The Best Children's Museums in NYC

Welcoming 5 million visitors per year and spanning all aspect of the natural world, the American Museum of Natural History is arguably the best museum in NYC for kids. There’s more than 33 million specimens in the museum, but only 3% are on display (and honestly, even that is overwhelming if you don’t come in with a game plan).

Kids can marvel at everything from towering dinosaur skeletons to immersive dioramas of distant ecosystems. With interactive exhibits on space, human origins, and wildlife, it’s a place where learning feels like an adventure every time.

Don’t miss the Hall of Ocean Life where you’ll have an opportunity to see a life-size model of a 94-foot blue whale — it’s an experience your kids won’t soon forget.

Don’t know where to start? No worries! We created a guide to help you navigate this popular NYC kid’s museum, read — The 15 Best Things to See at the American Museum of Natural History.

Good to know Kids under 4 are free

Home to a remarkable collection of military vessels of the sea and sky, the Intrepid Museum is a must-see for military enthusiasts, history buffs and kids obsessed with ships and planes. Don’t just take my word for it, this gem is considered one of the 10 best aviation museums in the world.

At this kid-friendly museum in New York City you’ll find authentic WWII fighter planes, aircraft carriers, a submarine used during the Cold War, supersonic jet and the NASA space shuttle Enterprise. Allow up to 3 hours for interactive displays and exhibits, this is not a NYC museum experience you’ll want to rush, especially with kids.

Good to know Best for children under 10

Part-museum, part-indoor playground, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is all about inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers through educational exhibits. For more than a decade, the museum’s team collaborated with child development experts to create a space where young kids can boost their motor skills and problem-solving abilities.

Five floors of fun, the museum is ideal for kids under 10 years old. Seasonal exhibitions keeps things exciting and fresh year-round, making it the perfect rainy day activity when you’re looking to tire the kids out.

Considered one of the best children’s museums in New York City, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum encourages kids to explore the world from different perspectives. With three floors to explore, there’s an emphasis on sensory experiences, cultural appreciation, and family engagement. The rotating exhibits and programs work in tandem to empower children to become involved in their community.

Fun fact The Brooklyn Children’s Museum was founded in 1899, making it the oldest children’s museum in New York City (and the country!).

Founded in 1976, the New York Transit Museum is located inside of a decommissioned subway station in Downtown Brooklyn. The musuem offers a fascinating look at the city’s robust transportation system (one of the busiest and oldest in the world!).

It covers a century of subway history through the use of vintage subway cars that date back to 1903. You’ll find everything from old tokens and turnstiles to historical maps and signage, alongside interactive exhibits that tell the story of the immense effort and engineering feats behind New York’s impressive public transportation network.

This is one of the best museums in Brooklyn for kids because it provides a unique educational experience (for the kids) and a nostalgic trip down memory lane (for the parents), it’s fun for the whole family!

Good to know Best for ages 4+, allow ample time to explore each exhibit

The National Museum of Mathematics, also known as “MoMath” is one of the most kid-friendly museums in NYC and the only museum in the country dedicated to math. Who knew math could be fun? What’s more, this is surprisingly a great place to burn off some energy, thanks to the hands-on activities centered around math.

Good to know Best for ages 3+, fire safety tour available

If your kiddos are enthralled with blaring red trucks, then a trip to the New York Fire Museum (NYFM) is in order. Conveniently situated in SoHo, it’s one of the most fascinating museums in NYC for kids.

The coolest part? The museum is housed within a renovated firehouse built in 1904. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about the evolution of rescue equipment and admire vintage fire engines too boot. While this is a great NYC museum to visit with kids there are also aspects parents will love, like the 9/11 exhibit.

Expect to find a few interactive elements (like a mock apartment) that allows children to visualize and point out fire hazards in an educational way.

Good to know This museum is heavily geared towards photo-ops, best for young kids

The million dollar question, “is the Museum of Ice Cream worth it?”. our answer; yes and no. It really boils down to who you’re visiting the museum with, kids or adults? If the answer is kids, then yes the Museum of Ice Cream is easily one of the best museums in NYC with little kids.

The free ice cream samples, sprinkle pool and giant slide are hands-down going to get grins from your little. But if your kids are a bit older and not into the whole Instagram, photo-taking opportunities you will leave underwhelmed and disappointed.

My two cents is if your kids are small and ice cream is their second language, consider this one of the best museums in NYC for kids. But if your kids are 14+ you’re better off checking out a different museum.

Good to know Entire family can enjoy

The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is, hands-down, one of the coolest museums in New York City that kids are guaranteed to enjoy. Situated in Queens, the trek from Manhattan is worthwhile. Why? For starters, NYSCI is the city’s only hands-on science and technology center. reason alone to visit.

What makes this one of the best kids museums in NYC is the abundance of interactive exhibitions and learning opportunities. Outside of the museum you’ll find two retired rockets (that actually traveled to space!) which your kids will LOVE. If that’s not enough, there’s also a mini golf course.

• Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling. It’s an inexpensive interactive modern art museum full of activities and fun for little kids to partake in. Adults find the art amusing while children love all the hands on exhibits.
• Madame Tussauds New York Located in the heart of Times Square, Madame Tussades is a wax museum chock-full of realistic wax figures. If your kids are celebrity obsessed this is one of the best museums in NYC with kids. There are nine floors of life-like wax figures of their favorite superhero or character spread across 80,000 square feet.
• Museum of Illusions For those who have older kiddos to tend to the Museum of Illusions is sure to stir up some chaos. The mental gymnastics you’ll go through is entertaining for both adults and kids alike. It takes time to wrap your head around some of the exhibits, but it’s definitely fun.