Fans of the Night at the Museum movie franchise will feel right at home in New York’s American Museum of Natural History. Sure, the Teddy Roosevelt sculpture doesn’t actually talk, and the T. rex hasn’t chased bones for several million years – but you get the general idea. Considered one of the world’s finest – perhaps the finest – repository of human cultural artifacts, plants, animals, fossils, fungi, meteorites and gems, AMNH boasts some of the most complete dinosaur skeletons and lifelike animal dioramas you’ll see anywhere. We’ve got the lowdown on how to get the best from your visit with our handy guide to visiting the American Museum of Natural History, with top tips including…
- What the American Museum of History (AMNH) is and why you should go
- Where AMNH is and how to get in
- What there is to see there
- What else you can do nearby
Go on then… what exactly is AMNH?
Go on then… what exactly is AMNH?
AMNH is a massive – and we mean really, really massive – museum of natural history, set on the western edge of Central Park in the Upper West Side. Spanning some 21 interconnected buildings and 45 permanent exhibition halls, its vast and fascinating collection contains somewhere in the region of 32 million specimens. Stepping inside feels a little like time travel, as you pass through cavernous halls filled with exhibits that chart the entire history of this planet we call Earth. We’re talking prehistoric meteorites; T. rex, triceratops and titanosaurs; a sapphire the size of a golf ball, and animal dioramas that are the envy of natural history museums the world over. And that’s just for starters: a whole world of spectacular wonders await, with plenty of hands-on activities to keep fidgety kids engaged.
Sounds roar-some! Where do I find it?
Its location on the west side of Central Park makes it an ideal partner for cycling tours and picnics on the sprawling lawns of NYC’s favorite urban green space. You’ll find the main entrance at Central Park West on 81st Street – look for the statues of Lewis and Clark on the grand stone facade. You can also get in via accessible entrances on 81st Street (Rose Center for Earth and Space) and Columbus Avenue at 79th Street (Glider Center for Science, Education and Innovation).
Getting there is a breeze. Hop the B (weekdays only) or C train to 81st Street. The 1 train also stops at Broadway and West 79th Street, a couple blocks west of the museum. The M79 bus travels east/west on West 79th Street across Central Park, with a stop on West 81st Street, right by AMNH.
Do I need a ticket?
Why yes you do. You can buy yours at the museum on the day, or book online in advance to avoid the lines. Better yet, avoid faffing around with individual tickets altogether with a handy NYC pass from Go City. It’s a straightforward, one-stop app that unlocks stacks of premium New York attractions, keeps your tickets in one place, and saves you wads of cash on your sightseeing all at the same time. What’s not to like?
Your NYC pass bags you general admission to AMNH, and you can add paid upgrades such as temporary exhibitions, IMAX films and Hayden Planetarium Space Shows via the Go City app, or directly at the Museum.
When’s the best time to visit?
When’s the best time to visit?
It should come as no surprise that a popular museum on the edge of Central Park is at its busiest on weekends but, if you can, you definitely should visit during the week to avoid the worst of the crowds. Afternoons also tend to be quieter once the morning school groups have dissipated. What else were you going to be doing on a drizzly Wednesday afternoon anyway? Pro-tip: The Rose Center entrance tends to attract fewer crowds so could be a good option if you want to save some time.
Plan at least three hours to tour the museum if you want to make the most of your visit, or longer if you really want to soak it all in. Heck, there’s enough here to occupy most brains for a whole day – a leisurely browse punctuated by café snacks and lunch in the food court is a fine way to while away a day when the weather turns against you.
Anything I need to bring?
- A camera: AMNH encourages visitors to document their experience in photos and, frankly, some of the exhibits practically beg for it (lookin’ at you, blue whale) but bear in mind that selfie sticks aren’t allowed. Quite right too.
- A bottle of water: The museum doesn't allow you to bring in food and drink from outside, but you can bring water. Well-placed fountains make it easy to top up your bottle while you browse.
- Nothing bigger than a purse: You’ll need to check items larger than a purse at the coat check, but no luggage or oversized bags are accepted. Bear in mind that coast check carries a small fee, and lines can get very long in the cold months. There’s an extra coat check in the Rose Center that’s open during winter months (and has much shorter lines!).
- Your smartphone. Yes yes, we’re stating the obvious, but don’t forget to bring it fully charged for Insta posting on the go, plus the museum’s free Explorer app and interactive online maps.
What should I see there?
What should I see there?
Of course, only you can know what type of exhibits are most likely to float your boat. Passion for paleontology? The fourth floor is crammed with bones from across the aeons. Sucker for sea critters? You want the Hall of Ocean Life. Sparkling gems, massive meteorite fragments and literal space dust more your bag? That’d be the first floor. Here’s a quick rundown of permanent exhibition highlights…
Life as we know it
These first-floor exhibits explore the natural world in all its forms. The Hall of Biodiversity contains interactive experiences that can visually illustrate the ways in which all life is interconnected. The Hall of North American Forests features some impressive examples of centuries-old redwoods, and of course, no trip to the museum would be complete without a stop at the Irma and Paul Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life with its lifelike ocean dioramas and iconic life-sized blue whale, one of the museum’s most famous inhabitants.
