American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is both entertaining and interesting for all ages

Entrance to New York's famous American Museum of Natural History
Entrance to New York's famous American Museum of Natural History cc licensed photo by t-mizo

Beyond the dioramas and the blue whale looming over the Hall of Ocean Life, visitors to the American Museum of Natural History can experience interactive exhibits including a life-sized interactive ecosystem that engulfs you in the sights and smells of the Dzanga-Sangha Rainforest, following the Cosmic Pathway through 13 billion years of celestial evolution or mingling with free-flying butterflies in a tropical forest conservatory.

If it's your first visit to the American Museum of Natural History, consider taking a "Highlights Tour" for an overview of the museum collections or a "Spotlight Tour" for a more in-depth experience. iPhone and iPad users can enjoy the free "American Museum of Natural History Explorer" app that serves as both a personal tour guide and in-museum navigation system; additional American Museum of Natural History exhibit apps are available from the iTunes store.

Young children will enjoy being able to touch the exhibits in the Discovery Room and Hall of Planet Earth and all ages can enjoy an IMAX movie or Space Show in the Hayden Planetarium.

Basic admission to the museums permanent exhibits is by donation (their is a suggested amount). To see special exhibitions and view the IMAX or Planetarium shows you must pay a premium on top of the suggested admission. You should give yourself plenty of time to visit the museum; if you are planning to see the shows and special exhibits you may want to allow a full day and even that may seem tight as there is simply so much to see here!

The museum offers several eateries, but a more wallet friendly method of feeding the whole family may be to enjoy a hot dog or giant pretzel from the street vendors on the museum steps.

Nearby attractions include Central Park, Whitney Museum of American Art, The Frick Collection and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.



Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes.

American Museum of Natural History Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Address: 200 Central Prk W, New York, NY 10024, USA

Phone: (212) 769-5100

Official Website: American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History Reviews

Rated 4.6 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Absolutely amazing experience. The American Museum of Natural History completely blew us away. The exhibits are incredible: beautifully curated, thoughtfully organized, and genuinely educational without ever feeling dry. We spent hours exploring and still felt like there was more to see, with the dinosaur halls being an absolute must. Visiting as an adult was also incredibly nostalgic for me. I remembered going on school trips as a kid, and seeing some of the same exhibits still there was genuinely heartwarming. Getting to bring my nephew this time made it even more special, and he had a great time too, which made the whole visit even more meaningful. The museum is clearly well kept, with clean, clear signage throughout, and you can tell they’re constantly making improvements. What really stood out is how they’ve kept the classic exhibits people remember while also bringing in fresh ones, so it feels both familiar and new at the same time. Staff were friendly and helpful throughout. This is one of those places that’s fun for kids and adults alike. Highly recommend setting aside a full day to really take it all in.
Steven Youngstein - 2 months ago

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5 Star Rating One of the best attractions I visited during my trip to New York. The American Museum of Natural History is absolutely massive, and you can easily spend half a day—or even a full day—exploring everything it has to offer. The dinosaur fossils were every bit as impressive as I had imagined, and seeing the iconic blue whale suspended from the ceiling was a real highlight. I also enjoyed the gemstone and mineral exhibits, which were stunning, and the newer Gilder Center is beautifully designed. The museum is well organized, clean, and suitable for visitors of all ages. Wear comfortable shoes because there’s a lot of walking, and it’s almost impossible to see every exhibit in one visit. If you’re visiting New York, I highly recommend adding this museum to your itinerary. It’s an educational, fascinating, and memorable experience that’s well worth the time.
Leonard Lim - 3 months ago

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5 Star Rating You can easily spend a whole day here. There are 5 levels of exhibitions as well as ticketed exhibitions. If you can I would recommend getting the general admission with all ticketed exhibits. Their ticketed exhibits are truly amazing. We went to the milky way ticketed exhibit and it was mind-blowing. Try to come early as long lines forms as it gets nearer to noon. Personally I find the level 1 exhibitions being more interesting. The level 4 dinosaur exhibitions are very cool as well. Most of the bones are real ones!
SL Wong - 4 months ago

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5 Star Rating The American Museum of Natural History was amazing and definitely one of the highlights of our trip to New York. The museum is huge, with so many different exhibits that you could easily spend most of the day exploring. We especially enjoyed seeing the dinosaurs, fossils, animals, and all the incredible displays throughout the museum. There’s something interesting around every corner, and it’s a great place to visit with the whole family. You definitely need a few hours here, and even then it’s hard to see everything. Beautiful museum and absolutely worth visiting when you’re in New York!
Lucas V - a month ago

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5 Star Rating The American Museum of Natural History has so much to see and do! You could easily spend hours exploring all of the different exhibits. There’s an incredible variety—from insects and fish to mammals, dinosaurs, and so much more. The staff were also very friendly and helpful, especially when explaining the different exhibits and additional experiences available. There really is something for everyone, and it would be an especially great place to bring kids who are interested in animals, science, museums, or history. It’s a huge museum, so be prepared to do plenty of walking and give yourself enough time to explore. With such a wide variety of exhibits, you’re bound to find something that interests you!
Veronica Shultz - a month ago

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Directions

Subway Line Nearest Station Walking Time
B or C81st Street Station2 minutes
179th Street12 Minutes

How to get to American Museum of Natural History by Subway

Take the B (Weekdays Only) or C train to 81st Street / Museum of Natural History, walk south on Central Park West to the museum entrance on your right. Alternatively, take the 1 train to Broadway and West 79th Street, head southwest on Broadway towards 79th Street, turn left at 77th Street, walk two blocks and turn left on Central Park West.

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