Purefinder New York

Purefinder New York

Purefinder New York: Dark History Tours Through NYC’s Buried Past

Discover what the city doesn’t want you to see.

As Featured In

Time Out New York logo
These walking tours show the ‘forbidden’ parts of NYC you won’t find in a guidebook
Purefinder New York shows off a different part of the city.
New York Post logo
Get a glimpse into the city’s macabre history...

Our Tours

Purefinder New York leads walking tours into the city’s hidden past, places and stories most guidebooks ignore. From burial grounds and psychiatric wards to radical politics, scandal, and early science, our tours explore the truths that shaped New York beneath the surface.

Whether you're a first-time visitor or a longtime local, you'll experience a side of the city that’s often erased, avoided, or forgotten. We also offer private tours and lectures. Get in touch to lean more.

New York City Farm Colony; looking out onto trees through the doorway of ruins

About

Purefinder New York uncovers the city’s hidden history, stories of death, mental health, epidemics, reform, and the institutions that shaped urban life. These aren’t myths or legends. They’re the overlooked truths that made New York what it is today.

Led by experts and grounded in research, our tours offer a bold, thoughtful alternative to surface-level sightseeing, designed for curious visitors, lifelong locals, and anyone who wants to see the city differently.

Our Story

Purefinder New York was founded by journalist and author K. Krombie as an independent, woman-run project committed to uncovering the city’s overlooked truths. Inspired by her book, , Death in New York, Purefinder brings forgotten voices, erased histories, and untold stories back into the streets where they happened.

Recognized for Excellence

Purefinder New York is recommended by 100% of travelers on TripAdvisor and has earned Viator’s Badge of Excellence. We’re also featured on KAYAK as a top-rated tour provider.

Our unique walking tours have been praised by major outlets including Time Out New York, NPR, Fox 5, and the New York Post. Time Out named us one of their top 10 quirky NYC events and described our tours as uncovering “the ‘forbidden’ parts of NYC you won’t find in a guidebook.”

See more media mentions.

Viator Badge of Excellence logo

Recognized for Excellence.

Tripadvisor logo

Recommended by 100% of travelers.

Officially featured on KAYAK.