Discover all that glitters in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Halls, where you can ogle the perfect Star of India sapphire and come face to space-rock with Ahnighito, a 34-ton chunk of meteorite that’s estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. That’s even older than your nan!
People and planets
The second floor covers all things human culture and cosmic wonder. Discover how ancient African, Asian, South American, Mexican and Central American civilizations evolved through their art, traditions and other artifacts, then hop next door to the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Here, a walk-through timeline from the Big Bang to the present day gives you a sense of how everything fits together – and humanity’s almost unimaginably tiny role in the planet’s story so far.
All creatures great and small
You’ll find some of the best animal dioramas on the second and third floors, where giant African elephants rub shoulders (Or should that be tusks) with tiny amphibians, fearsome reptiles and exotic birds from around the world. The displays here range from action-packed to delightfully delicate – think elephants caught mid-charge and tiny songbirds frozen in flight. Seriously, the dioramas here are so meticulous in their detail that you might even find yourself swearing that tiger just blinked.
Be sure to drop by the Margaret Mead Hall of Pacific Peoples on Floor 3 to meet the Easter Island Head, who you might know as ‘Dum-Dum’ from Night at the Museum. Selfie-tastic!
Jurassic larks
The fourth and final floor is where things get truly prehistoric. The museum’s world-famous collection of fossils and dinosaur skeletons fills the entire level, arranged like a vast evolutionary tree showing how species are connected through time. Highlights include towering skeletons of the T. rex and the titanosaur, plus countless smaller fossils and ancient life forms that bring Earth’s deep history to life.
What else is there to do at AMNH?
What else is there to do at AMNH?
Plenty. Hands-on activities, VR encounters and bold, interactive displays will keep even the most energetic little explorers enthralled in The Discovery Room, while a food hall, a couple of cafés and a slightly more formal dining experience in The Restaurant at Glider – complete with views over the soaring Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium – keep your whole crew well-fueled for a day of discovery. Naturally, there’s a gift store too, with some pretty cool souvenirs to be had. To be sure, no wardrobe should be without a graffiti-style dino hoodie and no bookshelf is truly complete without T. rex fossil bookends. And yes, your desk really will thank you for that cute ‘lil marble turtle.
A few more handy tips for visiting AMNH
- Make a plan. The American Museum of Natural History is BIG, and it can be easy to lose your way in the vast exhibition halls. Insider tip: the main entrance from Central Park West is actually the museum's second floor, so keep this in mind when planning your route.
- Download the Explorer app. The free museum app includes maps and allows you to take self-guided tours, providing loads of cool additional info on exhibits. Free WiFi means you can download it in situ if you forget.
- Consult the museum map. Be sure to look over the downloadable museum map before your visit to help you plan which exhibits you want to see, and which ones you might be able to save for next time if the kids get tired.
- Relax under the whale. The Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life is home to the museum's famous life-sized blue whale. There’s a pleasant area to sit and take it all in with plenty of room for kids to stretch their legs – and their imaginations.
- Look for interactive exhibits. While many museums keep their collections behind glass, there are plenty of exhibits in the Museum of Natural History that encourage you to touch and engage with them.
- Bring a flashlight. Very much non-essential, but handy for peering into the darker recesses of those intricate animal dioramas, and for acting out your favorite scenes from Night at the Museum!
I’m hungrier than a T. rex, where can I grab lunch?
I’m hungrier than a T. rex, where can I grab lunch?
As well as AMNH’s own eateries, there are plenty more places nearby, with options for carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. Here’s our pick of the bunch…
- Tavern on the Green. Storied eatery a little way south along the west side of Central Park. Once a sheep barn, it’s now a buzzy landmark restaurant with a summer beer garden and live entertainment.
- Central Park Boathouse. Push the (ahem) boat out at this classy lakeside restaurant where classic American steak and seafood dishes are accompanied by views of rowboats bobbing on by.
- The Milling Room. Modern Italian-American dining in a big airy space with wood paneling and gleaming tiles, just a hop and a skip along Columbus Avenue.
- Playa Bettys. Taco-tastic surf-style joint on Amsterdam Avenue serving colorful Mexican and Californian plates.
One last question: what else can I do nearby?
One last question: what else can I do nearby?
You’re right on the edge of Central Park so, in short: absolutely loads of stuff. Here are just a few of the things you can do nearby with your Go City NYC pass. Click the links down below to find out more…
Looking for more inspo for your NYC vacay? Discover many more things to do in and around Central Park and check out our suggested itinerary for a five-day break in the Big Apple.
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