American Museum of Natural History

Family-friendly Activities

Enjoy a day of family-friendly activities at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City. Located just across from Central Park, the museum is home to over 32 million specimens. Benefit from all-day entry and use the option to upgrade your general entry ticket to include special exhibitions. Explore all permanent exhibitions as well as the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Wander around 45 Museum Halls to learn about dinosaurs and diamonds, and everything in-between. Look out for the iconic Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton and Easter Island head that inspired characters in the film "Night at the Museum." Connect to the museum's WiFi and download the free Explorer App to your smartphone. The app offers turn-by-turn navigation, behind-the-scenes stories about exhibits, quizzes, and more. See the exhibition highlights at your own pace with the museum's self-guided tours of popular collections. Special Exhibitions: • Sea Lions: Life by a Whisker Dive into the world of a rare Australian sea lion pup and meet the people who are trying to save her species in this immersive giant-screen film. Discover a classic coming-of-age tale that takes place in a colony of sea lions living between a jagged cliff face and a roaring ocean, in an environment as harsh as it is beautiful. • Sharks: Older than dinosaurs—and more threatened than threatening—sharks are spectacular, surprising, and often misunderstood. Dive into the world of this amazingly diverse group of animals in the new exhibition, Sharks. • Worlds Beyond Earth: Worlds Beyond Earth tells the story of the surprisingly dynamic nature of the worlds that share our solar system and the unique conditions that make life on Earth possible. Captioning devices are available.

The 33 million objects housed in the museum cover basically all of Earth’s history, so you’ll be lucky to have a knowledgeable guide break it all down for you. More than just a storyteller, your young, passionate, and engaging guide will approach touring in a different way. They will bring a personal touch to each tour, adding their own favorite anecdotes and tips along the way. They are there to listen to you, to answer your questions, and to create a dialogue – unlike other tours where they just lecture you as you go along. That’s the whole reason why the private and semi-private tour option are offered, to make sure you get the most possible out of your experience. Begin with the museum itself as you learn about its story in the majestic Roosevelt Rotunda where you’ll meet the first of many prehistoric creatures on your visit. Your guide will reveal how the dioramas are made as you explore the giant African mammals of the Akeley Hall. Then move towards the dinosaur exhibits where you’ll explore some of the most complete collections of dinosaur skeletons in the world. From the gargantuan Titanosaur to the more familiar T-Rex, you’ll feel like a kid again as you learn their stories. You’ll then move on to hear about the North American Forests, featuring the giant Sequoia, before gazing up at the giant Blue Whale hanging overhead in the Hall of Ocean Life. Visit some American mammals as you learn about the National Parks of the United States. Finally, blast off beyond our orbit in the Rose Center for Earth and Space to feel unbelievably insignificant facing the mysteries of the cosmos. Where else in New York can you feel like you’ve traveled through time and space without leaving the Upper West Side? This 2.5-hour guided tour runs daily and it includes entrance fees, a professional art historian guide, and private and semi-private tour options. Gratuities, food, drinks, and pickup or drop-off services are not included.

Meet your tour guide at the entrance to the museum. Decide which exhibits you want to see so your family can get the most out of the guided tour. The American Museum of Natural History is one of the most reputable museums of its kind worldwide where you can explore dozens of exhibits and theater shows suitable for all ages. Explore the outer reaches of space at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Discover many fossils and bones on a floor dedicated entirely to dinosaur specimens. Learn more about mammals and sea life from all over the world, as well as various ecosystems. See artifacts and treasures from various civilizations, including the Aztecs and ancient Native Americans.  After your guided tour, you can explore the rest of the exhibits at your own pace. Your ticket is valid for the entire day.

Start with the Met and its roughly 2 million works of art and artifacts covering everything from Ancient Egypt to modern art. From the Great Hall, visit the museum’s most important galleries. Pass through the Medieval Europe Gallery on your way to the Studiolo from the Ducal Palace. Explore armory from the Middle Ages, including pieces worn by Henry VIII. The American wing hosts the staircase from the Chicago Stock Exchange as well as the famed portrait of Washington crossing the Delaware. A host of European painters including Vermeer, Picasso and Van Gogh awaits you as you learn about their troubled yet exciting lives. After a break for lunch, check out a few of the 33 million objects housed in the American Museum of Natural History, covering basically all of Earth’s history. Begin with the museum itself as you learn about its history in the majestic Roosevelt Rotunda. Your guide will then reveal how the dioramas are made as you explore the giant African mammals of the Akeley Hall. Then move towards the dinosaur exhibits where you’ll explore some of the most complete collections of dinosaur skeletons in the world. From the gargantuan Titanosaur to the more familiar T-Rex, you’ll feel like a kid again as you learn their stories. Then move on to hear about the North American Forests, featuring the giant Sequoia, before gazing up at the giant Blue Whale hanging overhead in the Hall of Ocean Life. Visit some American mammals as you learn about the National Parks of the United States. Finally, blast off beyond the orbit in the Rose Center for Earth and Space to feel unbelievably insignificant facing the mysteries of the cosmos Highlights Generally Include: (if artwork is not on loan or being restored etc.) Henry VIII armor, Tiffany Autumn landscape, Chicago Stock Exchange Stairs, Madame X, Pop culture then and now, Hudson River School, Washington Crossing the Delaware, Jan Vermeer, Madonna with Child, Picasson, Seurat, Van Gogh and more! This 5.5-hour guided tour runs daily and it includes entrance fees for both Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History, a professional art historian guide, and private and semi-private tour options. Gratuities, food, drinks, and pickup or drop-off services are not included.