Midtown South NYC Architecture Walking Tour

I’ve been to NYC many times and wanted to know a bit more about the buildings, why they were built, who built them and why they look the way they do. I’ve bought books to read at home, but never read them - I was too far removed from the buildings themselves. Having the opportunity to walk to the buildings (and sometimes go inside them) and learn the context in which they were built - it was exactly what I have wanted for many years. It just didn’t exist. Now it does and I couldn’t have wished for a better guide than Ivan. Btw we did a family (3ppl) visit first and then I came back for an additional solo tour. There is no better testament to my satisfaction than that.

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I have been in NYC for the past 13 years , and the tour experience with Ivan allowed me to rediscovered the city in many ways ! Truly I think It did show me multiple facts and things that I overlooked previously!i Highly recommend build tours !!

Excellent tour! Our group of native New Yorkers and visiting family loved the tour and enjoyed seeing NY through the eyes of a trained architect and historian. The length of the tour and information was digestible and interesting. The individual hearing devices were unexpected, but absolutely essential for everyone in our group to hear and participate.

A truly memorable experience. As lifelong New Yorkers, my wife and I have always wanted to dig deeper and better understand our city. We knew that one of the best ways to do that was by learning more about the buildings that give New York its soul. With BuildTours, Dr. Ivan Shumkov gave us an incredible two-hour private walking tour, starting in Bryant Park and finishing in Flatiron District. His depth of knowledge, storytelling, and passion for architecture completely changed the way we see parts of the city we thought we already knew. We walked away more curious, more informed, and genuinely inspired. Highly recommended for anyone (locals included) who wants to experience NYC on a deeper level.

We had the pleasure of meeting Ivan an extraordinary guide. He created an extremely interesting tour that was culturally rich but also entertaining. It was a pleasure to spend time together and get to know parts of the city from a new perspective. Even my teenage children enjoyed the experience. I highly recommend this tour, one of the most interesting I have ever taken.

Ivan took us on a great 2 hour tour, starting at the Public Library. It was packed with information about the history of the development this part of the city, including the planning and the architects involved for some of the buildings. Ivan has a wealth of knowledge about this great city and hope to go on another tour when I am visiting again.

I joined the Midtown South Tour and had to leave around 6:45, so I only made it through the Morgan Library. Even in that shorter time, I learned a lot. We started outside the New York Public Library (which was closed) and walked through Bryant Park, hearing about its history as the site of the Crystal Palace and the hidden rooms and stacks underneath the park. From there, we saw a mix of modern towers like the Bank of America Tower, the New York Times Building, and One Vanderbilt. I liked hearing how One Vanderbilt’s curve was designed intentionally, not just for looks but to fit the street grid and sightlines. We also stopped at the American Radiator Building with its black-and-gold Art Deco style, before finishing my part of the tour at the Morgan Library. We could only view it from the outside since it was closed, but it was still interesting to hear how it blends old and new design. Even leaving early, the tour gave me a sense of how Midtown layers history with modern architecture—parks, libraries, Art Deco gems, and sustainable skyscrapers all connected.

Our guide, an architect himself, was extremely knowledgeable and quite engaging during our 2.5 hour walk. We recommend him without qualm.

I learnt so much about why parts of the city came to be the way they are. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone interested in history, city planning and architecture!

My family and I went on two of Build Tours’ public tours last week - “Midtown South” and “Chelsea and the High Line”, which were both excellent. We came away from the tours in awe of and inspired by New York City. The guide, Ivan, was absolutely incredible. You could not be in safer hands when it comes to architectural knowledge of New York. He also has a deep understanding of the intertwined relationship between the history, culture and architecture of the city. Ivan delivers the tours with a real panache and humour. His passion is infectious - he really lives and breathes everything New York and brings you along for the ride. Ivan actively encourages you to ask as many questions as you like, which gives the tours a very personal touch. I feel you could go on the same tour numerous times and learn lots of new facts about the buildings. For example, he could give you in-depth breakdowns of the structure of each and every building you come across. But equally if you prefer, he could just as easily regale you with all the gossip and urban legends connected to them. I could go on and on. But it’s probably best if you just book onto a Build Tours tour, now!

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