New York Stock Exchange

The world's most valuable stock exchange, trading billions of dollars daily.

TravelCurious Tip

You can go during the day when the markets are open, but it is also worth a visit at night when the facade is dramatically illuminated. Less excitement in the air, but beautiful nonetheless

Alexander Hamilton, then First Secretary of the Treasury, first issued bonds in 1790, to consolidate the debts accumulated during the American revolution and thus lend credibility to the new nation. That was when securities trading began: traders would gather under a buttonwood tree and haggle on prices and terms. Once the Buttonwood Agreement was signed in 1792, the predecessor of the New York Stock Exchange was born.


Found on 11 Wall Street, behind a grand Romanesque facade, the New York Stock Exchange remains the heart of world finance. Every day about a billion shares change hands there. It epitomises free trade, power and prestige; and perhaps greed, deception and manipulation too. It was both Gordon Gecko’s stamping ground and where the anticapitalist group Rage Against the Machine were famously arrested for their impromptu, live performance of “Sleep Now in the Fire”. The Occupy Wall Street movement kicked off in the nearby Zuccotti park in 2011. Simply put, the atmosphere is electric.


The Bonfire of Vanities

Prior to 9/11, it was actually possible to visit the Exchange. You could pick up a free ticket and observe the trading floor: people in different colour jackets signifying their roles, the multitude of computer screens, the frenzied waving, the surging roars, the ticker tape and the mirage of riches. Nowadays, admittance to the trading floor for non-employees is no longer allowed and the entrance is better guarded than most airports. However, tours can still be had — so book in if you want to catch a glimpse of where the world is run.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in New York
Wall Street
The hub of US financial services that has come to represent capitalism in its purest form.
Federal Hall National Memorial
A monument on the site of the old Federal Hall, where George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States.
Trinity Church
A venerable church in the Wall Street area, with a turbulent history and reported land holdings of over $2 billion.
Charging Bull
A guerilla installation following the 1987 stock market crash, the Charging Bull remains in the financial district as a symbol of energy, strength and unpredictability.
9/11 Museum
Museum dedicated to the 9/11 event and victims.
Fearless Girl
A bronze sculpture by Kristen Visbal promoting female empowerment.

Related Tours

Lower Manhattan, Ground Zero & 9/11 Museum: Private Walking Tour
New York is one of America’s oldest cities and most of its rich history over the past four centuries centres around the southern tip of Manhattan. From the legacy of Dutch settlers to the Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks in 2001, it remains a place at the forefront of the human story. Go with your own guide on a journey around the city’s historic heart. 

On your private tour, you will:

  • Learn about New Amsterdam in the Historic District of New York, settled in 1624;
  • Take a stroll down Battery Park, one of the best areas to live in New York;
  • See the Charging Bull statue and the Fearless Girl statue in Wall Street, New York's Financial District; 
  • Walk past Saint Paul’s Chapel in Trinity Church, the oldest surviving church building in Manhattan;
  • Hear about the modern financial system, as designed by Alexander Hamilton, and walk past several of the area’s main sites, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank;
  • Visit the National 9/11 Memorial in "Ground Zero" and see how the tragic events of 2001 are remembered;
  • Finish your tour at Ground Zero with entrance tickets to the 9/11 Museum, where you will be able to explore the museum at your own pace. 
Your tour starts with the unpretentious tale of the early settlers to the city, from a sleepy Dutch trading post to the dazzling rise of the world's busiest financial capital. You will have the pleasure of visiting Stone Street in the Historic District before moving north, just as the settlers did.

As you make your way through Wall Street, you will discover how an 18th-century street bazaar would eventually become a centre for global commerce. Your expert local guide will give you valuable behind-the-scenes insight into some of the world’s most powerful financial institutions, as you walk by New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall. Here you will see the spot where George Washington was inaugurated and enjoy the handsome Federal Reserve. There will also be a chance to pop into Trinity Church, which has roots dating back to 1697.

