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 Park W, New York, NY 10024, USA

Phone: (212) 769-5100

Official Website: American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History Reviews

Rated 4.5 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Very exciting experience, rich with a wide diversity of cultures, animals from different countries and decades. Located at Manhattan, besides the Central Park, needs 2-3 hours to take a quick visit to all the sections of the museum. In my opinion, the most interesting section which caught my eye, was the dinosaurs one, with plenty of skeletons from multiple species, many of them are not authentic, but still look fantastic. Sound and lighting are smart and give additional dimensions to the experience I would love to come back again
Dr. MD - a week ago

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5 Star Rating This museum is so good! A must stop when in Mew York City! I recommend getting the tickets for the extra exhibitions as well because the planetarium was unreal! I really loved the dinosaurs exhibit and the marine mammals exhibit! You can easily spend a few hours in here even if you're not big in museums like myself. I don't think anyone can step foot inside here and not be impressed!
Chris Rodriguez - in the last week

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5 Star Rating This is a huge Museum complex with the planetarium and the gilder Center for education. Best of all, you can access all of this with a single entrance ticket. The place is very big, with lots and lots of beautiful exhibits to explore. They are all very well made with with modern technological learning aids. You can probably spend a few days just to explore everything. I came here before long ago, and was very pleasantly surprised when I visit again.
Michael Wu PhD - a week ago

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5 Star Rating The American Museum of Natural History is a super cool place to visit for everyone. Here's why: The museum has tons of interesting things to see, like dinosaur bones, space stuff, and exhibits about animals and plants. You can learn about all kinds of cool topics! You can actually touch some of the exhibits and watch videos about nature. There are also fun things you can do with your hands, like puzzles and games. It's a fun way to learn! There's a special room where you can learn about stars and planets, and a big screen where you can watch awesome movies about nature. It feels like you're going on an adventure! The museum also has classes and events where you can learn even more about cool stuff. You can listen to talks, go on guided tours at the museum! Don't forget to check out the store for cool toys and books, and grab a snack at the cafeteria when you're hungry. The American Museum of Natural History is a must-visit in New York City. With so many cool things to see and do, it's an awesome place to learn and have fun. Whether you're young or old, you'll have a blast exploring everything the museum has to offer!
Sergey Dunaev - 4 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating This is a great museum, with lots of interactive exhibitions. A great place to bring children. Parking can be challenging, however, the museum has a parking lot. You need to be there early so that there are still parking spaces available. If you plan to visit multiple times, it is worth buying a membership. With membership the extra exhibitions are free and you don't need to wait for the admission.
Mau Mau - 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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