This Video Lets You Explore the Abandoned Buildings of NYC's Mysterious Hart Island

Unforgotten Films just released its latest short film.

Taking a look around NYC's very own "island of the dead" might not be so difficult after all.

The documentary film project Unforgotten Films just released its latest short film, which features the abandoned buildings of the Bronx's Hart Island. The island was originally purchased in 1868 to be used as the city's public burial ground. To this day, it is the only public burial ground in NYC, with more than 1 million New Yorkers estimated to be buried there.

The island's old and decaying buildings, though, are about to become a thing of the past. In 2021, the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and the NYC Department of Social Services took over management, and in the same year the Department of Buildings ordered the demolition of eighteen of the island's structures, citing safety concerns.

The New York City Parks Department told Untapped New York that the demolition is expected to be completed early this year. Until 1991, the island hosted several buildings and structures with functions other than burial sites, including a Cold War-era Nike Missile launch site, an asylum, a chapel, and a baseball field, among others. While some of these will be spared because of their historical and cultural significance, others will be demolished as they are deemed beyond repair and unsafe.

Setting foot on Hart Island is a difficult endeavor, as there are only two public visits available every month. With demolition projects slated for completion this year, New Yorkers and tourists have just a few chances left to see the island's historic buildings before they are gone.If you can't make it to the island, you can check out Unforgotten Films’ short video:

click to play video

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Serena Tara is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.