NYSCI’s New CityWorks Exhibit Shows Kids How Cities Work With Hands-On Fun
As a mom and parenting editor, I feel incredibly lucky that my kids have grown up in New York City. Raised in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn myself, I’ve always felt that there’s something truly unique about the energy of city life. It’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and packed with opportunities to learn and explore. That’s why I think fellow city parents will be especially excited about the New York Hall of Science’s newest exhibit, CityWorks. The exhibit gives kids a hands-on way to explore the immense city systems we usually take for granted.
CityWorks is a brand-new, 6,000-square-foot exhibit that is packed with interactive fun and brings the behind-the-scenes workings of NYC to life, including buses, subways, parks, trash, tunnels, and more.
Psst… Check Out Things to Do This Weekend in NYC with Kids
What’s in the CityWorks Exhibit
The exhibit breaks down various essential parts of city life. Using real NYC data and simulations, kids can see how tweaking one piece of the puzzle can change the whole city. It’s a fun way to help them understand the real-world impact of science, tech, and teamwork, not to mention help strengthen their critical thinking.
“More than eighty percent of Americans live in cities,” said NYSCI President and CEO Lisa J. Gugenheim. “Cities are the heart and pulse of our country – and countries around the globe – and understanding how they work is critically important to how they will function in the future.”
At CityWorks, kids get to explore five key parts of what keeps a city like New York running smoothly: transportation, water systems, sanitation, construction, and how all those systems are connected. Each section breaks things down in a fun, hands-on way, showing how these systems have worked in the past, how they’re changing, and what challenges lie ahead.
In the transportation area, kids can see how buses, subways, streets, and sidewalks come together, and think about how cities can move people and goods more efficiently in the future. The water and wastewater section dives into where our water comes from, how it’s treated, and why it’s so important to keep these systems updated, especially with climate change in mind.
The sanitation section takes a deep (and surprisingly fun!) look at trash, and how we deal with everything from garbage to compost to e-waste, and how we might manage our waste better going forward. Then there’s construction and urban development, where kids can explore how buildings go up and what it takes to make them strong, sustainable, and ready for the future.
Finally, the integrated systems zone ties it all together. Using real data and cool interactive tools, visitors can test how one small change, like planting trees or rerouting traffic, can impact an entire neighborhood.
Like all NYSCI experiences, CityWorks follows the museum’s “Design, Make, Play” approach. That means no two visits are the same, and the learning sticks because it’s interactive, open-ended, and rooted in real-life questions. Future programs will dive deeper into urban ecosystems, environmental design, and how kids can help shape a more sustainable city.
CityWorks opens May 3, 2025 at the New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St, Queens, NY. Admission is included with a general museum entry. NYSCI recommends advance ticket reservations, especially on weekends and holidays.
Psst… Check Out NYC Carnivals, Festivals, and Parades: May 2025
