What makes it 95% Kids-Friendly: Hands-on Discovery Room, towering dinosaurs, and kid-priced tickets create an exciting, educational half-day, though parents must budget extra for paid shows.
Why 3–5 hours visit duration is ideal for with kids: Allows time for key halls, a Discovery Room session, and a planetarium show without overloading the kids.
Discovery Room:
Hands-on lab with fossil digs, live critters, puzzles, and scavenger hunts.
Tip: Get your free 40-minute pass at the entrance early to secure your slot.
Dinosaur Halls & Titanosaur:
Walk among T. rex, Ankylosaurus, and the 122-foot Titanosaur skeleton.
Tip: Visit first thing in the morning to avoid crowds and get best photo spots.
Hall of Biodiversity & Ocean Life:
See the Giant Blue Whale and a rainforest diorama with 1,500+ specimens.
Tip: Use the lower-level walkway under the whale for a close-up view.
Butterfly Conservatory:
Seasonal exhibit (Oct–May) with hundreds of free-flying butterflies.
Tip: Wear bright clothing to attract butterflies for memorable photos.
Hayden Planetarium Space Show:
Half-hour full-dome shows like “Dark Universe” under the 87-foot sphere.
Tip: Reserve show times when you buy admission to get your preferred slot.

Harold PK
Amazing! I’ve been to several museums in this category all around the country & world & in my opinion this is the best…even better than DC’s Smithsonian. Unlike other NYC attractions it was less packed and more enjoyable. I love the balance between science & history. The scale and attention to detail is top notch. Many of the taxidermies & environments looked great. I won’t go into great det...
Lion
My visit was awesome! There was so much too see, I’ve been there for about 4 hours, including a show in the Hayden planetarium and it was barely enough to walk through every exhibit and read a few things. The 4th floor was my favorite by far, because it had the dinosaur bones, which was very interesting. The large Titanosauros was amazing. The other floors and exhibits were also very interesting,...
Antonio On The Map
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The American Museum of Natural History is truly one of New York City’s greatest treasures. Every exhibit is fascinating — from the towering dinosaur fossils to the dazzling Hall of Gems and Minerals. The museum is beautifully curated, and you can easily spend an entire day exploring without seeing everything. The dioramas are stunningly detailed and bring the natural world to life, whi...
Lars Idar Waage
The American Museum of Natural History never disappoints. You could easily spend hours here — especially in the incredible animal exhibits, where lifelike dioramas make you feel like you’re standing in the middle of the wild. It’s one of those places that fascinates you no matter how many times you visit. This was our second time, and it was just as impressive as the first. Even though the weathe...
Matt Owen
What an amazing place. The mammal exhibits blew me away, and the dinosaur fossils are just stunning. There's to much to see in just one day. There are several cultural exhibitions as well, and the museum has acknowledged that it did not act in the best manner all the time in collecting them. You will definitely learn something while you're here.
Plan your visit Oct–May for the Butterfly Conservatory. In winter and spring, the butterfly hall is busiest—arrive early. Planetarium shows run year-round but sell out fast on weekends.
Explore These Activities
| Item | Cost (Approx.) |
|---|---|
| General Admission (Adult) | USD 28 |
| General Admission (Child 3–12) | USD 16 |
| Total Estimated | USD 88 |
Note: All prices are indicative and may vary. Please check directly with the venue for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
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