The Brood List, number 26 of 40

The Metropolitan Museum of Art with kids: three rooms, not three floors

Temple of Dendur, armor and a smart plan. Upper East Side, Manhattan.

ManhattanFamousSplurgeIndoors5 to 12

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

The Temple of Dendur inside its glass room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art — Photo: Dendur Temple in Metropolitan Museum of Art 20240523 by 颐园居, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The short answer

The Met at 1000 Fifth Avenue is open 10am to 5pm on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 10am to 9pm on Friday and Saturday, and closed on Wednesdays. At the time of writing admission is $30 for adults, $22 for seniors and $17 for students, and children 12 and under are free. Pay what you wish applies to New York residents (online tickets need a New York State billing address), and to NY, NJ and CT students, who must buy in person with student ID.

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What it is like

For kids the winning move is to pick a short list and ignore the rest. The Temple of Dendur, an actual Egyptian temple in a big glass room with a reflecting pool, is the one that makes children stop talking (briefly). The Arms and Armor galleries, with suits of armor and weapons, is the second. Two or three destinations is a plan; trying the whole building is how a Saturday ends in tears, and not only the children's.

Two honest warnings. The museum is huge, so a tired five-year-old will stall in the first gallery that has a bench. And the Friday and Saturday late opening is the sneaky good option: 5pm to 9pm is a calmer time to see a few rooms. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1 and the first Monday in May.

Best time to go

Friday or Saturday evening (open until 9pm); weekday mornings.

Tips before you go

Choose three destinations before you go; Dendur and Arms and Armor are easy wins.
Friday and Saturday evenings (to 9pm) can be quieter for a short visit.
New York residents pay what they wish; bring ID and have the billing address right for online tickets.

Practical

Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
Subway: 4/5/6 to 86 St (the MTA lists it as accessible for uptown local trains only), then walk west to Fifth Avenue; 6 to 77 St (not accessible). Check the MTA elevator status.
Stroller: Not confirmed on the Met pages I could read; check the Met's visitor guidelines. For under-5s I would bring one.
Restrooms: Not confirmed on the pages I could read; ask at an information desk when you arrive.
Cost: Adults $30, seniors $22, students $17, children 12 and under free. Pay what you wish for NY residents and NY, NJ and CT students.
Time: 2 to 3 hours with a five-year-old.
Check first: Hours (closed Wednesdays), special exhibitions, and bag rules.
Ages: 5 to 12
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

1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028. OpenStreetMap ↗ · Directions ↗

What's on here

From The New York Almanac, the next 60 days.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 10:15
Storytime at The Met: Drip! Drop! Splash!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Upper East Side, Manhattan · Free with museum admission
A toddler storytime in the galleries with a second session at 11am. Free with museum admission, no registration listed. Organizer ↗
Saturday, October 10, 2026, 13:00
Drop-in Drawing at The Met Cloisters
The Met Cloisters, Washington Heights, Manhattan · Free with museum admission
A drop-in drawing session for all ages among the medieval galleries uptown. Free with museum admission. Organizer ↗
Sunday, October 11, 2026, 13:00
Family Afternoon: Drip! Drop! Splash!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Upper East Side, Manhattan · Free with museum admission
A Sunday afternoon of water-themed art activities for families at the Met's Fifth Avenue building. Free with museum admission. Organizer ↗
Sunday, October 18, 2026, 13:00
How Did They Do That? Tapestry Weaving
The Met Cloisters, Washington Heights, Manhattan · Free with museum admission
A family-friendly look at how medieval tapestries were made, at the Cloisters. Free with museum admission. Organizer ↗
Fri, Dec 4 to Fri, Dec 11
Lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah at Grand Army Plaza, Manhattan
Grand Army Plaza (Fifth Avenue at 59th Street), Midtown, Manhattan · Free
The Midtown menorah is also 32 feet high and is lit at sundown on the nights of Hanukkah. Check the organizer for each night's time. Organizer ↗

Search The New York Almanac

Nearby on the Brood List

Meet the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History
Upper West Side · 0.6 mile away
Play all morning at the Children's Museum of Manhattan
Upper West Side · 0.9 mile away
A Central Park day: Heckscher Playground, the carousel and the zoo
Central Park, Midtown to Upper West Side · 1.0 mile away
Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway above the East River
Upper East Side · 1.3 miles away

Questions people ask

Is the Met free for children?

Yes. Children 12 and under are free.

Who can pay what they wish at the Met?

New York residents, and NY, NJ and CT students. Online pay-what-you-wish tickets need a New York State billing address.

What days is the Met closed?

Wednesdays, plus Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1 and the first Monday in May.

What are the Met's late hours?

It is open until 9pm on Friday and Saturday.

Which subway stop is nearest?

4/5/6 to 86 St (the MTA lists it as accessible for uptown local trains only), then walk west to Fifth Avenue; 6 to 77 St (not accessible). Check the MTA elevator status.

Can you take a stroller?

Not confirmed on the Met pages I could read; check the Met's visitor guidelines. For under-5s I would bring one.

How long do you need?

2 to 3 hours.

Sources

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The printable list

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