Visiting Hart Island

The City welcomes the public to visit Hart Island, to pay their respects, and maintain vital connections to those that have passed away. The island can be accessed by scheduling either a public Urban Park Ranger visit or a private Gravesite Visit.

Gravesite Visits

Gravesite visits are reserved for those people who were closest to the person who passed away, including family members, chosen family members, close friends, and partners. Gravesite visits are intended to provide an opportunity for loved ones to spend peaceful time at the final resting place of their loved one.

For people who wish to visit the final resting place of a loved one, the City offers gravesite visits to Hart Island twice a month, on weekends.

Learn more and schedule a visit at our Graveside Visitation page.

Urban Park Ranger Visits

Urban Park Ranger visits are open to the public and are held on select Tuesday mornings. Registration is required and if the tour reaches capacity, individuals will be selected by lottery. Visits to Hart Island are provided solely by NYC Parks and are free of charge to visitors.

Visit NYC Parks's Hart Island Tours page to register for an upcoming Urban Park Ranger visit.

Media Visits

We anticipate resuming regular media visits sometime in 2024. Please email the Parks Press Office at pressoffice@parks.nyc.gov to find out more about the next media visit.

Research Permits

Permits for research on Hart Island are not currently available. For more information, please call 212-360-3428.