bushwick brooklyn graffiti tour

Private Graffiti Tour in Bushwick

A Vibrant Tour!

Quick Details

• Clock Duration: 2 hours
• Users Capacity: 8 people max. (Covid update)
• Calendar Availability: Friday

Discover the Street Art in Bushwick

Bushwick neighborhood in Brooklyn is a vibrant epicenter of alternative culture in New-York and more than any other neighborhood today is associated with the anti-establishment culture and bustling creativity that was once Manhattan’s domain. We will tour the streets densely populated with graffiti works by some of the best international artists which helped shape the neighborhood as an open-air museum and the world’s most vibrant street art scene.

The graffiti tour gives us a peak into a world of art, protest, culture wars and illegal guerrilla art done under the veil of night inviting us to try and solve its mystery.

Walking alongside old worker wood houses and small warehouses will take us back half a century, while the many new hip bars and cafes will remind us that the neighborhood, which was founded in the 17th century and until a decade ago still considered a dangerous crime zone, is rapidly changing. This is almost a last chance to witness a piece of culture before it vanishes and experience the vibrant coexistence of Latin and hipster cultures before gentrification changes the face of this neighborhood for good.

• Chevron down Important Information
• A meeting point and directions are sent to you after registration.
• Group tours can accommodate a maximum of 16 people.
• Children up to the age of 6 are not charged. Children ages 6-12 are $25.
• When you book, we send you a discount code for 10% off additional tours.
• The proposed program is subject to changes in accordance with the weather and the art content available on the day and time of the tour.
• It is customary to add about a $5 tip for the guide for each traveler.
• It is important to check the weather forecast, dress accordingly, and bring an umbrella if necessary.
• The cost does not include personal insurance, which is the responsibility of each participant.
• Cancellation policy: Up to 48 hours before the tour, a refund of $20 per participant can be paid for a group tour. Refunds are not possible less than 48 hours from the date of the tour.
• Glasshouse Urban Tours reserves the right to cancel a tour for reasons of force majeure for a full refund to participants.

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Bushwick Street Art & Graffiti Guide: Where to Go in Bushwick

All you need to know about the best Street-Art in Bushwick, Brooklyn! It’s AMAZING! Find out where to see the best Graffiti in Bushwick! I’ve included a walking route with a map too and some foodie tips! Bushwick is pretty big so it’s good to know where exactly is the best Bushwick Street Art located 😉

The largest Graffiti area of all NYC!

Bushwick, Brooklyn is the scene of one of the best Art Communities and it’s being said to be the mecca of graffiti. You’ll find the work and amazing art of many up-and-coming artists. Some became being recognized internationally! And many international artists are invited to bring their art to the streets of Bushwick. This is the BEST & largest Graffiti exhibit of all New York! It’s worth the trip coming to Bushwick to see all the awesome street-art all around the area!

When’s the Best Time to See the Bushwick Murals

It’s completely free to go and explore the Street Art of Bushwick! You can go at any time since all the art is on public streets. Some tips before you go:

• Go when there’s sunlight!
• Weekdays are less crowded than weekends. After office hours are more crowded.
• Winter is best because fewer people visit the Bushwick Murals when it’s cold.
• Summer: keep in mind that there’s no shade on the streets while you walk around! If you come in the Summer, is best to go in the morning or later in the afternoon, about 3 hours before it gets dark.

How to Get to Bushwick, Brooklyn

You can take the L train up to Morgan Avenue Station .

• When you Exit Morgan Ave. Station: go towards the exit that says Bogart & Harrison.
• Weekends: keep in mind that the L train will be shut down all weekends between Manhattan & Brooklyn until March 18, 2019 approx.

Travel time : about 20-30 minutes from Manhattan. Could be a bit more depending on where you’re taking the subway in Manhattan.

You can also get off at Jefferson St. station if you wanna do the following suggested walking route upside down 😉

Where to see the Best Graffiti & Street Art in Bushwick

The main streets where you’ll find the best Bushwick murals are:

• Seigel, Moore & Varet Sts. between Bogart & White Sts.
• Thames St. between Bogart St. & Vandervoort Pl.
• Flushing Ave. between Vandervoort Pl & Irving Ave.
• Troutman St. between Irving Ave. & Cypress Ave.
• Jefferson St. between Wyckoff & St. Nicholas Ave.

Seigel Street

White Street

Artist: DaveFoto.

Moore Street

Artist: LAmour Supreme .

Thames Street

Artist: Phetus88.

Troutman Street

Artist: Sipros Naberezny . Painted by Kobra .

Loves Me… Loves Me Not… Artist: GoopMassta / AngelOnce . Painted by Kobra .

Suggested Graffiti Walking Route in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Good to know:.

If you go when not much people are around, the streets can look pretty isolated but don’t worry because it’s safe! Try going during the day and not when it starts to get dark! Just do the suggested walking route where you’ll see coffee shops and restaurants nearby 😉 Avoid going at night if you’re alone. This is a trendy, hip neighborhood much safer than years ago but you still need to be cautious.

Walking Path:

You can start at Bogart & Seigel Sts. Just off the Morgan Avenue Subway Station!

• Walk on Seigel St. one block.
• Turn left on White St. for one block.
• Turn left on Moore St. for one block.
• Turn right on Bogart St. for one block.
• A bit to the right on Varet St. you’ll see some more murals.
• Back on Bogart St , turn left up to Thames St.
• Walk on Thames St. 2 blocks up to Vandervoort Pl .
• Walk on Vandervoort Pl up to Flushing Ave .
• Turn left on Flushing Ave. and walk up to the corner of Melrose St. & Irving Ave . On Melrose to the right, you’ll spot some Street Art. On Knickerbocker Ave. you’ll spot more murals to the right and left.
• Turn right on Irving Ave . for 2 blocks.
• Turn left on Troutman St. up to St. Nicholas Ave . If you continue for half-block more on Troutman you’ll see some more murals, then go back & walk one block on St. Nicholas Ave.  up to Jefferson St . Turn left on Jefferson St. up to Wyckoff Ave .

From here you can go to any coffee spot or keep exploring the Street Art all around the area!

You can also start the walking path upside down!

I included in the map “fine lines” in a lighter color where you’ll find more murals in the area in case you want to explore even more. The thick line is the suggested walking path.

Featured Street-Art Event in Bushwick, Brooklyn

Every year in June is the Bushwick Collective Block Party . Usually on the first Saturday of June. An annual art event that combines graffiti, street-art, music, food trucks & local vendors. Free for everyone! Bushwick Collective brings together the best of the community. This is when many murals are being renewed and many artists start painting the new coming street-art!

• The murals in Bushwick are changed every year. A few stay longer than that. Between June and July, you’ll spot many artists working on their artwork!

Click here to read more about the history of The Bushwick Collective, how Bushwick became the mecca of Graffiti and about the area’s curator, Joseph Ficalora.

Where to Eat in Bushwick or Get Coffee

All the following spots are really close to the suggested walking route or you’ll see them when you walk through 😉

COFFEE SPOTS IN BUSHWICK

Great coffee. Their espresso and cappuccino are great!

Small & lovely local spot for a quick coffee.

18 Grattan St. (between Morgan Ave. & Bogart St).

Fine & Raw Chocolate

This is a great local chocolate factory but they sell great coffee and milkshakes!

Their chocolate is made with raw ingredients & vegan. Closed on Sundays!

288 Seigel St. (between Morgan Ave. & White St.).

PIZZA IN BUSHWICK

Roberta’s

One of the best pizza in Brooklyn! Popular spot for locals. Known for their thin crust, wood-fired pies.

You can eat your pizza at the beginning of the Bushwick Graffiti tour if you start from this point, or at the end 😉

261 Moore St. (between Bogart & White St).

This is the famous pizza spot that’s in Manhattan! Love this place too! But the other one is more “local”.

18 Wyckoff Ave. (& Troutman St.).

RESTAURANTS IN BUSHWICK

Rustic Italian restaurant with housemade pastas & wood-fired dishes.

The place opens at 5/6pm!

436 Jefferson St. (between Wyckoff & St. Nicholas Ave.).

Los Hermanos

Cheap Mexican restaurant. Tortilla factory.

271 Starr St. (between Wyckoff & St. Nicholas Ave.).

Beachy vibe spot. Seafood restaurant: oysters, grilled fish and other seafood. They also have burgers, salads & frozen drinks.

19 Wyckoff Ave. (& Troutman St.).

BEER BAR IN BUSHWICK

The Sampler

Great beer bar in Brooklyn with very cool decor & great vibes.

Small local spot with a big beer selection.

234 Starr St. (between Wyckoff & Irving Ave.).

King County Brewers Collective (KCBC)

This is also another great beer bar with cool vibes.

