Gothamist: Free UN Tours for June

Captain Midnight

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 18:35:11 -0500

I'm sold on the dining room. The only question I have is "Is it all you can eat?" Newyorkology wasn't sure. Granted, I don't really want to make a pig of myself in front of delegates, but hey, for $25 plus beverage and tip, I do want to get my money's worth.

Rose

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 14:35:46 -0500

The summer of 2001 we took another tour of the U.N. I had last gone in 1994 and before that, in grade school. The '01 tour lasted about two hours. It was great.

UN intern

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 13:41:46 -0500

The Delegate's Dining Room is really good. I interned for an NGO at the U.N. last year and ate there frequently. They have many options for vegetarians as well, and a really good salad bar. And sitting next to the windows is fantastic. One note: cash only. They don't take credit cards. As for the tours, picture-taking is not allowed during some meetings, so if you went to, say, the Trusteeship Council room and there was a meeting going on that couldn't be photographed, that might be one reason why they rushed you through. On the other hand, most of the guides I've met wouldn't have been pissed if you asked, hey, can we wait one more minute while I take a picture? Another note: the lobby of the U.N. (which houses Sputnik, changing exhibits, and a mural outside the chapel) as well as the basement (gift shops, book store, cafe) are all free to the public at any time.

tien

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 13:34:10 -0500

captain, we didn't seem too rushed. i think there were 20 people on the tour and the guide said "i'll give you some time to take pictures" at each stop on the tour. well, most of the stops. we just did a quick walk through of the Trusteeship Council. at a few of the stops, people even had time to pose for several pictures.

Captain Midnight

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 12:28:53 -0500

Never again. The last time I took the tour, it was ridiculously rushed. The guide claimed we'd be allowed a couple of minutes at each stop to take photos. But I'd barely get a camera up before she had us on the move again. I don't know how Tien got those nice shots. Not to mention the UN Garden is closed to the public for the foreseeable future. Can't walk around there anymore the way I did on a class trip so many decades ago. The Delegate's Dining Room sounds like a much better idea. It barely costs more than a tour and you get a good lunch, to boot. I'll have to give that a try.

objectiva3

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 11:49:58 -0500

Good Idea!!! :)