Welcome to New York Cemetery Tours. I’m your host, James Henry. I’m a Certified New York City Tour Guide specializing in the cemeteries and graveyards of New York City. I am part of the staff of guides at Green-Wood Cemetery and I’m the head tour guide at The Evergreens Cemetery, both in Brooklyn. I also lead my own “Lower Manhattan Cemetery Stroll” , and a “Body Snatching in Old New York” tour that you can book directly through me.
You can book cemetery tours with me a number of different ways. I offer private walking tours year round. When I am leading a public tour for Green-Wood or The Evergreens cemetery, I will post a link to that tour so you can sign up. Be sure to check back regularly because I’m constantly adding new tours.
public Tours I’ll lead at Green-Wood Cemetery for 2023
(more to be added)
june 10 revolutionary spirits 3:30 -6 buy Tickets here
June 18 Greatest hits 1- 2:30 buy tickets here
june 24 discover trolley tour 1-3 buy Tickets here
july 8 revolutionary spirits 3:30 – 6 buy tickets here
july 22 revolutionary spirits 3:30 – 6 buy tickets here
august 12 revolutionary spirits 3:30 – 6 buy tickets here
august 26 revolutionary spirits 3:30 – 6 buy tickets here
sept 9 revolutionary spirits 3:30 – 6 tickets not on site yet
oct 14 revolutionary spirits 3:30 – 6 tickets not on site yet
nov 4 egyptomania trolley tour 10- 12 tickets not on site yet
would like a private tour of Green-Wood? please contact my boss Derya here
would like a private tour of the evergreens ? please contact my boss julie here
But wait! There’s more!
I’m very happy to announce that I’m now leading tours in both Manhattan and Brooklyn that don’t involve a bunch of dead people! I just got hired by New York’s finest walking tour company, Big Onion Tours and I’m giving tours of Lower Manhattan, the Lower East Side, the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights. Check back here for links. In addition to that I’ve also started working as a tour guide for Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center. Unfortunately, there’s no way to post when my tours occur but I do encourage you to try a tour there. We have a wonderful staff of tour guides and you get to meet a Rockette as well. 🙂
But back to dead people. I’m also happy to announce that I’ve recently partnered with artist Sean Perri to create a graphic novel, tentatively titled “Terror Beyond the Grave: A History of Body Snatching”. Below is a 3 page piece Sean created for me that I’m presently shopping around to publishers.
REVIEWS of my tours
“The Green-Wood Cemetery experience far exceeded my expectations. I am an artist and learned so much about overall cemetery sculpture, monuments, materials, history of the area and the symbolism from this tour. Much of the information I can apply when I visit other cemeteries to enhance my experience. It was really fun and enjoyable as James is tremendously knowledgeable and engaging. I highly recommend this tour, it was the best thing I’ve done in New York!” – Marnie Weber
“This was my second visit to Green-wood cemetery. Considering the massive 478 acres of ground to cover, much of it very steep, I soon realized I had missed out on numerous vistas on that initial trip. James very efficiently navigated us through the giant necropolis over the rolling hills to stop at numerous hidden gems, complete with city skylines, palatial mausoleums nestled before peaceful lagoons, and noteworthy monuments easily missed. If you’re considering exploring on your own, as I first did, you’ll miss out. There’s no way to thoroughly cover this whole place on your own without a talented guide like James to blaze a trail to the highlights. As you’ll see, complementing these grand sites are many intriguing stories about the noteworthy individuals and families interred here. James is a walking, talking encyclopedia of the fascinating history of the cemetery and its occupants. His love of this beautiful place and his love of sharing it was evident throughout the experience. He also ties together the evolution of cultural attitudes toward death with monument design, both specific to Green-wood and cemeteries in general. As a fellow tour guide and taphophile, often I find my knowledge of certain subjects only scratching the surface and lacking a deeper breadth of knowledge. He connected many dots for me, all in a very engaging and easygoing way. You will leave feeling enriched. Highly recommended!” – Scot Hourcade
“Exceptional tour! James is super funny and has a lot of cool cemetery facts. I went home with a ton of great photos and tidbits of knowledge to match. Green-Wood is beautiful and I could easily have spent a whole day exploring the grounds. Whether you have a lot of time or a little, carve out some time to spend with James!” – Scarlett Fox
“Highly recommended tour! James is a very knowledgeable guide who gives a very interesting tour and also adds some “light touch” to it where appropriate. I had a great time, learned new things about Brooklyn and Manhattan history and will do the tour again when back with family or friends.” – Adam Liebling
“A wonderful experience with an interesting and knowledgeable guide I can not recommend enough! It felt like being guided through a great story by a friend.” – Jan Dupree
This experience far exceeded my expectations! James was exceptionally knowledgeable about Greenwood cemetery, New York, Brooklyn and all things in between! He nearly made the place come alive with his stories! He was helpful, entertainingly informative and very likable! I want to come back in every season to revel in the beauty of this special place!” – Rhonda Weyer
“James is knowledgeable and provides very detailed and fascinating information about the cemetery, and everything inside it, including wildlife too! I learned a lot about the history of NYC and people who once lived here through this tour. Loved it and highly recommend it to everyone!” – Elina Haikonen
“James provided us with an amazing tour of Green-Wood Cemetery. He was very personable, extremely knowledgeable and a great communicator. He shared a variety of stories that were based on the art, the architecture, and the history that is a part of the monuments, memorials and mausoleums found within the vast cemetery. It was a blustery day, but his warm car allowed us to cover a great deal of the special land making up this once “rural cemetery.” The Manhattan skyline vista from Battle Hill is stunning. To witness the statue of Minerva waving directly to her sister, Lady Liberty, out in the bay was moving. James highlighted famous politicians, musicians, artists, inventors, clergy and the “common man” who are buried here. He told stories highlighting their lives, and he supported his information with great images from a photo gallery he had on his iPad. My husband declared, “James is a true Renaissance man.” His Green-wood Cemetery Tour is fueled by his passion and life’s purpose. Don’t miss this experience; sign up today!” -Wendy Hardy
“What better way to walk through a biographical history of New York City than to walk and ride through this parklike cemetery. Our guide really owns this place, and the pride of ownership quickly pulls you in. The cemetery predates Central Park and all the great parks of NYC. As a result, it is the repository of many of the celebrities and characters that shaped NY in the 19th and 20th centuries. James invites you to meet all his deceased friends, who he brings back to life. The tales capture the slice of life buried here: fascinating, racy, hilarious, provocative and yes, lots of good gossip. Ask questions, beg for more, and James will hit the gas. Cemeteries, unlike museums, have no explanatory videos or signage, so without a guide, the place is beautiful, but lifeless. You really need James here, and at the end of our tour, your bonus is a new friend.” – Mark Tanaka
New York Cemetery Tours 