Get a behind-the-scenes peek of the United Nations

Regular folks can go behind the scenes of international diplomacy on one of the many tours available at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan.

Daily one-hour tours take visitors through the East Side complex, offering a peek at the meeting rooms, along with a glimpse of the artwork and other artifacts on display — including a piece of the Berlin Wall and a famed glass window by Marc Chagall.

“Our goal is to let people understand how the U.N. works because the majority of people don’t know,” said Rula Hinedi, chief of the organization’s guided tour unit. “We focus on three main pillars,” she said, “peace and security, human rights and development.”

“We explain why there is a UN . . . we educate people on how the system works,” said Hinedi. Multilingual guides (tours are offered in 13 languages) take visitors through the building.

“The cherry-on-top for most visitors,” said Hinedi, is seeing the General Assembly Hall and Security Council Chamber, which are viewable on every tour as long as the U.N. is not in session. If a meeting is taking place in the General Assembly, visitors can look down from a fourth-floor gallery. No dice if anything’s happening in the Security Council, “for obvious reasons,” said Hinedi.

Along with the daily tours, the U.N. offers a series of themed tours that take a deeper dive into the organization’s history, focusing on art, architecture, contributions made by women and people of African descent. And for children ages 5 to 10, there’s the Kids’ Corridor, with wall maps, flags, an authentic refugee tent and interactive games that explain how the U.N. works. Note, these are not daily tours, many are offered bi-weekly, though Hinedi said groups can arrange private tours by request.

A new extended tour, Chambers to Garden, takes visitors into the meeting spaces and through the peaceful grounds, where they can see a piece of the Berlin Wall — three steel-reinforced concrete panels that were given to the U.N. by Germany in 2002. Especially fascinating is the historical graffiti painted while the city was still divided. Other highlights in the gardens include a bronze sculpture by Soviet artist Yevgeny Vuchetich and a memorial to Eleanor Roosevelt.

On the art tour, highlights include Norman Rockwell’s “The Golden Rule” mosaic, made from 22,000 pieces of Murano glass, and Marc Chagall’s stained-glass “Peace Window.” Also popular is the architecture tour, said Hinedi, explaining that it focuses on how the iconic building was designed by “a workshop of peace,” 11 internationally recognized architects who came together to create the design of the building, which opened in 1952. Near the tour exit on the lower level, you’ll find the gift shop, as well as a postal counter where you can buy UN stamps and send postcards and letters that will be mailed with a U.N. postmark.

General tours are offered 9:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily; $29, $21 for students and seniors, $18 for children 5-12. Children under 5 not admitted. Everyone 18 and over must have government-issued identification. Book tickets and see schedule for themed tours at un.org.