You can get a beer here and another one on the other bar 😉

381 Troutman St. (between Wyckoff & Irving Ave.).

You might want to check out:

World Trade Center Murals .

Financial District Guide .

Soho Guide .

Enjoy & Follow me on Instagram here ! 🙂

@NewYorkerTips

• ← Best Soho NYC Guide: Tips, Where to Go and What to Do from Someone Local!
• Free Barbie’s Pop-Up Experience in NYC: When, Where, Hours & More! →

NewYorkerTips

Hi there :) I'm Jess and I came to NYC to pursue my dream and I feel I'm living it every day. New York is magical and you have to be open to everything because you never know who is sitting next to you on the subway or behind you in the line of the supermarket. I decided to create this blog about NYC because I realized how many powerful tips would have helped me if I knew them before coming to the city from someone who was living in NY! So I thought that it would be awesome to share with you some tips about New York from a New Yorker. I'm going to keep updating this blog so stay tuned :)

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Everything You Need to Know About Visiting the Bushwick Collective

Looking to visit the Bushwick Collective and all the amazing Bushwick street art and murals? We’ve got you covered in this one-stop guide featuring how to get to the Bushwick art collective, where to find all the Bushwick graffiti and murals, where to find more Bushwick street art, and what to do nearby including food – one of our favorite things to do in Brooklyn and recommendations for visitors who love street art!

This neighborhood is teeming with creative spaces and places and if you stick around there’s a great nightlife scene! 

The Bushwick Collective started in 2012 and in its early years this area did have work done by legendary names in the street art world from Blek le Rat to Banksy, Shepard Fairey, ROA, and other famous local Brooklyn artists like Sara Erenthal whose work you can see all throughout the city.

See why this is one of our favorite Brooklyn walks and use this guide to help you plan your visit to the Bushwick Collective, one of the best spots for Brooklyn street art .

About Bushwick Collective

The Bushwick Collective is a living breathing art collective in Bushwick, Brooklyn in NYC. This creative array of Bushwick art was conceived and created by Bushwick native, Joe Ficalora, with its first mural surfacing in 2011.

It has since attracted talented artists from all over the world and fabulously showcases first-rate street art by the creators. The genesis of this Bushwick Collective is quite the story, as the founder came of age in the 1980s, during a time when the Bushwick area was known for high crime rates.

Having suffered the losses of both of his parents, Joe wanted to revive himself and his neighborhood and thus transformed it into an open-air gallery for everyone to enjoy and help him cope with his painful memories.

What a testament to the power of art. Come relish at the Bushwick art collective, featuring Bushwick murals from some of our favorite street artists.

Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party

The Bushwick Collective Block party is an annual art event in Bushwick, Brooklyn. World-renowned local, national, and international artists are invited to showcase their creations during this community-enriching event.

The annual block party has been hosted every June since 2012, with the exception of 2020, and features new artists every year.

Just as artists line the walls with their colorful depictions, musicians fill the air with the sound of their live performances. Visitors should come prepared with cash in their pockets as the street becomes a massive merchant market for jewelry, prints, and custom clothing, designed by the various artisans.

There is something for everyone as this event ties together talented Bushwick graffiti, street art, music, food from trucks and local vendors, and of course, a wonderful sense of community.

Culture is contagious and Bushwick Collective’s block party has since inspired more Bushwick murals to pop up around the area – even walls that are not officially a part of the Bushwick Collective have been filled with colorful and vibrant works of art.

What’s even more incredible is that street art in nature is not permanent, and therefore fresh new murals are constantly being added annually – and in real-time!

Thus, this makes visiting the Bushwick art collective great year-round. Fresh Bushwick graffiti next to never-before-seen Bushwick street art makes for a truly remarkable experience.  

The Bushwick street art collective brings about a wide range of artists, with varying talents and backgrounds. Some of the biggest names whose work either is or has been on display at the Bushwick Collective include Monks Art, Adam Fu, and Daisey Freedman to name a few.

Monks’s Bushwick murals are colorfully provoking depictions of wildlife that are often personified to take on comedic forms. Adam Fu is a Brooklyn-based neon wizard who specializes in luminous Bushwick graffiti of various designs.

If you like art that is a bit edgy, Daisey Freedman’s Bushwick art features spookily creative pieces. Below is a list of artists and their social tags for anyone interested in checking out their work.

Some of the current artists you can find featured on the many Bushwick murals are:

Monks Art (@themonks_ on Instagram)

Adam Fu (@adamfu on Instagram)

Daisey Freedman (@freakotrophic on Instagram)

Marco Santini (@_marco_santini_ on Instagram)

Sipros Naberezny (@sipros_sipros on Instagram)

Michel Velt (@michelvelt on Instagram)

Natasha May Platt (@surfaceoofbeauty on Instagram)

Golden (@golden305 on Instagram)

Mr. B Baby (@mrbbaby on Instagram)

Subway doodle (@subwaydoodle on Instagram)

& MANY more

Bushwick Collective Location & Tips for Visiting

The Bushwick Collective is located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, right off of Flushing Avenue. The best route involves taking the L line of the subway train to the Jefferson Street station. This is a great starting point for your adventure.

Once arrived, you are free to explore the walls of art independently or via a paid, guided tour from a local tour agency. While most tour companies charge a fee for their walking tours, some operate on a pay-what-you-like model like Free Tours by Foot.

  In order to get the best out of your Bushwick Collective trip plan at least an hour if not longer to just mosey around and walk up and down the streets.

You can find most of the murals along Troutman Street between Irving Avenue and Cypress Avenue, there are more along Starr Street too.

As I said, it’s best to just walk up and down the streets, make sure you check both sides and peek around as there are some tucked away! There is also a group of street art around the block of Moore Street, White Street, Siegel Street, and Bogart Street. 

If you are looking for a particular artist or piece of work, follow Bushwick Collective’s official page on Instagram (@thebushwickcollective) for additional insights. 

How to Get to the Bushwick Collective

The Bushwick Collective is easily accessible using the subway. Visitors using public transportation will be happy to hear that the street art gallery is a short 7-minute walk from the nearest train station, located off of Jefferson Street (L train).

To arrive, take the L subway to Jefferson Street station, which is 7 stops out of the borough of Manhattan if you’re coming from this way. The L line can be picked up at any station along 14th Street. If you take 14th Street – Union Square station, the travel time will be under 20 minutes.

If you are coming from Midtown or Downtown Manhattan, the travel time is a bit longer at 25-40 minutes, to allow for the transition to a different subway line. Bushwick Collective is right outside the Jefferson Street station, so you will have no trouble finding a starting point for the walking tour.

The Bushwick graffiti will guide your path through the colorfully decorated walls. In the event that this route is not available (due to construction, weather, etc.), you may take the subway’s M line to Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenue station before heading to Starr Street.

Alternatively, you can also take the L line to Jefferson Street from here, which will take about a half hour or so.

More Bushwick Street Art

For those who haven’t quite got their fill of Bushwick street art, there are more Bushwick murals by Maria Hernandez Park. This 7-acre municipal park is located between Knickerbocker Avenue from the southwest to Irving Avenue on the northeast, and Starr Street from the northwest to Suydam Street on the southeast.

Many more Bushwick murals can be seen by taking Knickerbocker Avenue towards East Williamsburg. Additionally, there are more notable murals that can be found around the Bushwick/East Williamsburg border, near the L subway line’s stop at Morgan Avenue.

Visitors will be happy to see that the vibrant pieces on display are not limited to the strip of the Bushwick art collective. If you’re wanting to see more than Bushwick street art, head over to see the street art in Williamsburg who also has a great scene and isn’t too far away.

Another option, a little further south in Brooklyn is checking out the many commissioned murals at Industry City in Sunset Park.

Nearby the Bushwick Collective

We recommend sticking around after exploring all the Bushwick art and murals in addition to the Bushwick Collective to check out the best things to do in Bushwick as well as enjoy a meal here!

Don’t miss the amazing thrift shops in Bushwick too if you’re into shopping second-hand treasures!

If you’re coming in the afternoon you also might want to stick around for the epic nightlife scene in this neighborhood.

Maria Hernandez Park  

After your tour of the Bushwick street art and Bushwick graffiti, head over to Bushwick’s largest community park, Maria Hernandez Park, one of the best parks in Brooklyn .

Known as the neighborhood’s center of public life, this greenspace is always bustling with activities. Visitors may enter this park, nearby to the Bushwick art, at any corner as each entrance leads to a circular plaza, often used for events.

If you’ve brought the kiddos along, your best bet would be to enter at the corner of Knickerbocker Avenue, where a rainbow-colored playground with a large play area awaits.

