Natural
If you are planning a trip to New York City this season, be sure to add the American Natural Museum of History to your list of things to do. In this article you will read everything you need to know to help you plan your trip to the American Natural Museum of History.
The American Museum of Natural History, located in New York City, is one of the largest and most renowned natural history museums in the world. Founded in 1869, the museum boasts an impressive collection of over 33 million specimens and artifacts spanning over 4 billion years of natural history.
With exhibits ranging from dinosaurs to space exploration, the American Museum of Natural History offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore and learn about the natural world in a fun and interactive way. Whether you’re a history buff, a science enthusiast, or just looking for a fun and educational experience, the American Museum of Natural History is a must-see destination for anyone visiting New York City.
Why did we decided to visit the museum?
About 10 – 15 years ago (I can’t really remember because it was so long ago). I watched a movie with my oldest daughter called “The Night at the Museum.”
The movie was about a night guard at the American Museum of Natural History who quickly discovered that everything in the museum would come to life at night once the museum closed. What a perfect plot for a movie. This movie was so fantastic that it held my and my teenage daughter’s attention the entire time.
After watching the movie I said, “We’ve got to go visit this museum.”
Lo and behold, 15 years later, the movie is still great to watch with your family, and the museum is just as impressive now as it was back then.
Where is the American Museum of Natural History located?
The museum is located at 200 Central Park West New York, NY 10024.
There are a couple of ways you can get to this museum. Most people travel by car or by train if you are coming from New Jersey. Either option is very convenient. When our family travels by train, we usually drive our car to a train station in North Jersey and depart from there.
It will take about 2 trains to get from New Jersey to the museum. The best way to get the directions is to put the American Natural Museum of History address in your GPS and then select “train.”
The second train will stop directly at the museum, so don’t worry about getting lost; follow the directions.
If you decide to go by car, you can park on the street parking or park in the parking garage located under the museum.
How much does parking cost at the Natural History Museum?
When I initially looked up the cost of parking online, I found a couple of options based on the amount of time you stayed in the parking garage. The rates were as follows:
| Hours | Rates |
| Up to 1 hour | $26 |
| 1-2 hours | $29 |
| 2-5 hours | $36 |
| 5-10 hours | $46 |
| 24h | $51 |
The rates seem pretty accurate because we were there for 2-5 hours and we paid $36 for parking.
Upon entering the museum parking garage, we collected a parking ticket and paid for parking once we left the lot.
Parking in the museum’s parking garage is minimal so you may not be able to find parking during the warmer weather months.
What are the hours of the American Natural Museum of History?
The museum is open 7 days a week, Monday – Sunday, from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm. They are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Check the website for up-to-date hours and operating times. Times are subject to change.
When I checked the website, it showed the museum was only open Tuesday- Saturday. The website recently shows the museum is open 7 days a week.
Is the Museum of Natural History free?
The American Museum of Natural History is not free. However, there are options to pay “What you wish” for New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut residents.
When purchasing your tickets online, the website will show you the suggested price to pay. Also, note there is an option to change the amount you are willing to pay for the tickets. Once you have changed the amount to the price you would like to pay and your transaction has been paid for, your purchased tickets will be sent to your email.
If you do not purchase the tickets in advance and want to purchase the tickets at the museum, you will have to let the cashier know before you pay for the tickets that you would like to pay less than the suggested price.
***Note: By paying “What you wish,” you are limiting yourself to the exhibits you can visit in the museum.***
Are the pay, “What you wish” tickets worth it?
The American Museum of Natural History is an incredible museum to visit while you are in New York. Everyone should see this museum at least once in their lifetime.
If your family is on a tight budget or does not have the money to pay full price for the tickets, then the pay “What you wish” option is a great choice.
Your family will not only enjoy the museum visit, but you are also creating memories that will last a lifetime.
How much does it cost to get into the American Museum of Natural History?
The suggested price for the museum is as follows:
| Tickets | Rates |
| Adults | $25 |
| Child (3-12 years – old) | $14 |
| Student | $20 |
| Senior (60 and up) | $20 |
By paying the suggested price to the museum, you will have access to the permanent exhibitions, Hayden Planetarium Space show, and giant screen film.
