16 Best Things to See at the American Museum of Natural History

Most people have only ever seen elephants from a distance at a zoo, but at the American Museum of Natural History, you’ll get a chance to stand alongside the largest land mammal in the world. The freestanding heard of eight African Elephants is poised as if ready to charge, a regal display of the critically endangered mammal.

After admiring the herd, take your time observing the habitat dioramas of African wildlife found from the Nile to the vast Serengeti Plain. Meticulously re-created from professional field studies, you’ll get a glimpse of African lions and gigantic gorillas.

Located in the Hall of Ocean Life, the life-size model of the blue whale is one of the most popular attractions at the American Museum of Natural History. Measuring nearly 100 feet long, the blue whale is largest animal known to exist. You really can’t appreciate the size of this massive mammal until your standing right below it, don’t miss the opportunity!

Fun fact The size of a blue whale is equivalent to three school buses or a Boeing 737.

Discovered in Oregon in 1902, the Willamette Meteorite (known by the Clackamas people as “Tomanowos”) is the largest meteorite found in the United States and the sixth largest in the world.

Weighing more than 15.5 tons, the meteorite is mostly composed of iron and nickle and measures approximately 10.5 feet long, 6.5 feet wide and 4 feet deep.

Scientist believe the meteorite originated from an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and traveled through space for millions of years before landing on Earth. The thumbprint-like depressions were formed during the meteor’s fiery descent through the atmosphere.

Whether you’re interested in the cosmos or not, one thing is certain, the Willamette Meteorite is one of the coolest things to see at the American Museum of Natural History.

Barnum Brown is arguably the most prolific paleontologist of all time. Nicknamed “Mr. Bones” he joined the American Museum of Natural History in 1897 and discovered the first Tyrannosaurus Rex in the world in 1902. Six years later, he discovered a second (nearly complete specimen) in Montana.

The guy had a knack for this thing, no?

The skeleton was shipped to the American Museum of Natural History where it remains to this day. And while this particular T-Rex has inspired visitors for more than a century, he’s probably most famous for his role in Night at the Museum (“fetch boy!”).

Experiencing the grandeur of the world’s most famous predator is definitely one of the best things to do at the American Museum of Natural History.

The Aztec Stone of the Sun (known as the Calendar Stone) is a significant monument carved from a single piece of stone. Weighing more than 20 tons, it features symbols that emphasize the Sun’s role in Aztec religion and astronomy, reflecting the civilization’s sophisticated calendar system and deep reverence for celestial bodies.

One of my favorite things to see at the American Museum of Natural History is the colossal mammoth skeleton Mammuthus that lived 11,000 years ago.

Discovered in Indiana, Mammuthus shouldn’t be confused with its smaller cousin the woolly mammoth whose hairstyle was all the rage in the Pleistocene era. This particular mammoth was much larger but didn’t have the signature long hair.

The exhibit also includes the mummified remains of “Effie,” a baby woolly mammoth found in 1948 in Alaska (the remains were preserved in frozen ground for 21,000 years). Whether you were introduced to the era through Ice Age or school textbooks, the mammoth is a beloved prehistoric creature so don’t miss the chance to see one up close.

The Butterfly Conservatory is home to more than 80 species of butterflies from around the world. Kept at 80°F year-round, I’d love to call it home too during the winter season.

Enclosed in an expertly-picked habitat that allows the butterflies to interact much like they would in the wild, the beloved flying insect feeds, mates (cover your eyes, kids) and crawls around on visitor’s hands every once in a while.

Since this one of the most popular exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History, an additional ticket is required. When booking tickets, you’ll need to select “General Admission + One” which includes entry to the vivarium ($34 for adults, $20 for children).

Remember how the Easter Island Head in Night at the Museum loved eating gum and calling Larry, “Dum Dum?” Well, while there’s no guarantee this Moai Cast will harass you for gum, he’s still worth a detour.

This plaster cast was made from a mold secured during the museum’s 1934-1935 expedition to Rapa Nui (known as Easter Island). Located in the Margaret Mead Hall of Pacific Peoples, the cast represents one of the 887 revered Moai statues on the island, which are known for their significance in local culture and religion.

These iconic statues were carved by the people of Rapa Nui from volcanic tuff. Located chiefly along the island’s coastlines, the statues are believed to represent deified ancestors guarding the community.

Weighing up to 12 tons, their build has puzzled explorers for years. Which is why adding this exhibit to your self-guided tour of the American Museum of Natural History is a must.

Did you know the museum displays a 65-million-year-old Triceratops skeleton? It’s true! An interesting aspect of the exhibit is the visible injury on the side of the skull (possibly from a conflict with another dinosaur).

The skull of a triceratops is so large it accounts for nearly a third of the length of the body (the more you know, right?). This a must-see at the American Museum of Natural History for dinosaur enthusiasts.

This cross-cut section of a giant sequoia comes from a tree that stood over 300 feet tall before it was felled in California in 1891. By comparison, the largest tree in the world today is the soaring 275-foot General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park.

The exhibit emphasizes the tree’s remarkable characteristics, including its fire-resistant bark and natural repellent to disease. Counting the rings on the round gives you perspective into how massive the tree was and how long it lived.

For context, when the tree spouted 1,400 years ago, the English language didn’t exist. No wonder Theodore Roosevelt admired these giants so much!

The giant amethyst geode is a remarkable specimen of quartz crystals formed nearly 135 million years ago through a hydrothermal process. The crystals formed quickly (probably within a year), but it millions of years for them to turn into the purple amethyst we see today.

Weighing 12,000 pounds and standing more than 9 feet tall, at first glance it’s easy to assume you’ve accidentally stepped into the planetarium (the geode is out of this world!). But, I assure you, the geode hails from our planet and is one of it.

The planetarium is a hub for education and scientific research, providing insights into the cosmos through state-of-the-art exhibits and presentations. Offering an immersive experience into space and astronomy, you can catch interesting movies in the Dome Theater (25-minutes, additional admission required).

I highly recommend adding this to the docket if you’re visiting the American Museum of Natural History for the first time and are interested in learning about the universe’s wonders.

Located in the Planetarium, The Big Bang Theater presents a short 5-minute film (free) on the creation of our universe (or what we know of it thus far). Aptly named, the presentation touches on the Big Bang Theory and subsequent formation of galaxies. Since it’s a quick detour, it’s worth adding to your American Museum of Natural History must-see list.

First discovered in 1973, Lucy stunned the world upon her discovery. Why? It’s the most complete skeleton ever found of Australopithecus afarensis (a hominid that existed between 2-4 million years ago).

The original skeleton is housed in Ethiopia, but this replica is one of the best things to see at the American Museum of Natural History. And in case you’re wondering, the skeleton gets its name from the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” The song was playing while anthropologists celebrated their discovery.