Other areas of the park allow for recreational sports such as volleyball, basketball, and handball. There is even an asphalt little league yard equipped with a workout area for anyone in need of a pop-up gym.

For the furry friends, enter at Willoughby Avenue, where your pup can frolic through the large dog runs.

Bushwick Food

Bushwick art isn’t the only thing this colorful neighborhood has to offer. Calling all foodies – plenty of restaurants share the space or line the border of the Bushwick street art.

There are no shortage of new awesome eateries popping up and NYC famous spots like Roberta’s but what makes Bushwick’s food scene so special are all the influences from the Hispanic and Latin American communities that lived here before the gentrification of the neighborhood.

Here are some of the top recommendations for what to do in Bushwick for foodies exploring the roots of this neighborhood through your tastebuds.

For those who favor a spicy flavor, you’re in luck as there are plenty of spots with a menu for you. Tortilleria Mexicanas Los Hermanos sports a lively exterior that is darn near impossible to miss, and a tasty interior with fresh tortillas that taste just as good plain as they do fried into tostadas. This is also one of our picks for the best tacos in Brooklyn .

La Isla Cuchifritos offers a Puerto Rican cuisine, and yes that includes all sorts of fried foods, but we recommend the cucharitos.

Craving unbeatable tacos? Try Taqueria El Fogon , dubbed as the neighborhood’s taco haven. Visitors boast about their homemade salsa, which according to frequenters, is poured over just about every dish they serve.

Rico Pollo is great for the taste buds and the wallet and offer a Dominican-inspired menu.

If spice just isn’t your thing, don’t worry as the legendary Roberta’s serves up wood-fired Neapolitan-style pies in their garage all day long and is one of the most famous spots for pizza in Brooklyn . Visitors beware – the lines can be quite lengthy during the day, so prepare for at least a 1-hour wait.

What could be a more perfect way to kill some time than to scroll through your fresh camera roll of your favorite Bushwick art pieces?

Syndicated Bar Theatre Kitchen

If none of the prior food stops fit your fancy, consider an evening at the Syndicated Theatre for a dinner and show, located close by to the Bushwick art collective.

Enjoy old cinema and cult classics while you sip on cider and scarf down sandwiches, salads, and snacks. Be sure to check out their happy hour, which is Monday through Friday from 5-7 pm.

Whether you’re watching the show in their 60-seat, indoor theatre, or from their sidewalk cinema, their full-service offerings are sure to please. Visitors should know that while the indoor theatre requires prior reservation of tickets, the sidewalk cinema operates on a first-come, first-serve basis. Don’t wait, buy your tickets in advance before they’re sold out!

Tiny Cupboard 

Looking for some laughs? If so, the Tiny Cupboard is an awesome Brooklyn comedy venue worth checking out and one I attend regularly! This underground/overground performance space, nestled nearby to the Bushwick art collective, showcases stand-up comedy shows on a rooftop venue, located on the border of East Bushwick and Bed-Stuy.

The Tiny Cupboard comprises a tiny art studio, comedy church, and that large rooftop space. The company prides itself in hosting culturally enriching, intimate events and those who care to share in this comedic ambiance should sign up for their email newsletters or follow on Instagram to stay on top of their upcoming events.

Those who wish to test out their talents on stage should hang around on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, where open mic releases inhibitions from all who enter. Don’t forget to support the cause by grabbing a piece of their awesome merch on your way out!

Found this guide to the Bushwick Collective and Bushwick street art helpful? Bookmark for later or share the love below on Pinterest.

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A Dazzling Bushwick Street Art Map: Where to find the best Bushwick Murals in Brooklyn, NYC

March 9, 2024 November 24, 2017 | Paroma

Last Updated on March 9, 2024 by Paroma

Looking for some mind-boggling street art in New York City? Then head straight to the Bushwick neighborhood in Brooklyn where rows of larger than life murals will greet you from every corner! This self guided tour of Bushwick murals and street art in Brooklyn gives you all the details on where to find these murals (i.e. a handy Bushwick street art map), transportation and tour options, other things to do in Brooklyn and where to get some delicious food after your Brooklyn mural tour.

Table of Contents

The best murals in New York City: Bushwick Murals in Brooklyn

New York City’s street art scene is mind blowing to say the least and pays homage to it’s cultural diversity. Of the different NYC street art collections , one that truly stands out is the Bushwick Collective in Brooklyn , an amalgamation of street art and graffiti that stretches across several blocks of a semi-deserted industrial neighborhood. Being ardent worshippers of street art, we could not give the Bushwick murals a miss during our fall trip to NYC.

So here is a virtual Bushwick Brooklyn street art tour of some dazzling Bushwick graffiti  to knock your eyeballs off! This Bushwick street art post also contains a handy Bushwick Street art Map to give you an idea of where to find graffiti and street art in Bushwick, Brooklyn . So, without further ado, here is your guide to exploring the famous Bushwick wall art !

Disclaimer: All Bushwick street art featured here belong to the Bushwick collective artists . I merely photographed them (murals are open to the public 24/7) and noted the locations to create the map. Murals are subject to change.

I have tried to credit Bushwick artists based on information gathered from the Bushwick Collective Facebook page wherever possible and I will keep on adding to the list. Also, this post may contain some affiliate links, clicking on which may help earn me a very small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bushwick Murals: The story behind Bushwick Art Collective

Bushwick murals are in the NYC borough of Brooklyn (walking the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the many incredible things to do in New York City ). When I was researching for street art in Bushwick ,  I got totally hooked onto the story behind how the Bushwick collective came into being. This 2012 initiative to adorn an industrial district with some of the best street art in the world was the brainchild of Joseph Ficalora , a neighborhood business owner.

The art is dedicated to his deceased parents and brings artists of all levels from all over the globe to make Bushwick, Brooklyn the ultimate street art destination ! None of the street art is permanent and stays around for 12 month or so at most. The Bushwick Brooklyn street art collection keeps on growing with new murals being added periodically.

Psst…looking for other street art posts? Then check these out!

• The ultimate guide to the most Instagram worthy street art in Austin, Texas
• Where to find some of the best street art in Chicago’s Pilsen and Wicker Park neighborhoods
• 80+ Most dazzling street art of Sacramento, California’s capital city
• Los Angeles street art scene: Discovering DTLA and Venice murals 
• A complete guide to the street art of Marseille, France’s thriving port city
• Art from the streets: The most provocative murals from all over the world
• Best things to do in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico: How to spend two perfect days

Besides mural hunting, if you really are pressed for time but still want to explore NYC like a local , read this New Yorker’s 24 hour NYC itinerary to get fabulous ideas and definitely read this guide on what not to do in New York ! Here is a post by another local on 20 cheap places to eat in NYC .

Bushwick street art artists   featured in the photos above: a) Topmost photo: @jeffhenriquezart_ , b) face of the lady (leftmost panel in collage): @michelvelt , c) Welcome to Bushwick (central photo in collage): @thomasallen_nyc , d) Salvador Dali (rightmost photo in panel): @sipros_sipros , e) skeleton faces: @dface_official

How to get to the Bushwick art collective: Public Transportation and tour options

Bushwick murals can be easily accessed by public transportation or shared rides like Lyft. Since we stayed at the East Village Hotel in Manhattan   ( best value for awesome location aka right in the heart of the bustling East Village which is a culinary hotspot in NYC ), we got to the Bushwick collective   in Brooklyn via Lyft.

On our way back we simply took the NYC subway to return to Manhattan. Navigating the subway can be really tricky so here is a helpful guide on how to use the NYC subway . The Bushwick neighborhood is accessible by the L line to Jefferson street station and takes about 15-30 min to reach from Manhattan depending on where you are on the island.

Once you get there, you will be welcomed by rows and rows of gigantic   murals   created primarily by aerosol spraying technique which are all within walking distance. Since this amalgamation of Bushwick wall art is totally public, it is open 24/7. You can arrange for a Brooklyn street art tour  but I would encourage you to take your sweet time and savor the murals as you walk around.

A good 2-3 hours on foot should be enough to check off all the murals on your street art Bushwick list. The  Free tours by foot   is a good resource for  Bushwick street art tours , directions and transportation to Bushwick  art collective , street art artists info and handy Bushwick street art maps .

What kind of Bushwick street art and graffiti will you see?

The Bushwick murals and wall art will absolutely blow your mind away with their color, creativity and execution. The themes are varied and range from cartoon figures, to stark black and white imagery to subtle and not so subtle takes on the current social and political situation in USA.

