The Brood List, number 3 of 40

Meet the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History

Dinosaur halls, the blue whale and the new Insectarium. Upper West Side, Manhattan.

ManhattanFamousSplurgeIndoorsAll ages

By DanUpdated Monday, October 5, 2026Famous for a reason

Two children on a walkway inside the white, cave-like atrium of the Gilder Center. — Inside the Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History, the big white canyon of a building that opened in 2023. Our own photo, May 2024.

The short answer

The American Museum of Natural History is open daily, 10am to 5:30pm, and the headline for most families is the dinosaurs. The Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs holds the Tyrannosaurus rex and Apatosaurus; the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs has Triceratops, Stegosaurus and Corythosaurus. All of that is included in general admission.

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What it is like

The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life shows more than 750 marine organisms across 14 dioramas and eight ocean ecosystem displays, and the newer Gilder Center houses the Susan and Peter J. Solomon Family Insectarium, also included. A small warning from a father: the Butterfly Vivarium is a separate ticketed exhibition, so decide before the gift shop decides for you.

The pricing needs reading twice. New York State residents with ID can pay what they wish for general admission (the suggested amounts are $25 adult, $20 senior, $14 child). Out-of-state visitors pay $37 adult, $30 senior and $22 child. Children 3 to 12 count as children, and under 3 is free. For a visiting family of four that is a real bill, so pick your two or three halls and leave the other forty for next time.

It is huge, it is busy, and your children's legs will give up well before the museum runs out of galleries. Strollers are welcome throughout except in theaters, but double strollers are restricted in the ticketed exhibition galleries.

Best time to go

Weekday mornings, straight to the dinosaurs before the crowds arrive.

Tips before you go

Book date-specific tickets ahead and head to the dinosaurs first.
Pick two or three halls rather than trying to cover the building.
Check whether you want the extra-cost Butterfly Vivarium before you go.
Eat first or pack a snack plan; museum cafes are busy at midday.

Practical

Address: 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
Subway: B (weekdays only) or C to 81 St-Museum of Natural History (not accessible, per the museum); 1 to 79 St, two blocks away (not listed as accessible). The 72 St station on the 1/2/3 is listed accessible and about 0.5 mile away. Check elevator status before relying on one.
Stroller: Strollers are welcome throughout the museum except in theaters, with dedicated parking. Double strollers are restricted in ticketed exhibition galleries.
Restrooms: Several on different floors, including accessible ones in the Gilder Center and the Rose Center.
Cost: NY State residents: general admission pay what you wish with ID (suggested $25 adult, $20 senior, $14 child). Out-of-state: $37 adult, $30 senior, $22 child. Under 3 free; ages 3 to 12 child rate.
Time: 3 to 4 hours with a five-year-old, less with a toddler.
Check first: Special exhibitions and the Butterfly Vivarium cost extra. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Check the museum's calendar for timed entry.
Ages: All ages
Indoors or out: Indoors
Best seasons: All year

Official page ↗

Checked against the pages under Sources. Times and prices change, so check before you set off. Elevators go out of service: check the MTA's elevator status.

Where it is

200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024. OpenStreetMap ↗ · Directions ↗

What's on here

From The New York Almanac, the next 60 days.

Fri, Oct 16 to Sun, Jan 31
Monarch's Journey
American Museum of Natural History, Upper West Side, Manhattan · Included with museum admission
A new exhibition on the monarch migration from Canada to Mexico, told through Peter Kuper's illustrations and video, on Floor 2 of the Gilder Center. It pairs well with the live Butterfly Vivarium nearby. Organizer ↗
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 11:00
Halloween Celebration
American Museum of Natural History, Upper West Side, Manhattan
A costume-friendly day under the Blue Whale with live music, crafts, face painting and a trick-or-treat parade. Check amnh.org for the event ticket price, as the museum's pages list it differently; masks are asked to stay home. Organizer ↗
Mon, Nov 16 to Sun, Jan 31
The Nature of Color
American Museum of Natural History, Upper West Side, Manhattan · Ticketed exhibition, extra fee on top of admission
A new interactive special exhibition on what color shows about the natural world. It is a ticketed exhibition that costs extra on top of general admission. Organizer ↗
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 13:00
Falling for Nature Hike
Central Park, West 81st Street and Central Park West, Central Park, Manhattan · Free
A guided late autumn nature walk through Central Park with the Urban Park Rangers. Organizer ↗
Thursday, November 26, 2026
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Central Park West to Herald Square, Upper West Side, Manhattan · Free
The 100th Macy's parade runs from Central Park West at West 77th Street down to Herald Square, with a record 100 inflatables, floats and performers. It is free to watch from the sidewalk; check Macy's for the start time and street closures. Organizer ↗

Search The New York Almanac

Nearby on the Brood List

A Central Park day: Heckscher Playground, the carousel and the zoo
Central Park, Midtown to Upper West Side · 0.9 mile away
Play all morning at the Children's Museum of Manhattan
Upper West Side · 0.4 mile away
The Metropolitan Museum of Art with kids: three rooms, not three floors
Upper East Side · 0.6 mile away
Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway above the East River
Upper East Side · 1.5 miles away

Questions people ask

How much is the American Museum of Natural History for kids?

Out-of-state children aged 3 to 12 pay $22 and under 3 are free. New York State residents with ID can pay what they wish, with a suggested $14 for a child.

Is the American Museum of Natural History pay what you wish?

For New York State residents with valid ID, general admission only. Everyone else pays the set rates.

Which subway goes to the American Museum of Natural History?

The B (weekdays only) or C to 81 St-Museum of Natural History. That station is not wheelchair accessible; the 1 train stops at 79 St, two blocks away.

How much does it cost?

NY State residents: general admission pay what you wish with ID (suggested $25 adult, $20 senior, $14 child). Out-of-state: $37 adult, $30 senior, $22 child. Under 3 free; ages 3 to 12 child rate.

Can you take a stroller?

Strollers are welcome throughout the museum except in theaters, with dedicated parking. Double strollers are restricted in ticketed exhibition galleries.

How long do you need?

3 to 4 hours.

Sources

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