You want your teen to have fun in NYC; but also to learn some history. Those huddled masses who crossed oceans, who toiled in sweatshops: it's such a dramatic story, but to a teen...? How to bring history to life?
Take the subway down to the Lower East Side, and walk over to Orchard Street. For almost 200 years, immigrants from 20 different nations crowded into this street.
One-hour guided tours explore the actual apartments where people lived a hundred-odd years ago: see a "sweatshop" where a family raised kids and made their living in the garment industry.
Several different tours are available: read more about the Lower East Side Tenement Museum
*photo courtesy of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.