Take a leafy stroll through Madison Square Park, Gramercy Park, and Greenwich Village to trace Oscar Wilde's debut in the social and literary world.

Based on original and unique research into Wilde and his circle in the New York of the gilded age, see how Wilde was influenced by the aesthetic movement of the period, and how, in turn, he influenced the society of today.

Learn about the times of this fascinating personality whose self-styled genius is as relevant today as it was when he arrived.

Did you know that Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet, dramatist and wit, famous for his life in London and Paris, spent the entire year in America?

In 1882 he conducted an extended lecture tour across the continent - and nowhere did he spend more time than in New York City.

What People Are Saying

Receiving rave reviews from seasoned New York City tour takers.

Mary-Anne Eves, Walk Philadelphia

Did Oscar Wilde say he had nothing to declare except his genius? What is the true itinerary of the 1882 Lecture Tour?

For answers to these questions and more, visit OSCAR WILDE :: THE PROJECT

NEXT TOUR

WHEN: 11:00 AM, April 27th, 2013.

TO BOOK:
Municipal Arts Society of New York Tour.

FOR UPDATES:
Follow us on Facebook.

Take a leafy stroll through Madison Square Park, Gramercy Park, and Greenwich Village to trace Oscar Wilde's debut in the social and literary world.

Based on original and unique research into Wilde and his circle in the New York of the gilded age, see how Wilde was influenced by the aesthetic movement of the period, and how, in turn, he influenced the society of today.

Learn about the times of this fascinating personality whose self-styled genius is as relevant today as it was when he arrived.

Did you know that Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet, dramatist and wit, famous for his life in London and Paris, spent the entire year in America?

In 1882 he conducted an extended lecture tour across the continent - and nowhere did he spend more time than in New York City.

What People Are Saying

Receiving rave reviews from seasoned New York City tour takers.

Mary-Anne Eves, Walk Philadelphia

Did Oscar Wilde say he had nothing to declare except his genius? What is the true itinerary of the 1882 Lecture Tour?

For answers to these questions and more, visit OSCAR WILDE :: THE PROJECT

NEXT TOUR

WHEN: 11:00 AM, April 27th, 2013.

TO BOOK:
Municipal Arts Society of New York Tour.

FOR UPDATES:
Follow us on Facebook.

What People Are Saying

Our guide was knowledgeable, accessible, and entertaining. It was fascinating to see how many Oscar-related sites still exist. Also fun to raise a glass with John at the optional post-tour gathering. I'm looking forward to a revisit!

Mary J. Fallon, NY

John Cooper is a former British chartered architectural surveyor now resident in the United States. He has spent 30 years in the study of Oscar Wilde, and for the last 10 years has specialized in new and unique research into Oscar Wilde in New York.

He is a long-standing member of the Oscar Wilde Society in London, a founding member of the Oscar Wilde Society of America, a former Director of the Victorian Society In America, the moderator of the Oscar Wilde Internet discussion group at Yahoo, lecturer and a contributor to Oscholars, the Oscar Wilde academic journal, and author of The Project :: Oscar Wilde in America.

Interview with the Guide

Read a fascinating 2002 interview with John Cooper conducted by screenwriter and Wilde aficionado Walter W. Walker.

INTERVIEW

These tours will appeal not only to anyone who wants a literary and historical tour of the city, but they are detailed enough to inform even the Wilde scholar.

The tour features:

houses and clubs that Wilde visited

extant buildings and places Wilde knew

exhibits of wilde's letters

exhibits of period photographs

play-readings

social gathering

Previous Tours Conducted For:

The Oscar Wilde Society (London, UK)
The Oscar Wilde Society of America
Irish Arts Centre, NY
The New York 19th Century Society
New York City Steampunks
Long Island University (Dept. of English)
The Bartitsu Club of NYC
92nd Street Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association
NYU Tisch School of the Arts
The Municipal Art Society of New York
The Victorian Society in America:
-New England Chapter
-Northern NJ Chapter
-Philadelphia Chapter

PRIVATE TOURS: David Friedman (US author), Tamaki Horie (Professor, Osaka Prefecture University, Japan), Arthur Marks (NY Historian), Chris Spurr (BBC Radio 3), Walter W. Walker (Independent Scholar), Jade Esteban Estrada (Entertainer).

My partner and I took this tour some time ago and had a wonderful time.

Our guide was knowledgeable, accessible, and entertaining. It was fascinating to see how many Oscar-related sites still exist. (Also fun to raise a glass to Oscar at the optional post-tour gathering.) I'm looking forward to a revisit!
Mary J. Fallon, NY

John Cooper gave this tour twice for the New York Nineteenth Century Society: in November 2011 and again in April 2012.

We all loved it and John's knowledge of Wilde's American lecture tour and of 19th-century NYC is especially impressive.

Most of this information represents years of John's research and can't be found in books or Web sites. An absolute must for Wilde fans and history enthusiasts!
Rachel Klingberg, NY 19th Century Society

A most interesting and wonderful walking tour.
Jane Rothchild, NYC

I have nothing but praise for the tour.
Monica Brady, NYC

A wonderfully entertaining and informative tour.
David Friedman, NY author

Receiving rave reviews from seasoned New York City tour takers.
Mary-Anne Eves, Walk Philadelphia

An excellent and informative tour
DeeDee Lanzet, CEO Lanzet Inc., New York

A most enlightening and entertaining tour.
John Simonelli, The Victorian Society in America

Thoughtful and precise.
Annice Alt, New York

Without your input, the BBC Radio 3 program 'Oscar in America' would be very much the poorer.
Chris Spurr, BBC

A fascinating tour. We enjoyed ourselves tremendously.
Ed Gordon, New England Chapter, VSA

TOURS ARE HELD PERIODICALLY
BASED ON DEMAND

Use the form to sign-up
or express interest in a future date

NEXT TOUR

WHEN: 11:00 AM, April 27th, 2013.

TO BOOK:
Municipal Arts Society of New York Tour.

FOR UPDATES:
Follow us on Facebook.

WALLPAPER

The background wallpaper is a montage of the two images shown inset.

A sunflower and a view of Union Square from the late 19th century.

To understand the significance, you really should take the tour. :)