Some of my favorite Bushwick street art included the “Diversity is Hope” and “Everything is not OK” murals as well as the naughty gummy bear arrested by the NYC police department (see collages below). NYC being home to the current President of the United States (you can see here this cheeky piece of work by Damien Mitchell, the celebrated Australian street artist who has contributed to the Bushwick murals) , I did expect the Bushwick street art collective to have more politically charged murals.

Nevertheless, I was pretty happy with what I saw and went shutterbug happy clicking the murals around me. I hope these photos that I have clicked help you on a virtual Bushwick street art tour ! We went to the Bushwick neighborhood in the morning (before lunch) and did not see major crowds around the murals at all.

As a result, I got a lot of great unobstructed shots of Bushwick  graffiti . My Bushwick street art map  is based on my location jotting during my self guided tour (scroll below to see) and provides guidance on the major streets where we spotted the murals.

These Bushwick murals were clicked using my Sony a7RII mirrorless camera  with a 35mm lens while the Los Angeles street art tour and Austin murals were photographed using my Canon Rebel T2i with a 50mm prime lens .

Bushwick muralists featured so far:  a) peanuts  (leftmost photo on the dual collage): @giz_nyc , b) girl with braids (below): @sipros_sipros, c) culture vultures: @klopsito , d) Gummy bear: @whisbe

What else is there to do in Brooklyn besides the Bushwick Murals: Other

Bushwick street art tour is definitely one of the must do activities for any art lover visiting NYC. Besides this, there are a ton of things to do in the borough of Brooklyn itself as you can read on Time Out New York’s post .

Since we did not have much time, we explored the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood (another treasure trove of Brooklyn street art ) and had a delicious lunch at Reynard . Brooklyn is also famous for DUMBO (Down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass) spot, which is a mecca for all Instagrammers. If you do visit, go as early as possible and do not forget to stop by Almondine Bakery , a cute little French patisserie nearby.

Here are some fun tours  and activities in Brooklyn that you can enjoy apart from your self guided tour of Bushwick murals:

a) Get the New York Pass for 40% discount on 100+ attractions in NYC

b) Discover the trendiest neighborhood of Brooklyn, i.e. Williamsburg on a walking tour

c) Participate in a super fun Brooklyn graffiti lesson

d) Go on a delicious Williamsburg food tour or a Brownstone Brooklyn food tour to discover the flavors of this borough

Bushwick street art muralists featured so far : a) Bat on a red wall: @ivanisforeverlost , b) “joining the dots”: @joeiurato * @loganhicksny , c) handshake: @pixelpancho * @case_maclaim , d) blue figures: @giz_nyc , e) “police lines do not cross” (lower panel): @ac2bsk

Bushwick Street Art Map

Finally, as promised, here are some of the streets in the Bushwick neighborhood  in my version of the Bushwick street art map to find all that amazing Bushwick collective graffiti . Please note, each orange pin is a street marker and not the location of a particular mural.

I have also included locations for some of the other things that I mentioned about Brooklyn in this map too. You can simply walk around the Bushwick collective blocks and they will lead you from one stunning Bushwick mural to another.

Bushwick collective artists featured here: a) Girl with the spray can: @lolatheillustrator , b) photo above: @adnate * @li_hill * @lastnight_collective

Like this post? Hover over  the images to pin!

17 thoughts on “A Dazzling Bushwick Street Art Map: Where to find the best Bushwick Murals in Brooklyn, NYC”

I love street arts. Very powerful madhu. Of expression. And pics are just stunning and amazing

I love hunting street art wherever I travel and NY is one of the places I need to get to at some point! Love the murals, there is some serious talent there 🙂

Wow some amazing street art designed you have captured!

I am a huge street art fan, thank you for sharing this awesome post. These pieces are just so stunning!

Ooh I LOVE street art! Will definitely be making use of this map next time I’m in New York – thanks!

wow, there’s some serious talent on display here! Love how street art has the power to make a statement, but also entertain the viewer.

Some of these are so lifelike it’s unbelievable! I have never heard of this before and I would love to spend an afternoon in NYC checking out all the murals. That’s a way to get your steps in for sure!

This looks like an awesome place! I love street art and definitely need to put this on my list of things to do in NYC, the list is ever growing! Thanks for sharing!

Loved this post! Your pictures are so vibrant. I’m a huge fan of street art and murals. I’m definitely checking these on my next trip to NYC ?

Omg I love street art and murals! Why did I not know about this when I went to NYC ;)?! Love your pictures, they are beautiful

Gorgeous murals! Loved this post – I had no idea NYC had such a cool street art scene…

Wowwww check out this pictures! This place looks incredible!

Street art is something I always admire <3 I recommend London's Shoreditch :*

This is gold! I love visiting street art places and this looks spectacular. Each one of them tells a beautiful story. Beautifully captured 🙂

Wow!! This seriously blew me away. I would go back to NYC just to see this. Seriously quality art here! Thanks for letting us know!

WOW!! These are incredible! I was just in Brooklyn last month – I wish I had known to look for these. Next time for sure!

I went to a wedding in Bushwick in August and recognize several of these murals! The crazy thing about Bushwick, though, is that the art is always changing–my friends live right across the street from Roberta’s, and every six months or so when we go out to visit them, the murals across the way are completely different! So crazy to think of destroying something so beautiful to make way for yet another temporary art installation.

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Brooklyn Graffiti Art Workshops in NYC

The brooklyn graffiti art workshops.

Book a hands-on workshop to learn spray painting techniques and create your own graffiti art project in our Brooklyn art studio in Bushwick Brooklyn. Immerse yourself in graffiti culture, and bring a new piece of art home! Browse our workshops below. 

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Brooklyn Graffiti Art Lesson Group Activity

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Brooklyn Private Graffiti Art Workshop

Learn the tips and techniques of aerosol art, from fill-ins to masterpieces, and immerse yourself in the graffiti art culture.

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Brooklyn Graffiti Art Date Night

Become fully immersed in the world of graffiti in this creative and fun date idea. Enjoy personalized instruction for you and your partner as you learn how to master a spray can. Named best date idea by Timeout NY.

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Brooklyn Graffiti and Street Art Tour

I have been getting more and more into art, especially modern art.  Whether it is in a museum, like the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth , or just on the street, I am inspired by the creativity and bright colors.  

I know there is a lot of amazing street art in New York City, but it’s hard to know where to find the best murals.   I was excited to take the Brooklyn Graffiti and Street Art Tour with Brooklyn Unplugged .   It would be a good opportunity to learn more about the Bushwick Collective and the stories behind the art.

In this post, I will share more about my experience on the tour so that you can decide if it is something that you would like to do.

Street Art vs. Graffiti

The bushwick collective, highlights of the brooklyn graffiti and street art tour, brooklyn graffiti and street art tour logistics, is a brooklyn street art tour worth it, brooklyn street art tour review, expert tips for the brooklyn graffiti and street art tour.

We started with a discussion about the difference between street art and graffiti.  Many people think the words are interchangeable, but that is not correct. 

On the Bushwick Street Art tour, I hated seeing graffiti on top of the street art.  I think it is disrespectful and damages the hard work of the street artist.  It hit me hardest when we saw a beautiful portrait where someone had written over the mouth.  Unfortunately, there were other examples of graffiti on murals as well.

The tour centered around the Bushwick Collective Street Art (although we did see works that were not part of the Collective as well).  

Joseph Ficalora is the curator, he got permission from building owners and has chosen the artists.  He wanted the artwork to be therapeutic and beautify the community, so the art was not supposed to be political.  

I saw a lot of street artwork that I liked during our Brooklyn Graffiti and Street Art Tour.  The creativity of street artists always impresses me.  I also love paintings with bold colors that are visually appealing.  Probably my favorite mural was one by Dasic Fernandez from Chile.  

If there is meaning in the art, that is a bonus to me.  While political pieces technically weren’t allowed as part of the Bushwick Collective, it seems like some exceptions were made to that rule.  

Another artist known as Pay to Pray was not allowed to participate in the Collective because his works were too political.  He did have some works in the area that we saw as part of the tour.

Street art is not just murals though.  We saw some other interesting 3-D pieces on our tour.  We saw sculptures and 3-D artwork made of wire and yarn.  I had never thought of this as street art, but as Jeff explained the classification of street art has a lot to do with the artist’s intention.  

The Bushwick graffiti that we saw made me question the artist’s intention, especially if it was on top of a mural.

This Brooklyn street art tour meets in front of ‘Wyckoff-Starr’ coffee shop located at 20 Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick Brooklyn.  It is a short walk from the Jefferson L train station.  The tour runs daily at 3 pm and lasts about 2 hours.  You will be walking about a mile and the tour ends right by the Morgan Avenue L Train station.  