 At the National 9/11 Memorial, your guide will share with you the history of the World Trade Center, discuss the tragic events of 9/11, and walk you through the Memorial’s design. 

The area formerly known as 'Ground Zero' is now the site of a moving memorial and has indeed become an important historic landmark. Next to it is the rebuilt One World Trade Center, often referred to as Freedom Tower, it stretches 1776 feet above the ground. 

Here your knowledgeable guide will tell you of the events leading up to the untimely destruction of the towers, as well as share some of the heart-wrenching stories of the families, survivors and 9/11 heroes. You will also visit St. Paul's Chapel, which miraculously survived the 9/11 attack. 

Your tour finishes with entrance tickets to the 9/11 Museum. Your guide will take you to the queue, and give you your timed tickets before departing with you. Once inside the museum, you are free to explore the museum at your own pace.  
The Best of New York City: Private Tour including Top of the Rock

Beginning with views of the Statue of Liberty, you will learn about the history of perhaps the most iconic city in the world as you absorb the truly vibrant atmosphere of the city that never sleeps, from Wall Street to the bustling streets of Downtown Manhattan, the sparkling brilliance of Times Square and end with tickets to see the glorious views from the Top of the Rock - the sky-high observatory at the Rockefeller Centre.

On your private full-day tour of New York City, you will:

  • Start your tour at Battery Park and learn about the origins of New Amsterdam, how it became New York, and admire the views of the iconic Statue of Liberty;
  • Pass by Wall Street's famous bronze statues of the Charging Bull and the Fearless Girl;
  • See the areas main sites of Trinity Church, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Federal Reserve Bank as you learn about the financial system designed by Alexander Hamilton;
  • Visit the 9/11 Memorial and Ground Zero where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center stood, an incredibly moving tribute to the horrendous events of that terrible day in 2001; 
  • Discover the bustling district of Midtown Manhattan - famous for its skyscrapers, shopping on 5th Avenue and Broadway;
  • Tour the interior of Grand Central Terminal - New York's train station famous for its Beaux-Arts architecture, celestial mural ceiling, and for its starring role in films like Men in Black and Armageddon, it is visited by over 20 million people a year;
  • Walk through the tranquil Bryant Park, and admire the lions in front of the New York Public Library;
  • Enjoy the vibrant and exciting atmosphere of Times Square with its flashy billboards and explore the theatre district of Broadway;
  • Take a stroll down the iconic 5th Avenue and admire the stunning window displays of the Saks department store;
  • See the historic St. Patrick's Cathedral from the outside - its neo-gothic splendour is a stark contrast to the surrounding modernity;
  • Admire some of New York's jaw-dropping Art Deco skyscrapers like the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building; 
  • Pass by Radio City Hall - a historic theatre venue, and home to the Rockettes;
  • Finish your tour with tickets to the 'Top of the Rock' the observatory at the top of the Rockefeller Centre with incredible views over New York City - a perfect way to end the day! 


Your tour begins in the heart of Wall Street, where you'll discover the most famous financial district in the world. Begin with an introduction to the history of New Amsterdam - that became New York in Battery Park - with glorious views out towards the Statue of Liberty, before exploring the highlights of Wall Street, including the statues of the Fearless Girl and Charging Bull, the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Bank - where you'll hear all about the history and formation of the modern financial institutions and systems invented by Alexander Hamilton.

Your tour continues to the National 9/11 Memorial and Ground Zero— the original site of the World Trade Center. Here, your guide will share the history of the World Trade Center and discuss the tragic events of 9/11 when the two terrorist planes crashed into the Twin Towers, forever changing the modern world.

Next, it's time to take a New York metro ride - the most popular - and fastest - way of travelling around the city to Midtown Manhattan! First, you'll explore Grand Central Terminal, the most iconic transportation hub in the United States, with beautiful celestial ceiling murals and stunning Beaux-Arts architecture.

