Go inside the rarely seen underbelly of New York's famed Woolworth Building

Not just any old tourist can waltz into the Woolworth Building.

Once the tallest building in New York City, the Woolworth has been recognized as a historic landmark since 1983.

Completed in 1913, the building was equipped to maintain its own electricity, heat, subway entrance, and barber shop.

With tenants such as Nikola Tesla and the Manhattan Project — the team that helped develop the atomic bombs during World War II — the building has been coveted by historians and New Yorkers for decades.

After the building's observation deck closed during World War II, the building was closed to tourists until 2013. Even now, access is somewhat limited.

Luckily, Untapped Cities has given a handful of tours inside the building to show what it's like after all these years. We joined them for their September tour, which even included an exclusive look at the basement.

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The entrance to the lobby of the Woolworth Building faces Broadway, in New York's trendy Tribeca neighborhood.

Once inside, we were greeted by our tour guide, Roy Suskin, who serves as the building's manager.

F.W. Woolworth earned millions from his chain of five-and-dime stores between 1879 and 1913. He used his newfound wealth to pay for the building and its flourishes.

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