What exhibits are at the American Museum of Natural History?
The American Museum of Natural History in New York has many exhibits, some of which include:
- The Rose Center for Earth and Space: This exhibit features the Hayden Planetarium and a giant sphere that showcases the history of the universe.
- The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life: This exhibit features life-size models of various sea creatures, including a blue whale.
- The Hall of Biodiversity: This exhibit showcases the diversity of life on Earth, including interactive displays and exhibits on ecosystems, conservation, and the impact of human activity on the environment.
- The Hall of Human Origins: This exhibit explores the evolution of humans, including interactive displays and exhibits on genetics, anthropology, and archaeology.
- The Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs: This exhibit features life-size models of various dinosaurs, including the Tyrannosaurus rex and the Stegosaurus.
- The Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs: This exhibit features life-size models of various herbivorous dinosaurs, including the Triceratops and the Ankylosaurus.
- The Theodore Roosevelt Memorial: This exhibit honors the life and legacy of former US President Theodore Roosevelt, including exhibits on his conservation efforts and his contributions to American history.
These are just a few examples of the many exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History. There are many more exhibits and displays that cover a wide range of topics related to science, nature, and history.
The exhibits at this museum are amazing so make sure you come with your cameras fully charged and ready for pictures.
How much time is needed to visit the Natural History Museum?
If I had gone to the museum alone, I would have arrived at 11:00 am, a little after the museum opened. You would need about 4 – 6 hours to tour the entire museum.
To be completely honest when we first got to the museum I was overwhelmed by its size of it. Yes, we had visited the museum in the past, but I never realized how big it was.
My brain wanted to visit all of the exhibits in the museum on that very day, but realistically, it could not be done.
I reluctantly admit we arrived at the museum at 3:00 pm with only 2 ½ hours to explore, so I felt like this trip was indeed going to be rushed.
I wanted to break down and cry in the middle of the Rose Center for Earth and Space, especially since I had no idea where to start this journey at the museum.
When I finally came up with a plan to get a paper map to make heads of our museum journey, I was informed by the customer service desk that all of the English maps were taken and there were only maps left in other languages besides English.
You would think a map with pictures, no matter what language it’s in, would be helpful, but trust me, pictures won’t solve anything when you’re stressed out. Lol
I suggest getting to the museum as early as possible; that way, you are not overwhelmed and have enough time to see all the exhibits you want to see without rushing.
Download the map of the American Museum of Natural History
To make the most of your visit, it is best to Download the map to your cell phone, which will give you turn-by-turn directions while navigating through the museum.
If you cannot download the map don’t worry. On each level of the museum there is a picture guide near the stairs to show you which exhibits are on your current floor.
How big is the American Museum of Natural History?
The American Museum of Natural History in New York is enormous, covering approximately 1.6 million square feet (149,000 square meters) of space. The museum has over 45 permanent exhibition halls, research laboratories, a library, a planetarium, and other facilities.
The museum also has a massive collection of more than 34 million specimens and artifacts, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive natural history museums in the World.
So now you understand why you will need a couple of hours just to see all of the exhibits at the museum.
What is there to eat at the museum?
Eating in the museum is prohibited in the galleries. However, the museum has a cafe where you can sit and eat. The food there is pretty good.
If you do not want to eat at the museum’s cafe, there’s plenty of options close by. Another option is to purchase food from the food trucks parked right outside of the museum along the city streets.
Things to do nearby the Natural History Museum
There is so much to do when you are visiting New York City. We usually make plans on what exactly it is that we are going to be doing until we get there.
However, if you are visiting the Natural History Museum, remember to check out the World’s famous Central Park, which is located directly across the street from the museum.
Conclusion
I hope you were able to gather enough information help you plan your visit to the American Museum of Natural History.
As always,
Thank you again for coming along this journey with my family and me. If there’s any place you feel my family would enjoy visiting, please tell us in the comments below. You can also put any questions in the comments if there are any questions I have not answered.
