During Prohibition, New York had an estimated 30,000 speakeasies – including one hidden away in this building (and later turned into an off-Broadway theatre). The two-room museum features grim photos and artifacts such as bullets from the St Valentine's Day Massacre; the guided tour gives a comprehensive history of American crime syndicates and the building's history, including a visit to the basement office where the rumrunners ran booze through hidden tunnels to the East River.

For anyone besides diehard mob buffs, the cost may feel a bit steep – look for discounted tickets on Groupon.


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