The Bushwick walking tour costs $32 per person or it is included as part of the several New York Tourist Passes .   Brooklyn Unplugged also has several other tours in Brooklyn and Queens.  Check out the expert tips below for a special discount code!

Jeff would be our tour guide for our Bushwick Graffiti and Street Art Tour.  He told us that he is not an artist but he is a Brooklyn native.  He knew his stuff but was very patient with others on the tour that didn’t know much about street art.  I loved hearing the inside scoop.  I learned a lot from him.

Yes.  While you can go walk around the neighborhood and see the murals on your own, you will get much more out of it if you take a tour.  The stories about the artists and the artwork enhanced my appreciation of the pieces.

In summary, I was impressed by the Brooklyn Graffiti and Street Art tour.  The quality and quantity of Bushwick murals that we saw was amazing, and I learned so much about the artists. 

Jeff was a wonderful guide.  He was very knowledgeable and made the tour interesting.  Check our video to see more of the street art in Brooklyn.  You will see some of the best murals in NYC.

Have you seen any of the murals that are part of the Bushwick Collective? What is your favorite piece of street art?  Have you ever gone on a graffiti or street art tour? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

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• Dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.  
• Book online and use the code TravelingTexan to get 20% off your Brooklyn Street Art walking tour price.

Disclosure: We were guests of Brooklyn Unplugged for the Graffiti and Street Art Tour.  We will not receive any commission for future tour bookings.  As always, opinions are my own.

Last Updated on March 14, 2023

About the Author

Anisa  

Anisa is an experienced international traveler with extra pages in her passport and stamps from 41 different countries across 5 continents (and counting). She was born and raised in Texas. After a 13 year stint in NYC, she moved to England to live with her husband.

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Graffiti Tour By Foot

Graffiti-tour-by-foot guides pound the pavement looking for the best street art and graffiti in New York city so that we can offer you a one-of-a-kind experience. Below are a few of our featured public walking tours. These tours are likely to sell out so be sure to book early. We also offer custom and private street art & graffiti tours for student groups, corporate events, small groups or even couples. Visit our private tour page for further details.

Where we walk: Manhattan , Williamsburg , Bushwick, and Welling-Court .

Street Art & Graffiti Bundle

If you feel like a kid in a candy store then why not walk all three tours with us: Manhattan, Williamsburg, and  Bushwick. When you buy the bundle you actually save money. Drop us a line about the discount at [email protected]

Williamsburg Street Art Walk

Williamsburg is a vibrant community located in Brooklyn, right outside the island of Manhattan. With an easy five minute train ride you can begin exploring the streets of Williamsburg and discover all of the amazing sights.  Though the street art and graffiti in the neighborhood is a must see, it is just one of the amazing highlights of the tour. The community  has a fascinating and rich history, which we explore as we walk through the artsy neighborhood.

Manhattan Street Art Walk

Come explore the history of  Soho, Noho, East Village and little Italy with an expert guide. The Manhattan Street Art walk explores the counter culture that has influenced so many artist through out history. You will discover the location of Keith Harings former Pop Shop and Jean-Michel Basquiat's studio previously owned by Andy Warhol. Walk with us to see the Keith Haring wall and the 1st street art park. And, stroll down the oldest street in Manhattan, known as the Bowery, to see where the former punk rock CBGB scene thrived in its day.

Bushwick Graffiti & Street Art Walk

The Bushwick Collective walk explores one of the best places in Brooklyn to see graffiti and street art.  This is a newer area to the art scene and over the last six years it has become one of the most visited places to see amazing murals from artists that have come from all around the world. There are great local places to enjoy food and drink like KCBC, the first brewery in the last 40 years to take up residence in the area. There is also AP cafe, SeaWolf, Artichoke Pizza, The House of Yes and many others. This neighborhood and walk should be on your must visit list when traveling to New York.

Walk With Us

Whether you're an artist, or just interested in what the street art scene has to offer, when you explore the streets with an expert guide you will begin to see the City with fresh eyes.  As you walk through the outer boroughs or the streets of Manhattan, you will open yourself to a new kind of beauty, expressed through tags, throws, pieces, murals, paste-ups, stickers, installation pieces and random trash art from local and international artists.

New York is the City of Dreams for artists and the like, and it has become one of the largest outdoor galleries in the world over the last 50 years. Your guide will take you through NY's rich street art & graffiti history. He or she will give you a keen perspective on how the art has changed and influenced neighborhoods all throughout NYC.

Art and artist move around the world and inevitably turn up in New York creating an artistic haven for inspiring and thought provoking forms of new expression. All city artists have hit Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island. These areas and many other cities around the world shape and influence street culture and continue to grow the world-wide phenomenon of graffiti and street art internationally.

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Interesting sights at our Best of Brooklyn tour (conducted daily at 3:00pm). This is a restaurant called Shelter.

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Graffiti birthday party. Option 2 - large graffiti canvas.

Corporate graffiti workshop at a private Manhattan office.

Skyline view of New York City, at our Best of Brooklyn tour. Conducted daily at 3:00pm.

Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn - daily at 10:30am.

Street artist at work. This is artist ESP from our graffiti artist portfolio (who are available for hire).

Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg - daily at 3:00pm.

Commissioned artwork - custom wall for a nightlife lounge. By artist VTI from our graffiti artist portfolio (who are available for hire).

Free mural painted on business gate - openly visible to the street for artist exposure.

Private Graffiti Art Workshop at our location in Brooklyn - available every day.

Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour - conducted every day in December at 5:00pm. Also available as a private vehicle/bus tour.

Private Graffiti Art Workshop t-shirt painting lesson.

Nostalgia Tour - bringing a family back to see their old homes in Brooklyn. We provided a tour guide and transportation.

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In Bushwick, Skewville Makes a Home for Street Art

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On most weekend mornings on the border between Brooklyn’s Bushwick and Williamsburg neighborhoods, throngs of French- and Italian-speaking tourists cluster around a collection of murals by some of the most prominent street artists in the world before the locals shake off their hangovers.

The scene amuses Bushwick-based artist Ad Deville. He and Droo, his identical twin brother, have been making sculptures and installations that they affix in cities across the world for nearly 30 years. Sometimes, if the tour group is fortunate, their guide leads them to Deville’s brightly painted primary-color-palette townhouse that is also home to Skewville , one of the city’s only galleries dedicated to street art, operating out of his garage. 

“If every house on the block was colorful, I probably wouldn’t do it. For me, the reason was to stand out in that sort of sense. And why not?” he told Hyperallergic . “Every day we come out of the house, someone is standing out front, pointing at it and taking a photo, and it’s really nice to have that feeling. It brightens people’s day.”

Artists started tagging the exterior walls of buildings, telephone polls, and subway cars in cities six decades ago, but the peak of street art remains hotly debated . In the 1980s, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat broke into the mainstream art world with gallery and museum exhibitions. Then Banksy, Ron English, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, and JR were the toast of the art market at the beginning of the new century.

Like many other street artists, Deville navigated his way into the art world as an outsider. He grew up in a house on one of the last farms in Whitestone, Queens, in a family of 11, which included his grandmother, three other siblings, and four foster siblings. He credits his mother, an artist and art teacher, and his father, an oil furnace mechanic, for instilling in him a creative style and an abiding interest in how things work. But Deville didn’t become a full-time artist until he got a job in corporate advertising after college and his ideas for campaigns were consistently rejected.

“Nothing got produced because of corporate nonsense. There were too many chefs,” he said. “With street art, you’re your own art director, your own client, your own production company, and your own media company. There aren’t 15 people at a board meeting saying, ‘I don’t like that idea’ for some reason.”

With the severance money Deville collected, he and Droo started building smoking accessories and designing graphics that parodied advertising campaigns of major brands like Heineken and Coca-Cola. 

When then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg increased New York City’s crackdown on illicit smoke shops and marijuana use in 2002 , Deville honed on his art practice and opened a gallery dedicated to street artists based in the city with his then-partner Ali Ha on 139 Orchard Street . 

That’s when he started to meet and show artists who later gained global renown, including Banksy and Fairey. Unlike many of them, however, Deville shied away from wheat-pasting posters and spray-painting walls in favor of screen printing Pop-art-style graphics and signs on wood panels that he bolted onto buildings or telephone poles.

Skewville’s most enduring work remains their sneaker project , now in its 25th year. Deville and Droo paint Converse-style sneakers onto plywood sheets, cut them into flat sneaker-shaped sculptures with a bandsaw, and connect them with a wire that they toss onto telephone lines. The brothers estimate they’ve hung several thousand sneakers in dozens of cities around the world and have only gotten in trouble with police a few times.

“They don’t know what to do about it, but people have yelled at me,” Deville recalled. “In Germany, cops pulled me over because they saw me do it. I said, ‘Don’t worry I’m going to take them down,’ then I just walked away. It’s not really a defined crime.”

