Explore Museums in New York City Year Round

Discover art, culture, film, animals, and more! Several kid-friendly museums are free or pay-what-you-wish. Others offer special free museum hours. Here are some ideas. Exploring cool and out of the ordinary is one of our favorite things to do with kids, so check out our list and get going! Please confirm tickets and entry fees as they are subject to change.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Free admission for children under 12. During Winter weekdays between December and February, visitors pay what you wish. Discover gardens, plants, and conservatories.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Open daily, buy tickets in advance online to save. Discover children’s themed exhibits. Play, explore and learn. 

Jewish Children’s Museum 
Children under age 2 free. Ages 2+ requires a ticket. Explore Jewish life and history.

New York Aquarium
Admission is free after 3PM on Wednesdays, advanced timed tickets are required so reserve online. Children ages 2 and under free. See marine animals and sealife. Lion shows, penguin feeding and more!

9/11 Memorial & Museum
Free museum admission Mondays to New Yorkers on the First Monday of the month from 5:30PM to 7PM. Children ages 7 and under free admission to museum but ticket required for entry. 9/11 Memorial is free to the public, 8AM-8PM.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Free admission free for children under age 12. New York residents pay what you wish ($.01 & over). New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students pay what you wish ($.01 & over). Enjoy all types of wonderful art exhibits and paintings at The Met Collection.

Museum of Chinese in America
Free admission of all. Donations welcome. Foster greater understanding by celebrating the history of Chinese in America.

Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
Free admission for Children ages 16 and under. Free admission for select students attending NYC colleges & universities. Reserve free tickets online. NYC residents can visit for free the first Friday of the month from 4PM-8PM, reserve tickets 1 week prior. Exhibits, collections, and paintings focused on modern art.

Museum of the Moving Image
Free Admission every Thursday from 2PM-6PM, no reservations required. $ tickets all other times. Explore the film industry in Queens. Behinds the screen, movies, family programs, watch films and more!

The Museum of Natural History and Hayden Planetarium
NY, NJ, and CT residents (with ID) pay what you wish. All tickets must be reserved online. Children under 3 free. Visit exhibits on animals, science, rocks, mammals, humans, planetarium, and more!

National Museum of the American Indian
FREE Admission to all. Learn about Native Indians and view masterworks from Indigenous cultures. ImagiNATIONS Activity Center has interactive family friendly exhibits and hands on activities.

New York Hall of Science
STEM exhibits in the heart of Queens. Enjoy Rocket Park Mini Golf, science playground, use your imagination at Maker Space, have fun Building Imagination, Brick by Brick, and so much more! Buy your tickets in advance.

Queens Museum
Free admission for kids 12 and under. All others, pay what you wish admission. Reserve your timed ticket in advance. Discover the arts and educational exhibits. One of the main attractions is "The Panorama of the City of New York" - this scale model of NYC is a hit for children of all ages.

Staten Island Children’s Museum
Fun for kids of all ages. 12 indoor and outdoor exhibits where kids can build, interact, dance, play, learn and more! Buy tickets online.

Visit NJ Kids for more things to do.