New York with kids

The Best New York Museums for Kids, by Age and Interest

New York has some of the best museums in the world for children, and a few made just for them. The secret with kids is choosing the right one, and then seeing three things in it rather than thirty.

By Play Your Trip · Updated · 4 min read

A pixel-art page of a museum day from a family's New York adventure book

Here they are by what your kids love and how old they are, with what to see first. Several museums close one or two weekdays and most sell timed tickets, so check the official website before you go.

Quick picks

  • Dinosaur fans, any age: the American Museum of Natural History.
  • Planes, rockets and ships (5 and up): the Intrepid Museum.
  • Under 6: the Children's Museum of Manhattan or the Brooklyn Children's Museum.
  • Trains: the New York Transit Museum.
  • Muppets and movies: the Museum of the Moving Image.
  • Knights and mummies (7 and up): the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  • Hands-on science: the New York Hall of Science.

The big three

  • American Museum of Natural History (Upper West Side). Start with the T. rex in the fourth-floor dinosaur halls and the 94-foot blue whale in the Hall of Ocean Life. In the Gilder Center, the insectarium is included with admission, but the butterfly vivarium needs an extra timed ticket. Allow 2 to 3 hours. Tickets.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Fifth Avenue). For kids: the Arms and Armor galleries with knights on horseback, the Egyptian wing with mummies, and the Temple of Dendur, a real Egyptian temple inside the museum. The Ancient Playground is right outside for a break. Tickets.
  • Intrepid Museum (Hudson River, West 46th Street). An aircraft carrier you can explore, with the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a Concorde, and the submarine Growler (minimum height 40 inches). Allow 2 to 3 hours. Tickets.

Made for young children

  • Children's Museum of Manhattan (Upper West Side). Play-based exhibits for babies to about age 10. It's building a much bigger new home nearby, due in 2028; the current museum stays open until then.
  • Brooklyn Children's Museum (Crown Heights). The world's first children's museum, with three floors of hands-on exhibits for ages 6 months to 10 years. Open Wednesday to Sunday.

For specialists

  • New York Transit Museum (Brooklyn). Inside a decommissioned subway station: walk through vintage subway cars from the last hundred years. Open Wednesday to Sunday; booking ahead is strongly advised. Official site.
  • Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria, Queens). Home of the permanent Jim Henson Exhibition, with real Muppets, plus hands-on animation and sound-effect stations. Official site.
  • New York Hall of Science (Flushing Meadows, Queens). Hundreds of hands-on science exhibits; good for a whole day. It closes for a few weeks around the US Open tennis in late summer.
  • MoMA (Midtown). Children 16 and under get in free, with family guides and hands-on spaces; the big, bright paintings go down well. Official site.

Museum tips with kids

  • Go at opening time. The first hour is the calmest, especially on weekends and rainy days.
  • Pick three things before you go, and let the kids choose one of them.
  • Check closing days. Several museums close on Mondays and Tuesdays.
  • Book timed tickets online for weekends, school holidays and special exhibits.
  • Seeing several big ones? An attraction pass may cost less; see CityPASS vs Go City for families.
  • Plan a break: a snack, a playground or a park next door turns a long visit into a good one.

Make a day of it

Pair the Natural History Museum with Central Park, or the Intrepid with the High Line. Our 5-day NYC itinerary fits several museums around the sights, and rainy day NYC with kids has a ready-made indoor plan.

Questions

What is the best museum in NYC for kids?

For most families, the American Museum of Natural History: dinosaurs, the blue whale and butterflies suit every age. For under-6s, a children's museum; for plane and space fans, the Intrepid.

Which NYC museums are free for kids?

MoMA admits children 16 and under free. Several other museums have free or pay-what-you-wish times; check each museum's website, as policies change.

How long should we spend at the Natural History Museum with kids?

Two to three hours is plenty for most kids. Choose the dinosaurs, the blue whale and one more hall, and book any extra timed exhibits ahead.