In 2008, Deville moved to Brooklyn and opened Factory Fresh , which quickly became one of the pillars of Bushwick’s thriving art scene until it closed in 2015. By then, galleries started to shift from Bushwick to Chelsea and Lower Manhattan after the MTA began extensive renovations on the Canarsie Tunnel, severely disrupting L-train service and making it difficult for New Yorkers to travel between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Deville moved to the townhouse on Starr Street in 2018, but it wasn’t until last summer that he began showing work by his contemporaries like Darkcloud and stikman out of his backyard garage.

“When I got married last year, I moved my studio from the basement to the backyard and my partner Kate curated a group show there,” he said. “I did it not thinking we were going to continue doing it. Then Darkcloud came to that show and stikman came to the Darkcloud show, and it kind of escalated to the point where I said, ‘I guess we’re running a gallery.’”

Now, Deville has Skewville booked for the rest of the year with shows featuring artists SacSix, Clown Soldier, and Mumbot, which opens on May 4. The gallery’s most recent exhibition, Dis-ConJoined: Solo Show , featured an eclectic collection of Droo’s mixed-media pieces with sawed-off encyclopedias, antique radios and boomboxes, metal lunch boxes, and vintage children’s toys, which offer wry commentary on America’s hyper-consumerism while reflecting nostalgia for his childhood.

“Every little kid in America carried around a metal lunch box in the early 1980s,” Droo said. “In the mid-’80s kids hit each other with them, so they started making plastic ones. We still hit each other with plastic ones.”

Deville hopes more people will wander into Skewville during openings, but he’s just happy to continue promoting artists working in a medium that remains underappreciated.

“We never have a sign outside, we just have an arrow. People walk by the place and wonder what this place is,” Deville added. “They say, ‘How come I’ve never heard of you before?’ That’s a compliment, not an insult.’”

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Aaron Short

Aaron Short is a Brooklyn-based journalist covering politics, criminal justice, real estate, the environment, and the arts. His work has appeared in New York Magazine, the New York Post, The Daily Beast,... More by Aaron Short

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Devastating five-alarm Brooklyn fire guts supermarket and nearby homes, leaving seven injured

Fire marshals are looking to figure out what sparked a devastating five-alarm blaze in Brooklyn on Wednesday that gutted a closed supermarket and several nearby residences.

Within three minutes of receiving 911 calls, members of Battalion 37 and Squad Company 252 arrived on the scene to find the supermarket fully engulfed, and flames spreading to four nearby residential buildings along Bushwick Avenue and Cooper Street, leaving some 30 residents displaced.

“Our hearts go out to those residents, and we have the Red Cross here to help them during these difficult times,” First Deputy Commissioner Joseph Pfeifer said at a press conference later Wednesday evening.

FDNY units are currently operating at the scene of a 5-alarm fire at 1385 Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/oPEoMyRFZW — FDNY (@FDNY) May 1, 2024

“We actually have the equivalent of a seven or eight-alarm fire here,” said Chief Tom Currao, citywide tour commander. “We were really trying to get ahead of this. It’s one of the challenges in wood-frame construction homes, especially in a lot of occupancies. The way they’re built, there are a lot of concealed spaces. It takes a lot of time to open them up and get the fire under control.”

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New York Graffiti and Street Art Tours

This post reviews and compares the various New York and Brooklyn street art and graffiti tours and workshops, including our own pay-what-you-wish tours.

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BROOKLYN GRAFFITI AND STREET ART TOURS

We are proud to present our well-reviewed tour of Bushwick Graffiti (see the video above).

Additionally, there are a few other companies offering similar tours, so if our schedule doesn't work for you, there are a few options that have upfront costs.

Our tours are listed in the calendar as well. The tour name is followed by (FREE TOURS BY FOOT).

Bushwick is a working-class district on the north side of Brooklyn adjacent to Williamsburg has been attracting artists for some time now.

The neighborhood has a fair collection of art studios and galleries, but it is Bushwick's industrial landscape that attracts street artists.

Free Tours by Foot

Join Free Tours by Foot in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and discover some of the best New York graffiti and street art on some of the world's best and most interesting urban canvasses.

We'll explain to you the background and history of the art of many famous and not-so-famous artists.

Obtain a better appreciation and critical eye for what is an ever-changing form of expression, all the while exploring a part of New York only now emerging on visitors' itineraries.

We are among the very best in NYC.

Read our reviews on TripAdvisor and search for street art or graffiti to see for yourself.

Artists whose works we may encounter on the Brooklyn Graffiti and Street Art Tour:

• Buff Monster , known for his use of the color pink
• Skewville, famous, among other things, for re-inventing the sneakers over the telephone wire
• Beau Stanton
• Billy Mode & Chris Stain - famous members of the Bushwick Collective
• ColWallnuts
• and many many other artists.

Some of the sites in Bushwick we will see on the tour:

• Roberta’s Pizza
• Maria Hernandez Park
• The Bushwick Collective
• Vintage shopping hot-spots
• Great places for refreshments
• Check out our self-guided Bushwick Brooklyn tour .

Tour information

Reservations:  REQUIRED.  Click here to reserve . For groups of 6 or more, please visit our  groups' page  before booking.

Duration:  Approximately 2 hours. Tour distance is approximately 1.5 miles (2 km)

When:  @2pm Tuesdays and @9:45am Thursdays through Mondays.  View Our Full Calendar .

Where:  Tour meets on the corner of Bogart & Seigel Streets, in front of Brooklyn's Natural & Swallow Cafe, 49 Bogart St, Brooklyn, NY 11206 by the Morgan Street Subway Station. ( map )

Cost:  The New York Graffiti and Street Art Tour is free to take, and you get to decide what, if anything, the tour was worth when it's done. A  name-your-own-price tour  is a tour for anyone's budget.

TIP:  If you do have a budget or just like to save money on attractions, see if buying one of the many  tourist concession passes  is right for you.

We also offer  street art and graffiti tours in London .

Disclosure:  While we think you should take our free tour above, we understand this might work for everyone, so here are a few other companies. While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the  full text .

Graff Tours - Brooklyn

Graff Tours offer a variety of graffiti tours of the NYC area that are great for singles and groups.

Like our Bushwick Brooklyn Street Art Tour, this outfit's tour is a 2-hour excursion through one of New York City’s largest outdoor street art galleries.

You’ll learn the history of founder and curator of the collective, Joe Ficalora and explore the Bushwick Collective featuring art from some of the best graffiti artists on the planet like Chor Boogie, Li-Hill, Don Rimx, and more.

This tour is offered both as a public tour or you can book a private tour.

Public Tour

• $25 Adult | $20 Children, Students, or Seniors
• Daily at 1 pm.
• Graffiti Workshops   Sundays-Fridays at 3 pm. Saturdays at 4 pm. (additional cost)
• More information or to book online .

Private Tour

• From 1 to 5 people $150
• From 6 to 9 people $250
• Check their schedule for times .
• Click here for information and to book a private tour

Note that Graff Tours also offers a street art tour in Manhattan as well as graffiti workshops .

Brooklyn Unplugged

A self-proclaimed boutique sightseeing tour company, Brooklyn Unplugged plays host to a variety of tours throughout the New York area.

In addition to all their other outings, they also offer a Brooklyn street art tour!

• $32 Adult | $20 Child (ages 15 and under)
• Daily at 10:30 am. (Note that prior to May 10, 2018, start time vary depending on the day, with options of 10:30 am, 11 am, 3 pm)
• More information and to book .

TIP: This tour is included for free if you have one of these tourist concession passes: the New York Pass, the Sightseeing Pass, and Go City New York Card.

Tourist passes can save you significant money on tours and attractions. Read our post comparing the various different tourist passes available to you in NYC.

MANHATTAN GRAFFITI AND STREET ART TOURS

Most of the companies listed above also offer street art and graffiti tours in Manhattan, mostly in Lower Manhattan.

We offer a morning tour of Lower Manhattan, mostly in the Lower East Side.

Join us for a Manhattan Street Art and Pop Culture Tour and experience the Lower East Side (LES) - SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, and Little Italy.

The Lower East Side of Manhattan is a playground for street artists, SoHo is known to be one of NYC first permit Joint Live-Work Quarters for artists and the area received landmark designation in 1973.

NoHo and Nolita’s street art is either hidden in courtyards or on the more prominent street art facades. Learn about the history of the art of many famous and unknown artist.

