Graffiti has been around for a very long time - we know the ancient Romans did it (and not just "Romans Go Home" ("Romanes eunt domus") from Monty Python's Life of Brian). Graffiti has become an important form of art and there is certainly plenty of it to see and explore in the Big Apple. With the street art tours of New York City, one can discover the vibrant history of the city's urban culture.

Bushwick is world-famous for having some of the best street art in the United States while the Lower East Side is home to street art's humble beginnings. The tours will delve into the stories being the murals and even discuss the question of whether graffiti is a crime or a cultural creation. NYC is one of the places to see some of the many beautiful murals in the world.

Tour Of Brooklyn's Best Street Art In Bushwick

The tour of Bushwick's street art in Brooklyn offers an unforgettable tour of the region and one can discover over 50 multicolored murals in the area. This is where the artwork comes and goes on a daily basis making the streets of Bushwick an ephemeral outdoor museum.

The streets are lined with massive warehouses that provide the ideal canvas for street artists to practice their trade. There are works by famous street artists like Ramiro, Iena Cruz, Nepo, Don Rimx, Dasic, and more.

  • Duration: 1.5 Hours
  • Start Times: 1 p.m.

The tours are led by guides with an intimate knowledge of the street art and graffiti world. The guides are street artists themselves and may have even contributed to the mix themselves. One will gain a better understanding of the difference between tagging, graffiti, and street art. The guides will also describe the backstory and techniques used in the creation of the pieces that adorn the buildings.

  • Meeting Location: 282 Meserole St. Bushwick Brooklyn 11237
  • Cost: Adults $25.00, Children and Students $20.00
Related: 20 Cities Around The World With The Best And Edgiest Street Art

Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn

The Graffiti & Street Art Walking Tour in Brooklyn offered by Brooklyn Unplugged is another option for a great graffiti walking tour. This walking tour happens every day at 10.30 am and lasts for 2 hours.
  • Duration: 2 Hours
  • When: At 10.30 am Daily
  • Cost: $32.00 Per Person or $180.00 For A Private Tour of Up to 4 People
If one can't make it there in person, they also offer a Virtual Experience where one can enjoy a tour of Brooklyn's street art from the comfort of their own home. Contact them for details. On this tour, one will discover an exciting world of graffiti taggers and street artists on the walking tour while seeing some of the most visually incredible murals in New York City and Brooklyn.
More and more there is an awareness of the imaginative artists behind these street creations - many of these artists are globetrotting innovators. Creations that adorn buildings and even entire neighborhoods.
  • Location: Bushwick, NYC
Like the tour listed above, this tour is also of the Bushwick district that is rapidly becoming a world-renown center of street art. The murals are clustered around an exhibition called the Bushwick Collective.
Some of the artists hail from as far away as Europe, South America, and Asia. The tour is a great way to delve into the lives of these people and learn about their quirky personalities. One will see how some people are really willing to pay for their work! Related: 10 Gorgeous Pieces Of Street Art (& Where To Go To See Them)

Lower East Side Street Art Tour

This tour of the street art of Manhattan's Lower East Side is a 2-hour walking tour that shows off the coolest street art in the area. The Lower East Side is an area that is rapidly changing, it was once the heart of Manhattan's immigrant communities and tenements. Today it is massive on the art scene and boasts street art to murals to galleries.

  • Duration: 2-Hours
  • Location: Lower East Side, Manhattan

The tour goes from the East Village to Nolita to Little Italy and SoHo. On the tour, one will be able to see the history and evolution of graffiti art and some of the most legendary NYC spots.

  • Private Tour Cost: $250.00 (This Tour is Available as a Private Tour Only)

One will see dozens of unique and colorful pieces - these range from all sizes with traditional graffiti, massive murals, wheatpaste, and much more. Some of the better-known pieces include Space Invader, Eduardo Kobra, Shepard Fairey, Tristan Eaton, Cost, Hektad, Solus, Buff Monster, and countless others.

In a way, street art is one of the lesser-known NYC museums worth visiting and it is free for everyone to enjoy. Some of the works really speak to the artist's imagination and talent and are something all can enjoy.

Next: Following The Christchurch Street Art Trail: Amazing Artwork You'll See Along The Way