Millionaire Collector Invites Rich & Famous Tourists Into Penthouse for Surprise Peek at Kennedy Memorabilia Collection

Jim Dykes specially designed a unique Rich & Famous Tour around the Big Apple with a twist: viewing sites having to do with the late Jackie Kennedy. Dykes then called a wealthy collector friend who invited the group to view his Kennedy memorabilia collection.

An attorney from New England named Mike wanted to provide his wife Dana (a lifelong fan of Jackie Kennedy Onassis), with a special 40th birthday surprise party she’d never forget so he contacted Jim Dykes of Rich & Famous Tours, who specially designed a tour viewing sites having to do with the late First Lady. An unexpected treat for the visitors happened when Dykes made a call to a wealthy collector friend, who invited the group into his Central Park West penthouse to view his private collection of Kennedy memorabilia.

“I was completely speechless!” said the birthday girl. “It was the most amazing surprise to be invited into a stranger’s home to view his prized collections.”

Included were rare photos, paintings, personal notes, household objects and much more. Dykes researched the late Jackie O's life and included dozens of sites such as Jackie’s former homes at 1040 Fifth Avenue and 740 Park Avenue, the elegant building she lived as a child.

Also featured in the tour were the various churches in Jackie’s life including St. Thomas More, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. Ignatious on Park Avenue. Also included in the tour were schools, shops and hotels such as the Carlyle where Jackie signed her pre-nup with Onassis’ attorney and the Waldorf where Jackie was crowned “deb of the year”.

“I’ve been an admirer of Jackie’s for years…this tour was the perfect birthday gift,” said Dana.

Rich & Famous Tours shows where celebrities live, shop and dine. Co-founded by actor and former Studio 54 employee Jim Dykes who says, “A theme tour like the Jackie O. tour was a special challenge and it was a pleasure to pull it off and have satisfied customers. We strive to give well-researched tours with information people want to know about the rich and famous (or infamous), not cookie-cutter franchised tours with guides reciting from scripts.