Some of the sites we may encounter:

• Spring Street
• Lombardi's Pizza - the first pizzeria to open in the United States over 100 years ago!
• Taim - rated Best Falafel in NYC
• MoMA Design Store
• Germania Bank Building
• Liz Christie Garden
• Freeman Alley
• Mulberry Street

Some of the Artists’ work we may encounter:

• Shepard Fairey
• Ron English
• Triston Eaton
• PyramidOracle
• Team Supreme Team Lowbrow
• and other local and international artists.

Reservations:  REQUIRED.  Click here to reserve .

Duration:  Approximately 2 hours. Tour distance is approximately 1.5 miles (2k)

When:  @2pm Fridays. View Our Full Calendar

Where:  In front of the REI store on the corner of E. Houston and Lafayette. ( map ). The tour ends at 109 Mulberry Street near Canal Street ( map ).

Cost:  The Manhattan Street Art Tour is free to book, and you get to decide what, if anything, the tour was worth when it's done. A  name-your-own-price tour  is a tour for anyone's budget.

Inside Out Tours

Inside Out Tours offer a variety of award-winning tours throughout New York City that are available in both English and Spanish.

The Alternative New York Street Art Tour pays a 3-hour homage to the Lower East Side’s expressive graffiti art scene.

You’ll learn the history of this area and how its immigrant beginnings have impacted the graffiti scene that is rapidly shifting.

This tour is designed to be an immersive, educative experience that will leave participants with a new perspective of non-curated public expression.

• $35 Adult | $28 Child (ages 5-11)
• Thursdays at 10 am
• More information or to book .

GRAFFITI AND STREET ART WORKSHOPS

This hour-long, immersive experience offers participants a unique opportunity to receive lessons from a working graffiti artist.

Your street art teacher will provide general art guidance and techniques of aerosol art which you will then implement on your own canvas creation.

NOTE: Free Tours by Foot does not offer or run these workshops as either a public or private option. Please click on the links below.

There is no prior experience required and users will be provided with the tools they need at the workshop.

This workshop is offered 7 days a week in either private or group lessons.

There is an optional add-on for this workshop which combines the graffiti lesson with Graff Tours Bushwick Brooklyn Street Art Tour.

Reviews of Graffiti Workshops

There are limited reviews made available for this graffiti workshop.

A few users of the TripAdvisor community give it an excellent rating, citing the lesson as a fun activity that allowed participants to leave with a worthwhile souvenir.

*The following prices are for the graffiti workshop only and do not include a tour*

Brooklyn Group Workshop

• $40 per person 
• Daily at 3 pm and 6 pm

Private Workshops in either Brooklyn or Manhattan

• More information and to book Brooklyn .
• More information and to book Manhattan .

RELATED POSTS:

We also offer street art and graffiti tours in London .

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Stephen Pickhardt

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro 2019

Will it be easy to find my way in the Moscow Metro? It is a question many visitors ask themselves before hitting the streets of the Russian capital. As metro is the main means of transport in Moscow – fast, reliable and safe – having some skills in using it will help make your visit more successful and smooth. On top of this, it is the most beautiful metro in the world !

. There are over 220 stations and 15 lines in the Moscow Metro. It is open from 6 am to 1 am. Trains come very frequently: during the rush hour you won't wait for more than 90 seconds! Distances between stations are quite long – 1,5 to 2 or even 3 kilometers. Metro runs inside the city borders only. To get to the airport you will need to take an onground train - Aeroexpress.

RATES AND TICKETS

Paper ticket A fee is fixed and does not depend on how far you go. There are tickets for a number of trips: 1, 2 or 60 trips; or for a number of days: 1, 3 days or a month. Your trips are recorded on a paper ticket. Ifyou buy a ticket for several trips you can share it with your traveling partner passing it from one to the other at the turnstile.

On every station there is cashier and machines (you can switch it to English). Cards and cash are accepted. 1 trip - 55 RUB 2 trips - 110 RUB

Tickets for 60 trips and day passes are available only at the cashier's.

60 rides - 1900 RUB

1 day - 230 RUB 3 days - 438 RUB 30 days - 2170 RUB.

The cheapest way to travel is buying Troyka card . It is a plastic card you can top up for any amount at the machine or at the ticket office. With it every trip costs 38 RUB in the metro and 21 RUB in a bus. You can get the card in any ticket office. Be prepared to leave a deposit of 50 RUB. You can get it back returning the card to the cashier.

SamsungPay, ApplePay and PayPass cards.

One turnstile at every station accept PayPass and payments with phones. It has a sticker with the logos and located next to the security's cabin.

GETTING ORIENTED

At the platfrom you will see one of these signs.

It indicates the line you are at now (line 6), shows the direction train run and the final stations. Numbers below there are of those lines you can change from this line.

In trains, stations are announced in Russian and English. In newer trains there are also visual indication of there you are on the line.

To change lines look for these signs. This one shows the way to line 2.

There are also signs on the platfrom. They will help you to havigate yourself. (To the lines 3 and 5 in this case). 

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What’s So Funny About a Dead Comedian?

Kenny DeForest was beloved among his fellow stand-ups. After his sudden death, they came together to grieve — and to confront comedy’s eternal question: Too soon?

Kenny DeForest’s comedy won wider praise after his death. Credit... Yoko Haraoka

Supported by

By Christopher Maag

• April 28, 2024

A few weeks after Kenny DeForest died, a group of his friends gathered in an apartment in Los Angeles. The mood was somber — Mr. DeForest was only 37, and he had died from traumatic brain injuries after falling off an electric bike in Brooklyn.

But Mr. DeForest was a professional comedian, and his friends were all comedians, and any gathering of comedians eventually comes to feel like a party.

They were playing a game where everybody gets a card with a single word and then gives clues to help their teammates guess the word.

Will Miles, one of Mr. DeForest’s best friends, plucked a card from the deck. He read it and immediately said, “Kenny should have worn a … ”

His teammates gasped then blurted out the answer in unison: “Helmet!”

“So we did win,” Mr. Miles recalled a few weeks after the party. Then he pivoted to a bracingly dark punchline: “But at what cost?”

In the world of comedy, one question undergirds the darkest jokes: “Too soon?” The best bits — the jokes that make an audience gasp before dissolving into laughter — walk right up to the edge. Was it “too soon” to joke about Kenny? It turns out the answer, even for those who had gathered around his bed in an intensive care unit, was probably “no.”

Kenny DeForest died too soon to get truly famous. Yet after his death, his comedy gained wider praise than he ever enjoyed when he was alive. Seth Meyers and Bill Burr posted tributes to Mr. DeForest on social media. The Comedy Store, incubator of famous comics dating back to Richard Pryor and George Carlin, spelled out “R.I.P. Kenny DeForest” on its marquee in Los Angeles. His death was reported in Entertainment Weekly, The Guardian, The Daily Mail and USA Today.

“If you had talked to Kenny a few weeks before his death, he probably would have said, ‘Nobody knows me, and I’m not going anywhere,’” said Lane Pieschel, 36, one of Mr. DeForest’s many close friends. “That clearly was not true.”

Mr. DeForest was beloved in the Brooklyn comedy scene partly because he embodied what that scene strives on its best nights to become. Rather than the rapid-fire jokes of traditional stand-up, their sets are almost monologues, the occasional laugh line woven into narratives about shortcomings and loss. Mr. DeForest was also eager to help out anyone who asked — possibly to the detriment of his own career.

“He radiated joy,” said Lizzy Cassidy, a comedian and a friend of Mr. DeForest. She described that quality as “very rare for a comedian.”

But while Mr. DeForest’s kindness may have drawn his friends to his hospital room, they were still comedians, for whom there is no higher prize than landing a good joke — even at the expense of a friend with a traumatic brain injury. Before the swelling in Mr. DeForest’s brain overwhelmed him, his friends crowded his bedside, alternating between tears, outpourings of love and relentless teasing.

“Oh, yeah, we did bits,” said David Drake, a comic and friend of Mr. DeForest. “He’d love that. I wanted to call him later that day and say, ‘You’re not going to believe what this person did when you were dead.’”

Mr. DeForest struggled for years to find career success, but his entry to the comedy world seemed to come easily. After graduating from Drury University, a small “church-related” school in his hometown of Springfield, Mo., he moved to Chicago in 2009 to become a stand-up comic.

He signed up for open-mic night at the same bar where he worked as a bouncer, an obvious job for a 6-foot-4 former basketball star (he helped lead his high school team, the Kickapoo Chiefs, to the state championships in his junior year). His jokes were bad, his parents and his buddies agree. But within months, Mr. DeForest was organizing stand-up shows of his own.

“It drove our friends crazy: He’s such a tall, handsome, stupid bastard, and now he’s starting his own show?” Mr. Pieschel said. “But he had the right attitude, and he had stage presence.”