It is the setting of many movies and novels and is also famous for its shopping, bars, and restaurants - it is the second most visited landmark in New York after Times Square. Enjoy a delicious lunch in the area - your guide will be happy to make recommendations.

After lunch, explore the iconic area of Midtown Manhattan - famous for its skyscrapers, high-end shopping and of course Broadway theatre scene!

Enjoy a tranquil stroll through Bryant Park, a lovely green oasis in the heart of busy Midtown. See the New York Public Library - flanked by two giant lions, and admire the art deco skyscrapers the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, that made up New York's world-famous skyline.

Walk along the iconic 5th Avenue famous for its department stores - admire the stunning window displays at Saks, and the historical contrast of St Patrick's Cathedral, an impressive neo-gothic construction that was opened in 1879. Famous for its spires, stained glass windows, and titanic bronze doors - the cathedral has hosted many famous funerals including Babe Ruth and Bobby Kennedy.

Head to the amazing Times Square, known as the 'crossroads of the world to see the news ticker on the One Times Square Building, the NASDAQ board, and the myriad of flashing neon signs that lead you onto the bright lights of Broadway!

Finally, passing by the iconic Radio City Hall, your guide will give you your tickets to 'The Top of the Rock', the Rockefeller Observation deck at the top of the Rockefeller Centre.

Your guide will show you the entrance and leave you to enjoy a perfect end to a perfect day - with a breathtaking bird’s eye view of Manhattan and the rest of the Big Apple.

Wall Street & the Financial District: Private 2.5 hr Walking Tour
A very modern trading hub, it is steeped in American History dating back to the 17th century - both triumphal and shameful. Its iconic skyscrapers are built alongside historic buildings like the Federal Hall. From the American Revolution to the Slave Trade, the founding of the New York Stock Exchange to the Great Depression, becoming the global financial superpower to the tragic events of 9/11, Wall Street is full of the stories that have made, broken, and remade modern America, and the wider world. 

On your fascinating private tour of Wall Street you will:  

  • See the magnificent New York City Hall, the seat of New York’s political and civic power, it is the oldest city hall in the US, completed in 1812; 
  • Explore the historic area of Wall Street and New York’s buzzing financial district in lower Manhattan - learning its many stories that shaped modern America; 
  • Walk through City Hall Park and hear about the Liberty Pole, the celebration of the repeal of the Stamp Act, the brutal punishment of slaves, the reading of the Declaration of Independence to George Washington and the Continental Army, and many other landmark historic events that have taken place here; 
  • Admire Saint Paul’s Chapel, the oldest surviving church in New York City built in 1766, where George Washington worshipped, a refuge from the atrocity of 9/11, and an ongoing sanctuary in the heart of the city;
  • Stop outside the Federal Reserve Bank, built in the impressive Italian Renaissance style, it sits on the largest vault of gold reserves in the world;
  • Walk through nearby Zuccotti Park - where the first coffee house was established in 1696 and where the first mass protests against British taxation, the Tea Act, and the East India Trading Company took place;
  • Pass by the beautiful Trinity Church, the Anglican church at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street built in the Gothic Revival style - and where Alexander Hamilton (of musical fame!) is buried;
  • Admire the impressive Federal Hall, a Greco-Roman-style building where George Washington was sworn in as the nation’s first president; 
  • Stop outside the New York Stock Exchange and learn the Buttonwood Agreement of 1792 that set out the trading rules that underpin this international trading hub to this very day;
  • Take a photo with the Fearless Girl statue and the Charging Bull and hear about its indomitable symbolism after the 2008 financial crash;
  • Walk down Stone Street - the quaint, oldest cobblestone street of New Amsterdam, that became New York;
  • Pass by the Fraunces Tavern Museum, the historic building where George Washington gave his farewell speech to his soldiers in 1783;
  • Learn about the fascinating and inspirational life of Alexander Hamilton - the man who established the US credit system (made more famous in recent times thanks to the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton) outside the historic Custom House; 
  • End your tour at Bowling Green, the oldest park in NYC filled with Native American, Dutch, British and Revolutionary histories - and where Revolutionaries tore down a statue of King George III and turned it into ammunition to fight the British!

