Best interactive museums in New York, 2026.

The Museum of Ice Cream is pure, unfiltered fun for kids. It’s part interactive exhibit, part sugar rush, and part childhood dream. You move through bright, playful rooms like a giant sprinkle pool and a banana jungle, sampling different flavors of ice cream along the way. It’s designed to be photographed, but it also manages to feel fun for younger kids.

I went with low expectations and left having a great time. It’s a great choice if you’re in the mood for something lighthearted, colorful, and a little over-the-top. The experience takes between an hour or two, and tickets are available online.

ARTECHOUSE is immersive art turned into an experience. It’s located just steps from the southern tip of Manhattan, inside a darkened space that becomes completely transformed by light and sound. The entire room is a canvas, walls, floors, ceilings. And each exhibit feels like stepping into a piece of living digital art.

Depending on the show, you might find yourself walking through a tunnel of glowing patterns, surrounded by rippling visuals inspired by quantum physics, or watching a room pulse in sync with your movement.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I found it surprisingly meditative. There’s no rush, no linear path, just space to explore and absorb at your own pace. I recommend going during an off-peak time for the best experience. It’s a nice break from traditional museums and a great option if you’re into technology and abstract visuals.

Skip the tourist version and do it like a local, here’s how.

The Museum of Broadway is an unexpected gem right in the heart of Times Square. It manages to feel both theatrical and deeply informative, walking visitors through the full history of Broadway, from the early days of vaudeville today’s biggest musicals. Each room is themed around a decade or a major show, and the attention to detail is incredible. Original costumes, scripts, set pieces, and behind-the-scenes trivia are all woven into an experience that’s part exhibition, part tribute.

You don’t need to be a Broadway superfan to appreciate what’s here. The museum captures the sheer scale of what it takes to put on a show, the artistry, the hustle, the community, and makes it feel accessible. If you’ve ever left a theater in awe or memorized a soundtrack in your teens, you’ll find something here that speaks to you.

I never get tired of this view.

The entire museum is built around interactive installations, each focused on a different color or theme. There’s a room filled with spinning ribbons, a hallway lined with scent-activated memory triggers, and a confetti dome that makes you feel like you’ve walked into a celebration. Every space invites you to engage, whether that means writing down a favorite childhood food or diving headfirst into a giant ball pit.

A standout feature is the silent disco exhibit, introducing an unexpected and unique dimension to the fun experience. While this interactive NYC museum has broad appeal, it’s particularly well-suited for kids.

Madame Tussauds is one of those NYC institutions people either fully love or completely hate. It’s chaotic in the same way Times Square is chaotic, but once you’re inside, it’s actually a lot of fun. The museum is filled with incredibly lifelike wax figures of celebrities, athletes, historical icons, and fictional characters.

There are themed zones, interactive experiences, and yes, plenty of chances to take selfies with people you’ll never actually meet. What surprised me most was how detailed the figures are up close. From the clothing to the facial expressions, it’s obvious a lot of work goes into each one.

I visited with a group of friends and we ended up liking it more than expected (and laughing the whole way through). It’s silly and completely over the top, but also kind of fun when you just go with it.

Here is a short list of some of the celebrities you’ll find at this interactive NYC museum.

I went to The Friends Experience mostly out of curiosity, but I left totally impressed! I used to watch the show in college, but it’s been a minute! I wasn’t sure if I’d get the hype, but thankfully, most of the references stuck.

The exhibit is designed as an immersive walk-through of the world of Friends, and even if you weren’t a mega-fan growing up, it’s hard not to enjoy the nostalgia. The sets are incredibly well done, especially Monica’s apartment and the Central Perk couch, and the whole space is filled with little nods and props from the show.

It’s organized so you can take your time, snap photos, and learn behind-the-scenes trivia along the way. I thought it might feel like a rushed photo op, but it was actually paced well and had a lot more substance than I expected. And yes, you do get to pivot a couch.

this interactive NYC museum may not appeal to everyone. Big fans of the show are sure to love it; otherwise, many references may go over your head.

The Museum of Illusions is one of those unique spots that’s actually fun for all ages. It’s a series of rooms and installations that play with perspective, color, and perception, so you’re constantly being tricked. One room makes you look ten feet tall while another flips the world upside down. There are puzzles, mirrors, and interactive displays that make it feel more like a hands-on science playground than a traditional museum.

I visited with a friend and we laughed the entire time. It’s not a long visit, maybe an hour or so, but it’s packed with moments that are clever, surprising, and very photo-friendly. If you’re looking for something light and interactive in the West Village, it’s an easy pick, especially on a rainy afternoon when you want to do something indoors without zoning out in a dark theater.

The Sloomoo Institute is one of the most unexpectedly joyful places I’ve been in the city. It’s part sensory museum, part art installation, and entirely centered around slime. The rooms are colorfully designed and the slime stations invite you touch, stretch, pour, and even make your own custom blend.

There’s also ASMR stations, a glow-in-the-dark slime cave, and a moment where you walk barefoot through a pool of slime, which sounds odd but is weirdly satisfying. It’s made for kids but just as enjoyable for adults who are open to play. I left feeling lighter and a little more carefree, which is not something I say often after leaving a museum in New York.

Come early. Seriously. The crowds hit hard by noon.

Hall des Lumières feels like a quiet surprise tucked into the busy Financial District. Set inside a historic Beaux-Arts building that used to be a bank, the space was transformed into a digital art experience with projections that stretch across the walls, floor, and ceiling. Each exhibition is focused on a particular artist like Klimt or Kandinsky.

Much like ARTECHOUSE, this museum uses technology to showcase art. Visitors navigate through rooms adorned with art displayed on all surfaces. With new exhibits every few months, there’s always a chance for a fresh experience, making a return visit worthwhile.

If you’re into the macabre then touring the Catacombs by Candlelight could be right up your alley. Under the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral are the only Catholic catacombs in New York City, and you can visit them. Although not technically an interactive NYC museum, the catacombs are immersive enough to warrant a spot on this list. The tour lasts 80 minutes and begins in the basilica’s graveyard.

To enter the catacombs you have to do so through the inside of the church, which you might recognize from the baptism scene in The Godfather (1972). From there you go underground, to the 200 year old catacombs. I won’t ruin the tour, all I’ll say is that it’s quite memorable. If you’re looking for a unique immersive experience in New York City the Catacombs by Candlelight tour should be at the top of your list.