No visit to New York City is complete without stopping by the world-famous American Museum of Natural History. Don’t let the word “Museum” fool you. This place has something for everyone in the family!
The first thing you should know about the American Museum of Natural History is that it is HUGE! Much like a Disney Theme Park, to see it all would require spending an entire day or several days. For that reason, we recommend you go into your visit with a plan.
The museum’s website has a number of self-guided tours that may help you:
- Highlights Tour
- Dino Tour
- Night at the Museum Tour
- Earth and Space Tour
- Theodore Roosevelt Tour
- Whales Tour
For our visit, our kids wanted to see the Dinosaurs and the animals. So we concentrated on those exhibits.
The Hall of Ocean Life is spectacular. Suspended from the ceiling in the center of the room is a nearly 100-foot model of a blue whale. Our photo does not do it justice, but trust us, it’s blue!
The Hall of Biodiversity features over 1500 different creatures of all types and sizes. It was so hard to get the kids out of this room!
The African Elephants in the center of the Hall of African Mammals were another favorite for the kids.
But the biggest hit were the dinosaurs!
We only scratched the surface of all there is to see at the museum. We can’t wait to go back and check out the seasonal Butterfly Exhibit, the Planetarium, and the Discovery Room!
As our kids get older and their interests expand, we think they’ll appreciate even more of the museum.
Know Before You Go
The American Museum of Natural History is located at 79th Street and Central Park West in New York City. It is open daily from 10am to 5:45pm with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
General Admission is $22 for adults, $17 for seniors/students, and $12.50 for children.
General Admission is a suggested donation to support the Museum. You may pay less, or even nothing at all to enter the museum.
For more information on museums to visit with your family,
check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!
Here is the map of our Blogorail Peach | Family Adventure: Museums
- 1st Stop – Adventures in Familyhood | American Museum of Natural History
- 2nd Stop – Disney Nouns | The Henry Ford Museum
- 3rd Stop – Disney Mamas | Indiana Jones Travelling Exhibition
- 4th Stop – Love Our Crazy Life | Discover LV Children’s Museum
- 5th Stop – This Roller Coaster Called Life | Hershey Story
Mary
Sunday 27th of September 2015
I think I would be heading for the Night at the Museum self guided tour. And don't think I wouldn't be quoting. Especial with the Easter Island sculpture. "You give me gum-gum!"
Karen
Wednesday 23rd of September 2015
I haven't been to this museum in years. When we took a field trip to this museum in elementary school the one thing that I can still remember from that trip is the whale hanging from the ceiling. I would love to bring my kids there someday.
baseballmickey
Saturday 26th of September 2015
That whale is definitely a highlight! I saw it as a kid as well and went back as an adult thinking it couldn't have been as big as I remembered. I was wrong!!
Becca Robins
Sunday 20th of September 2015
This looks awesome. Do you know what the Night at the Museum tour includes? I could see a lot of disappointed kids thinking it would be like the movies.
baseballmickey
Saturday 26th of September 2015
The Night at the Museum Tour is a self-guided tour. It simply helps you find the exhibits which were included in the film. As far as disappointment, I could see some kids being disappointed in general that nothing in the Museum actually comes to life. Though, you are most likely to be in there during the day, so who knows what happens after they close?
Lindsey Leffel
Wednesday 16th of September 2015
I would LOVE to visit this museum! Connor is a big fan of Night at the Museum, dinos and ocean life, I'm an Eqyptology nerd myself. Definitely a bucket list museum!
baseballmickey
Saturday 26th of September 2015
It's definitely an awesome place for Dino and Ocean life lovers! I found the Egyptian culture exhibit to interesting, but definitely wished they had more to it.
Naomi
Wednesday 16th of September 2015
That sounds like such a cool place! My daughter wants to go to NYC, so I guess we'll have to figure out a way to make it happen.
baseballmickey
Wednesday 16th of September 2015
It is definitely a cool place, but just one of many cool places you'll have to see on your visit to NYC!!