currently on Display

The Ruins of the Borscht Belt
by Marisa Scheinfeld.

Over the past two and a half years, Marisa Scheinfeld has been making frequent trips back to her hometown region of Sullivan County to photograph the remains of the Borscht Belt era. This exhibit will present selections of the eighty photographs in the series. The surreal images depict the relics of a bygone and truly cherished time in American-Jewish history - the infamous Catskill resorts.

This exhibit runs through August, 2013.

Read more about the exhibit on the New York Times blog.

Kling and Niman Family Displays

Many of the displays at the visitor center focus on the Kling and Niman families. Click below for a look at some of the geneological information unearthed for this collection.