Feeling the need to add some science into our summer activities, I recently took my two kids (ages 2 and 5) across the river to the world-famous American Museum of Natural History to check out its latest exhibits and revisit our favorite dinosaur fossils. We have a family membership to the Museum, which gives us free admission tickets and special exhibits offered throughout the year as well as discounts on IMAX shows and live animal displays. (For us science buffs, the membership fee is totally worth every penny!)
On this particular trip, we took advantage of seeing two new exhibits: Pterosaurs: Flight In The Age Of Dinosaurs and Spiders Alive!. We also checked out Power of Poison and of course made sure we had enough time to spend in the Discovery Room.
We spent the morning flying with the Pterosaurs, a must-see exhibition of dinosaur lovers. It offered plenty of information on these incredible winged creatures which ranged in size from palm-sized to monstrous. The programs were fantastic, offering a combination of visual and tactile appeal for all ages. My son couldn't get enough of the virtual pterosaur, which allowed him to move a pterosaur on a giant screen using his own body movements.
Following the Pterosaurs, we headed over to the Discovery Room on the First Floor, where children ages 5-12 may touch EVERYTHING - a nice break from Museum rules.
The Discovery Room offered many activities for the kiddos including our favorites: a mini fossil dig site and a 3D fossil puzzle using replicas of dinosaur bones!
Next, we took a lunch break and headed over to the Museum's food court. I was very impressed with the cafeteria's selection of healthy and non-greasy options including a salad bar, sushi rolls, BBQ chicken, and frozen yogurt.
Recharged, we headed over to The Power of Poison exhibition, which explains the role of poison in myths, legends, fairy tales, science, health, and medicine. My kids are too young to appreciate most of the exhibit, including a short presentation on uses of poisons throughout history. Surprisingly, my son loved the interactive section of The Power of Poison where you play detective and solve 3 mysteries involving poison.
The live-animal exhibition Spiders Alive! was very interesting and educational. It features a live presentation by Museum staff on a variety of spider species, as well as video clips of different spiders features and characteristics. Naturally, the giant climbable spider was a big hit.
For a fun field trip to New York City, I would highly recommend visiting the American Museum of Natural History. It offers so much for kids as young as 2. We can't wait to go back and check out the IMAX show: Great White Shark!
The American Museum of Natural History is located on Central Park West on 79th Street in New York City. For more information, visit http://www.amnh.org/.
Macaroni Tips:
- Some library offers free passes to visit the American Museum of Natural History for free (with a deposit). Check your local library for information or click here for our handy guide.
- For your convenience, there is a parking garage attached to the Museum on 81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. For up to 5 hours, you pay $34. If you go early, you can try your luck finding parking on the street. We've found Sundays to be the best days to find street parking.
- Do check out the Discovery Room for kids under age 12. It's a nice break that allows the kids to play and explore at their own levels. Entrance is free but timed so get your assigned time as soon as you enter the Museum.
- Pack snacks and a lunch. The Museum's cafeteria is designated for guests who buy lunch at the Museum, but there are tables available for you to bring your own lunch. Or, if it's a nice day, step outside and find a bench or area of the giant steps to have a bite to eat and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city.
- If you decide not to pack food, there is a Farmer's Market available every Sunday where you can purchase fresh bread, baked goods, fruits and vegetables. We also like Shake Shack across the street if you don't have strollers.
- Plan your trip ahead of time. To make the most of your time at the museum, it pays to use the interactive floor plan to figure out which exhibits you want to see and how to get there.
- Do not try to see everything all in one day! You get the most out of the museum by focusing on 3-4 major exhibits and some wiggle room to discover something new, rather than rushing through everything.
- While the Museum allows strollers in the building, some special exhibits require you to leave the stroller by the entrance and waiting for the elevator is a pain.
All photos courtesy of Angeline Sheridan.
Been to The American Museum of Natural History? Tell us your experiences below!
