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“Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. The family wants to play today, rain, rain, go away.” Children sing this rhyme endlessly on dreary, sunless days. Well, we have the perfect fix for their melancholy. Truth is, there is just as much fun to be had inside than out and all it requires is a rainy day and a bored family.
We have done the research for you. There are ten well-known museums in the NYC area that offer more fun and entertainment than you would have ever guessed. Trust me, your children will be begging you to take them even on the sunniest of days.
1. The first in our lineup of ten is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Famous for its extensive selection of national and international artworks, I recommend taking your family to explore the modern and contemporary art, photography, musical instruments and drawing and paintings galleries. For more interactive fun, participate in storytime in the Nolen Library offered every morning from 10:30-11 and every afternoon from 3-3:30 followed by a self-treasure hunt for images seen in the story or for your older children there are hands-on experiments conducted to make their own artistic creations.
2. For your little ones with pent up energy we recommend the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM). Their exhibits are hands-on and interactive. Your kiddos can have a blast while learning how to build health everyday with EatSleepPlay or channel their inner musician in the museum’s newest exhibition –Jazzed! It showcases live music and hands-on art workshops that reflect the rich cultural history and lasting legacy of jazz in America.
3. Do you have some little artists on your hands? Then your family would enjoy the Children’s Museum of Arts (CMA). CMA offers daily workshops between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., dependent on the day of the week that feature different styles of creation but one thing remains consistent; children get to create or design something to call their own. It is a unique way for them to learn how to express themselves.
4. Do not let the wet outside prevent your family from embarking on adventures and explorations in nature. Head to the American Museum of Natural History and check out the pterosaurs exhibit on the first animals with backbones to fly under their own power, or visit the butterfly conservatory and experience the daily habitat of many species. Tap into your imagination and engulf your family in an IMAX movie or take a journey through the dark universe. Your curiosity will be peaked and your adrenaline rushed.
5. Take your family on a vivid adventure through historic periods since the 18th century at the Brooklyn Museum. In the decorative arts galleries and period rooms, you can touch, feel and see the different lifestyles of history and get a taste of what your ancestors experienced. You can also satisfy your mythical needs by venturing through The Mummy Chamber. You’ll discover the rituals related to mummification, see the mummy of the priest Thothierdes and mummy of Hor along with displays of vital mummy organs and so many more related objects.
6. Want to experience the bridge between advanced art and mass culture? Check out Jeff Koons: A Retrospective exhibit at the Whitney Museum of Art. His bright, eclectic pieces will evoke a gratification for creativity. The powerful artist recreates his entire career portfolio in one chronological, narrative collection for viewers to appreciate. The exhibit is designed for all ages, there is even a highlight stroller tour available on July 11 at noon. Editor’s Note: The vast majority of the Jeff Koons exhibition will be family-friendly though caution is advised around his “Made in Heaven” series. There will certainly be wall labels warning families to use discretion before entering the gallery with these particular works.
7. Experience a wonderful world of architecture inside one of the world’s most interestingly designed buildings–the Guggenheim. Until September 1 you and your family can witness how Italian futurists view reconstructing the universe through not only paintings and sculptures but through architecture, design, ceramics, fashion, film, photography, advertising, free-form poetry, publications, music, theater and performance. This exhibit offers multimedia guides designed for all ages and family activity guides to enhance your family’s experience.
8. Explore the machines that took military men and astronauts to the great depths of sea, air and space at the Intrepid. Go inside the aircraft carrier Intrepid and submarine growler and see firsthand how men and women lived in those quarters. See the space shuttle pavilion, which paved the way for the space shuttle program, and the British Airways Concorde, the first plane to cross the Atlantic Ocean in less than three hours. There are also simulators for you and the kids to experience the impact of flying various advanced jets or feel like you are actually in a lifeboat in the water at the Exploreum Hall. The opportunities at this place are intriguing for all ages, I know I’m 21 and I’m making plans to go spend a day here with my friends, not even a rainy day.
9. You and your children can witness history being brought to life at DiMenna Children’s History Museum. They offer an exciting series of family programs including a weekly Sunday Story Hour, family learning labs such as Little New Yorkers every Tuesday and Friday from 3:30-4:15 and Cross-Stitch Circle every Thursday at 3:30, and a chance to meet some of our country’s founders and military units from the 18th and 19th century.
10. The last, but certainly not least suggestion on our list is the New York City Transit Museum. Bring your kids to explore the ins and outs of the city’s most widely used public transportation system. Through the ElectriCity: Powering New York’s Rails exhibit you can engage in a compelling and participatory exploration of electricity’s role in powering the subways and commuter rails, or explore the intricacy that is Grand Central Station. For family interaction and fun you could check out their programs every weekend throughout July at 1:30. Give your children the opportunity to see and experience a unique adventure in the daily life of a New Yorker.
Not feeling so weary about those rainy days anymore, are you? In fact, you’re probably praying for ten consecutive days of rain because you are as excited, if not more, about the agenda than you know your children will be. Maybe you should sing “rain, rain, come today, I want to take my kids to play. Museums and fun are on the way, if you rain, please come today.”
