What is more quintessentially New York than spending the afternoon at a history museum, walking through an art gallery, or exploring an interactive science exhibit? Manhattan’s myriad museums are increasingly focusing on family-friendly programming and events, taking our appetite for art and culture to a new level.
American Museum of Natural History
More than just home to the dinosaur bones (though those fossils are something to behold!), AMNH boasts a range of programs and exhibits, from mystery tours through the museum to huge IMAX presentations. Plus, they host the largest meteor on display and a mini rain forest. amnh.org
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
The original children’s museum (founded in 1899) and the first LEED certified green museum, children experience the world at exactly their level at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum: whether crawling inside a pond aquarium, walking within a 360 degree mirror, or learning about their neighbors in World Brooklyn. brooklynkids.org
Brooklyn Museum
Introduce your child to the rich artistic heritage of world cultures at one of the largest art museums in the country. Offering something for everyone, Meet the Museum is a program for toddlers, Arty Facts is geared for kids 4-7, and older kids (and their parents) can take classes in the Gallery/ Studio Program. brooklynmuseum.org
Children’s Museum of the Arts
With its state-of-the-art Media Lab & Sound Booth, Clay Bar and Fine Art Studio, CMA is dedicated to extending the benefits of art to all children. The museum has exhibits meant to delight and inspire kids as well as a wide range of classes—including one for physically disabled children and their siblings. cmany.org
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
With interactive exhibits meant to help children learn about themselves and their culturally diverse world, CMOM is committed to healthy living, as demonstrated in their EatPlaySleep exhibit. Home to Adventures with Dora and Diego, and the popular City Splash exhibit, this hub offers parent workshops in addition to children’s classes. cmom.org
DiMenna Children’s History Museum at the New York Historical Society
Your budding historian (ages 8-13) will learn about the childhoods of various New Yorkers over the past three centuries at this Upper West Side museum. Kids can become art detectives or learn to embroider as part of weekend family programming. nyhistory.org/childrens-museum
El Museo Del Barrio
Celebrate Latino traditions with New York’s leading Latino cultural institution. Children will love events like the annual Three Kings Day Parade and free, fun-filled activities on The Day of the Dead. elmuseo.org
Guggenheim
Internationally renowned for modern and contemporary art, the Guggenheim offers Family Sundays with tours led by museum educators and intended to engage children ages 3-10. Or, go anytime and borrow their family activity pack with suggested activities and games. guggenheim.org
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Come aboard one of the most successful ships in US history. The Exploreum is designed for children of all ages to learn about water, space, air and life at sea. Future pilots can blast off in flight simulators and daredevils will love the all new 4-D Motion Ride Theater. intrepidmuseum.org
Japan Society
Dedicated to deepening mutual understanding between the US and Japan, family programming is organized around some of Japan’s annual festivities and allows children to learn about Japanese history and culture through storytelling, crafts and celebrations. japansociety.org
The Jewish Museum
Children experience Jewish art and culture through art projects, gallery tours, music classes, concerts and the archeology zone where they get hands-on with ancient artifacts. Sundays are family days with drop-in workshops. thejewishmuseum.org
Liberty Science Center
Worth the trip to New Jersey, the Liberty Science Center is home to the nation’s largest IMAX dome theater, tornado- and hurricane-force wind simulators, a pitch-black, crawl through Touch Tunnel, and the BASF Kids’ Lab (where ages 6-12 can get their hands dirty with science experiments). lsc.org
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Storytime in Nolen library, Sunday Studio, and Start with Art at the Met are just a few of the Met’s kid-friendly offerings. The Met also offers a program for families with children who are blind or partially sighted, and one for children over 6 with learning and developmental disabilities. metmuseum.org
The Morgan Library & Mueseum
Originally the private library of Pierpont Morgan, the Morgan Library & Museum now houses all forms of manuscripts, early books and prints. Keep an eye out for family-friendly events like the Spring Family Fair or book-making workshops. themorgan.org
Museum of Arts & Design
MAD explores the intersection of art, design and craft. Kids will be especially interested in the Sarah and Seth Glickenhaus Education Center—an open studio where visitors of all ages can watch the artist at work and participate in the creative process. madmuseum.org
Museum of Chinese in America
MOCA is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history and culture of Chinese-Americans. Their Living Arts programs, for children 5-12, uses art to help youth gain a deeper appreciation for Chinatown and the Chinese-American experience. Performances, book readings and games are meant to entertain multi-generational families. mocanyc.org
Museum of the City of New York
Helping to showcase the city’s unique past and diverse heritage, the Frederick A.O. Schwarz Children’s Center hosts programming to teach children about NYC history. Permanent collections at the museum include On the Move—a delightful installation of miniature toy vehicles. mcny.org
Museum of the Moving Image
It doesn’t take much to interest kids in all things television, film and digital media! Weekend screenings of family-friendly films, as well as workshops where children learn and create, make this museum a rainy day hit. movingimage.us
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
You may not be surprised to learn that MoMA offers interactive workshops (like MoMA Labs) and gallery talks for families, but you may be delighted to discover that the museum offers free screenings of new and classic family films, complete with a discussion led by a MoMA educator. moma.org
National Museum of the American Indian
Learn about the original inhabitants of New York at this museum in Bowling Green. Available by appointment, tours of the Haudenosaunee Discovery Room are geared for hands-on learning for children and families. nmai.si.edu