Enjoy an immersive and fascinating private walking tour of New York City’s famous financial district known around the world simply as “Wall Street”. A busy and vibrant area filled with historic buildings and skyscrapers, it borders the bright lights of theatrical Broadway and is steeped in America’s history, both tragic and triumphant. 

The name Wall Street is taken from a wall built by Dutch settlers in the 17th Century to keep out the British from New Amsterdam as the city was first called. In 1664 the Dutch surrendered the city to the British who renamed it New York. Wall Street is now bigger than just one street - and around the world refers to the whole of New York’s financial centre. 

Beginning at New York City Hall area, your expert guide will show you around this buzzing district and relate the history of this place that has played such a pivotal role in America’s story from the slave trade to the American Revolution, the Great Depression to 9/11, and of course, the establishment of the USA as a global financial superpower. 
NYC in a day: Private Walking Tour with the Statue of Liberty
Explore the most popular landmarks of historic New York City in a day, including the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, and embark on a full-day tour perfect for first-time visitors that want to make the most of their time in the city that never sleeps.

On your private tour you will: 

  • See the Statue of Liberty up close and learn of her remarkable story, as well as her significance to modern America;
  • Explore Ellis Island and the story of US immigration;
  • Enjoy a breathtaking view over the Manhattan skyline from the water;
  •  Learn about New Amsterdam in the Historic District of New York, settled in 1624;
  • See several of the area’s highlights, including Trinity Church, Battery Park, the Charging Bull statue and the Fearless Girl statue;
  • Hear about the modern financial system, as designed by Alexander Hamilton, and see several of the area’s main sites, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank from the outside;
  • Visit the National 9/11 Memorial and see how the tragic events of 2001 are remembered;
  • Finish your tour at Ground Zero with entrance tickets to the 9/11Musem, where you will be able to explore the museum at your own pace. 
Please note that tour guides are not allowed to guide inside the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Your guide will give you full information on each island and then silently accompany you through the museums. He/she will be able to answer questions you may have but not actually “guide” you through the museums. 
You will begin your tour at Castle Clinton, a former Fort in Battery Park, where you will board the ferry to the famous Liberty Island. Along the way, you will learn about the remarkable history of the Statue of Liberty, as well as its significance to modern America. From here you will also be able to enjoy a breathtaking view over the Manhattan skylines and harbour. 

It is estimated that forty per cent of the entire US population can trace at least one relative's arrival to the US, through the port of New York and Ellis Island. 
 
Boarding at Liberty Island, you will hear all about the fascinating history of the Liberty figure, and how this 100th birthday gift to America from France was shipped from Paris to New York, and finally unveiled after 10 years of construction in 1886.

After lunch, your tour continues in the heart of Wall Street, where the history of New York City began as New Amsterdam in the early 1600s. As you make your way through Wall Street you will discover how an 18th-century street bazaar would eventually become a centre for global commerce. 

At the National 9/11 Memorial, your guide will share with you the history of the World Trade Center, discuss the tragic events of 9/11, and walk you through the Memorial’s design. The area formerly known as 'Ground Zero' is now the site of a moving memorial and has indeed become an important historic landmark. 

Here your knowledgeable guide will tell you of the events leading up to the untimely destruction of the towers, as well as share some of the heart-wrenching stories of the families, survivors and 9/11 heroes. You will also visit St. Paul's Chapel, which miraculously survived the 9/11 attack. 

Your tour finishes with entrance tickets to the 9/11 Museum. Your guide will take you to the queue, and give you your timed tickets before departing with you. Once inside the museum, you are free to explore the museum at your own pace.  
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