Within weeks Mr. DeForest became part of the scene, and he quickly became close to Will Miles and Clark Jones, Chicago natives with more comedy experience. After they’d hit all the clubs in town, Mr. DeForest persuaded his friends to move to New York.

They drove a U-Haul to Brooklyn, but when they arrived in Bushwick, Mr. Jones and Mr. Miles both recounted, the landlord took one look at the two Black men accompanying the tall white guy and turned them away. The three of them spent the night on the floor of a rat-infested warehouse space above a realtor’s office, watching John Mulaney’s just-released comedy special “New in Town.”

Their careers got a boost in 2014 when Hannibal Buress became a star and asked Mr. Jones to take over a show Mr. Buress had started at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg. Mr. Jones invited his friends to help. “Two Black Dudes and a Microphone” became a hit among Brooklyn comedy fans, with Mr. DeForest’s role as unnamed white co-host signaling the organizers’ comfort with complex issues.

“That was the hottest show in the city,” said Amy Hawthorne, a talent booker and comedy show producer.

Mr. DeForest developed an act rooted in progressive politics. Instead of outrage, his jokes landed on notes of self-mockery: the confident basketball player who used alcohol and drugs to mask his social anxiety , the big white guy who learned — excruciatingly slowly — that his life was charmed .

“For the longest time I just thought I was really good at job interviews,” went a bit about his dawning awareness of his privilege as a white man. “Eight for eight! That is incredible for someone so bad at jobs.”

Comedy didn’t pay much, so Mr. DeForest got a job moving furniture. Meanwhile, if he had not become quite famous, he was at least fame-adjacent.

He and his co-hosts met with producers at MTV and Comedy Central to develop show ideas. He won solo spots on late-night shows with Mr. Meyers and James Corden . He was a contestant on a Netflix reality show about competing stand-ups, Mr. Miles said, but shooting was canceled because of the pandemic. He hung out with comedy luminaries including Dave Chappelle, and in 2015 he started dating Sasheer Zamata, a comedian and cast member on “Saturday Night Live.”

In 2018, Mr. DeForest and Ms. Zamata moved to Los Angeles together to pursue television and movie auditions, Mr. Clark and Mr. Miles said. Ms. Zamata declined to be interviewed for this article.

And for the first time in Mr. DeForest’s life, his career stalled. He had natural onstage talent but stubborn difficulty as a writer at landing a joke with the perfect word. His natural skill set — putting a restless crowd at ease with his “basketball confidence,” as a friend described it — left him stranded in a city where stand-up is mostly a side hustle for comics competing to win jobs writing TV shows and movies.

“Kenny’s writing didn’t come like Patton Oswalt, who has a mastery of the language,” Mr. Pieschel said. “Kenny came up with the right concept and knew that, coming out of his mouth, it will work.”

In March 2023, with his relationship with Ms. Zamata over, his friends said, and his career in neutral, Mr. DeForest returned to New York. He was 36, and many of his contemporaries were quitting comedy for families and real jobs.

“He was basically starting from zero,” said Mr. Drake, who worked alongside Mr. DeForest at the moving company. “He viewed coming back to New York as one last big push to make it happen before the realities of life set in.”

Mr. DeForest’s second run at comedy fame was more disciplined than his first. After years of telling jokes about his alcohol and drug abuse, he committed to yoga , bonding with Ms. Cassidy, his fellow Brooklyn comic, over their new sobriety. He shot a second hourlong special at the Gutter, a bar in Williamsburg, wrote enough material for a third and had enough jokes left over to keep his Instagram and TikTok pages updated.

Mr. DeForest also took time to organize group shows in bars and even a laundromat near his apartment, giving many younger comedians their first stage time. It wasn’t without risk.

“It can hurt you in this business,” Ms. Cassidy said. “You help your friends get on, and their set goes more viral than yours. That would bother a lot of people. That didn’t bother Kenny.”

After years of living in apartments his friends described as “war zones,” Mr. DeForest spent weeks decorating his new place in Crown Heights. In his living room he put up a large whiteboard. He wrote positive mantras and ideas for bits, including “Skinhead” and “PC Police.” He wrote “Branson, ep. 2,” for a sitcom he hoped to pitch about life in Branson, Mo. Under “Standup” he reminded himself to start booking shows around the country in 2024.

“Kenny was really growing up,” said Ryan Beck, a comedian, friend and fellow self-deprecating Missourian who lived across the hall from Mr. DeForest. “He was coming into his own as a man and a comic. It was really nice to see.”

The first sign that something was amiss came on Dec. 8, the day of Mr. DeForest’s bicycle accident, when he failed to arrive for his shift at the moving company. This was concerning, Mr. Pieschel said, since Mr. DeForest had texted a co-worker that he was on his way to work. The next day, he was a no-show at a party for a friend who was leaving New York, something Mr. DeForest would never do, his friends said.

Concerned, Mr. Beck tried to check on Kenny. When there was no answer to a knock on the door, he climbed through the bathroom window.

“I’m worried that I’m going to find my friend on the floor,” Mr. Beck recalled.

Instead he found the apartment spotless. Mr. DeForest’s bed was neatly made. Mr. Beck called the closest hospital, Kings County, and discovered that Mr. DeForest had been admitted two days before. When Mr. Beck arrived, doctors said Mr. DeForest had a serious head injury, but he probably would recover.

Mr. Beck contacted their mutual friends. Many of them canceled their performances, and a few interrupted national tours to come to the Brooklyn hospital. They arrived to find Mr. DeForest badly bruised and heavily sedated. He was also bald. After years of fretting about his thinning hair, Mr. DeForest had decided recently to shave his head .

The jokes started almost immediately.

“No!” Ms. Cassidy said when she reached his bedside. “He just figured out his hair!”

Mr. Drake hopped on his bike and headed to the hospital, arriving with a bike helmet under his arm. It got a laugh, his friends assuming he was doing a bit. He greeted them as if he was arriving for brunch.

“‘Hey! How’s it going?’” Mr. Drake said, recalling his entrance. “You start laughing because it’s the worst.”

Mean jokes don’t generally play well around a deathbed. But for comedians, what else is there to say?

“I think normal people are like, ‘Oh, my God. How are you able to joke right now?’” Mr. Miles said. “But that’s common in this community. We’re grieving in our own way.”

Mr. DeForest’s parents, Roger and Pam, had flown in from Springfield. They found 25 comedians packed into the hospital waiting room, and 10 more upstairs in their son’s room.

“We knew that he was performing coast to coast, but he wasn’t making the big bucks and he wasn’t known,” Roger DeForest said. “Then we’re in this city of eight million people, and we’re running into strangers who knew our son? It was mind-blowing.”

Despite his initial good prognosis, Mr. DeForest was unconscious by the time his parents arrived. Five days after the accident, he died from a brain injury on Dec. 13.

Throughout the ordeal, Mr. DeForest’s friends displayed fierce loyalty to him and care for his family. Before any of them agreed to speak for this article, each asked permission from Mr. DeForest’s parents. His friends and parents also worked together to plan DeForeFEST , six days of events featuring sets by Mr. Buress, Liza Treyger and a number of Mr. DeForest’s comedian friends.

The festival started Tuesday (which the mayor of Springfield declared “Kenny DeForest Day”) and ended Saturday night at the Blue Room Comedy Club in Springfield. The official hashtag for the event: #belikekenny.

It was only after Kenny died that the DeForests went to their son’s apartment in Brooklyn. Before they arrived, Mr. Beck inspected the place to remove anything untoward. It was cozy and neat, and Mr. Beck made only one adjustment. Propped up next to Mr. DeForest’s turntable was the album cover of the last record he played, the band’s name written in big white letters. It stood facing the apartment’s front door like a billboard.

The band’s name: OH HE DEAD. In a panic, Mr. Beck swapped it for “Rumours,” by Fleetwood Mac.

Months later, when he learned about the switch, Roger DeForest paused. Then he laughed.

“Oh,” he said. “That’s funny.”

Christopher Maag is an enterprise reporter covering the New York City region for The New York Times. More about Christopher Maag

The Great Read

Here are more fascinating tales you can’t help reading all the way to the end..

When an illegal smoke shop opened across the street, an Upper West Side councilwoman, vowed to close it. What happened next was “like a Fellini movie.”

The diabetes drug Ozempic has become a phenomenon, and its inescapable jingle — a takeoff of the Pilot song “Magic” — has played a big part in its story .

A man’s five-year stay at the New Yorker Hotel cost him only $200.57. Now it might cost him his freedom .

Researchers are documenting deathbed visions , a phenomenon that seems to help the dying, as well as those they leave behind.

Around 2020, the “right” pants began to swing from skinny to wide. But is there even a consensus around trends anymore ?

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