New Museum
New York’s only dedicated museum for contemporary art, the New Museum offers First Saturdays with Families—a chance for fams to explore the exhibits—tailored for kids ages 5-15. They also host a Block Party in the summer! newmuseum.org
New York City Fire Museum
Big, red truck-lovers will love seeing the firefighting gear of the past and present. The museum features five permanent exhibits, including Tools and Uniforms, Romance of Firefighting, and a tribute to the 343 members of New York City’s Bravest who lost their lives on 9/11. nycfiremuseum.org
New York City Police Museum
The Junior Officers Discovery Zone allows children 3-10 to learn all about Police in a fun setting. With offerings for younger kids (including a Police car with buckets and sponges to wash it!) and for older kids (a crime scene observation activity), children will walk away with a greater appreciation for New York City’s boys in blue. nycpolicemuseum.org
New York Hall of Science
This Queens educational hotspot engages the curiosity of children (and adults) of all ages. Family workshops allow the whole clan to experiment together while Preschool Place is an exciting, multi-sensory destination for little ones. nysci.org
New York Transit Museum
Fans of transit will learn how the subway system was created; all children will appreciate the weekend programs incorporating science, art and books. With a regular story hour for tots and an afterschool program for kids on the autism spectrum, this Brooklyn Heights museum is a must for all city children. mta.info
Queens County Farm Museum
New York City’s only historical working farm is also a museum open year-round. Hosting such events as the Annual Queens County Fair in September, a pumpkin patch in October and Wildlife Weekends in November, there’s always something exciting going on at the farm. queensfarm.org
Rubin Museum of Art
The art of the Himalayas may not be what first comes to mind when thinking kid-centric, but the Rubin Museum makes family programming a priority. Drop-in workshops, family art labs and family days and festivals will introduce your child to the joys of art—and yaks! rmanyc.org
Scandinavian Museum
Dedicated to preserving the history of Scandinavians who settled on the East Coast, the this museum hosts a wide array of programming, from an annual essay contest for 4th-6th graders, to the Danish Mardi Gras in February and Viking Fest in May. scandinavian-museum.org
Skyscraper Museum
Celebrate our vertical city and with a visit to the Skyscraper Museum. Educators engage kids in topics of urbanism, architecture and engineering with family programs like Sidewalk Art, Skyscraper Physics and Trash Factory. skyscraper.org
South Street Seaport Museum
Part of the Museum of the City of New York, visitors can learn about the history of our city and families can participate in a range of activities, from making and decorating model boats, to a knot tying workshop, to an interactive look at NYC maps. seany.org
Staten Island Children’s Museum
Play Chess with life-sized pieces or watch butterflies being born—the exhibits in the Staten Island Children’s Museum are sure to amaze. On weekends, families can participate in the Up4Art teaching artist series, create holiday crafts or touch exotic snakes on sssSnake Second Saturdays. statenislandkids.org
Tenement Museum
Home to over 7,000 working class immigrants, the Tenement Museum offers several options for appreciating the history of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. There are walking tours of the neighborhood and various themed tours of the building including one from a 14-year-old past resident (a costumed interpreter). tenement.org
The Toy Museum of NY
After attending an interactive show at Queen Marlene’s Toy Theatre, tour the museum’s collection of dolls and toys of the past. Queen Marlene’s Birthday Party show invites little ones to come in costume, join the party, and of course, have cake afterwards. toymuseumny.org
The Whitney Museum of American Art
“Crying babies welcome!” is the tagline of Stroller Tours at the Whitney, offered for new moms and dads on select Fridays when the museum is closed to the public. Art-making workshops geared toward children of various ages are offered to engage your little ones in materials and process. whitney.org
For more fun family adventures in the city, visit our Family Calendar at www.newyorkfamily.com/events.
Big Tip: Free Museum Days
In their efforts to lure active families to their galleries and exhibits, many local museums offer free events and family days. Here’s where you can take advantage of it all.
Target Free Thursdays At The Museum Of Chinese In America
Every Thursday from 11am until 9pm go to MOCA for free!
Target First Fridays At The Children’s Museum Of Manhattan
Stop by CMOM the first Friday of the month from 5 until 8pm for free admission.
Free Admission At The New York Hall of Science
From September through June, visitors are admitted for free on Fridays 2-5pm and Sundays 10-11am.
Target Free Friday Nights At MoMA
Friday nights 4-8pm are a “free for all” at MoMA.
Free Fridays At The Museum Of The Moving Image
Fridays 4-8pm are free entry at The Museum of the Moving Image.
Target First Saturdays At The Brooklyn Museum
From 5 until 11pm, thousands of museum-goers can enjoy free arts and entertainment programs.
Super Sabado At El Museo Del Barrio
On the third Saturday of select months, visitors can tour El Museo del Barrio from 11am to 8:30pm.
New Museum First Saturdays For Families
Offering hands-on programs designed for families with children 5-15 years old, the New Museum opens its doors on the first Saturday of the month to conduct educational programs and activities, and let fams explore.
Free First Saturdays At The Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Museum admission is free 5-11pm on the first Saturday of every month, except September.
Free Saturdays At The Jewish Museum
Explore the Jewish Museum for free on Saturdays from 11am until 5:45pm.
“Pay What You Wish” At The Children’s Museum Of The Arts, The Museum Of Arts And Design, The Whitney And The Guggenheim
Choose your own adventure when it comes to admission price at the Children’s Museum of the Arts on Thursdays 4-6pm. Pay what you wish Thursdays 6-9pm at the Museum of Arts and Design; Fridays 6-9pm at the Whitney; and Saturdays 5:45-7:45pm at the Guggenheim.
Be sure to check the museum websites regularly for updated schedules and free programming!
