St Patrick's Cathedral Official Behind the Scenes VIP Tour
Description
Step beyond the velvet ropes for an intimate, small-group VIP experience at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Led by an expert docent, explore rarely seen spaces above and below the sanctuary that reveal hidden stories and treasures few visitors encounter. Begin at a private entrance, passing through the sacristy and descending beneath the altar into the hallowed crypt, final resting place of past archbishops. Hear fascinating insights into the cathedral’s history, artistry, and spiritual legacy. Ascend the grand marble staircase to stand at the main altar, enjoying privileged access and unique vantage points for memorable photographs and quiet moments of reflection, offered only to this select group of guests. Admire the soaring stained-glass windows, the colossal Pieta, and the immense bronze doors operable by one hand. Learn of the 21 altars, 19 bells, and notable figures—from Babe Ruth to Andy Warhol—whose memorials form part of this landmark’s enduring story.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ever dream of visiting the behind the scenes quarters of St Patrick's Cathedral? See the archbishop quarters, where the Pope changed his outfit on his visit and more on this VIP guided tour with a Cathedral Historian. Hear personal stories about what makes St. Patrick’s one of the world's most famous Cathedrals. See areas of the Cathedral never before seen by the general public. Your tour will conclude with reserved front row seats for Mass.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All visitors to St Patrick's Cathedral must pass through airport-style security
- Participants are asked to dress and act appropriately since you'll be inside a church
- Strollers are OK – but there are steps
- Not suitable for pets or wheelchairs.
- No luggage or large bags or outside food and drinks allowed
Reviews(31)
Great tour, tour guide very knowledgeable. She had a great manner and knew her stuff. However, very expensive for only one hour! I thought Mass was supposed to come after, but no Mass?
Thank you for your review! We’re very happy to hear you enjoyed the tour and found your guide knowledgeable and engaging. St. Patrick’s Cathedral has such an incredible history, and we’re glad the experience reflected that. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the tour length and pricing. The Behind-the-Scenes VIP experience is designed as a specialized one-hour guided access tour focused on exclusive areas of the cathedral. Regarding Mass, while guests are welcome to attend public services at the cathedral independently, Mass is not officially included as part of the guided tour experience. We apologize for any misunderstanding and appreciate you sharing your comments.
While the tour does cover the history of St Patrick’s in a manner that would probably interest Catholics and non-Catholics alike, a lot of the tour focused on minutia of Catholicism that might leave non-Catholics a little confused.
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed learning about the history of St. Patrick's Cathedral. As one of New York City's most iconic landmarks, the cathedral has a rich history that we strive to bring to life for visitors of all backgrounds. We appreciate your observation regarding the detailed discussions of Catholic traditions and practices. The Behind-the-Scenes VIP Tour is designed to provide an in-depth look at both the cathedral's history and its religious significance, and we understand that some aspects may be more familiar to those with a Catholic background than others. Your feedback is valuable and helps us continue improving the experience for all guests. We hope you enjoyed the unique access and insights offered during the tour, and we thank you for visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral with us. The Attractions4us Team
To be able to walk through the cathedral to places where most have never been, was amazing. To see the cornerstone of where our New York City faith is based out of, this amazing church, was an amazing experience.
Thank you so much for sharing your heartfelt experience! We’re truly delighted to hear how meaningful your visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral was. Mr. Tamontana will be deeply touched by your kind words about his knowledge, inspiring message, and faith-filled guidance. The Behind the Scenes VIP Tour offers a rare opportunity to experience parts of the cathedral few ever get to see, and we’re so happy it left such a lasting impression on you. Thank you again for joining us and for taking the time to share such a thoughtful review. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another unforgettable experience in New York City.
Our tour guide was actively involved with st patricks church working on her credentials. Very knowledgeable about the church history and current day activities. Included info about the vision, the architects, and the builders from past to present. No discussion about religion was included.
The tour guide was not the usual guide per her information. The 2hr tour started 20 min late and lasted 70 min. I think there were more stories to be shared about the Cathedral but we did not receive them. Disappointed.
This was an awesome experience!!! Tour guide was awesome!!! So knowledgeable!!!!!!!We went behind the scenes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We took the 2pm VIP tour on Wednesday Dec. 17, 2025. The cathedral historian was very friendly, enthusiastic, and interesting to talk to and gave us fascinating details and stories about the cathedral. I wanted to see Pierre Toussant’s grave, which we missed seeing at the Old St. Patrick’s Basilica before it was moved. Our historian pointed out features related to Archbishop Terence Cardinal Cooke after I showed her a photo of Cardinal Cooke and me at my Catholic dorm’s dedication at Columbia. She gave us interesting background on the move of Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s grave to Illinois from St. Patrick’s. Our guide made the tour even more special and I recommend it as it informs on so much of what you are seeing, how it got there or why it’s no longer there, and why it’s noteworthy.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that our guide’s enthusiasm and knowledge made your tour of the cathedral so memorable. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to her — she’ll be delighted! We’d love to welcome you on another tour soon for more amazing experiences.
Good overview of the Cathedral. Went during December, so saw some Christmas related displays. Worth it.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that our guide’s enthusiasm and knowledge made your tour of the cathedral so memorable. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to her — she’ll be delighted! We’d love to welcome you on another tour soon for more amazing experiences.
The tour guide was very knowledgeable, her enthusiasm of sharing her knowledge of the cathedral was contagious. She was absolutely amazing and I would recommend this tour anybody as long as she was the tour guide.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that our guide’s enthusiasm and knowledge made your tour of the cathedral so memorable. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to her — she’ll be delighted! We’d love to welcome you on another tour soon for more amazing experiences.
We learned so much on the behind the scenes tour with our guide, Sophia! Sophia shared a wealth of information from history of contruction, lesser known stories, and architectural details. We loved getting to see areas of the cathedral that are restricted to regular visitors. Getting to stand on the high altar was worth it alone! Sophia answered all questions with so much knowledge and energy. Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning the history of the cathedral and seeing the architectural beauty up close.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Sophia made your behind-the-scenes tour so memorable and informative. It’s great that you enjoyed the exclusive areas and the high altar, and that her knowledge and energy made the experience even more special. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another amazing tour soon!
