Best Museums
MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK 1220 Fifth Ave.
212-534-1672
MCNY is truly a hidden gem of a museum. It engages kids and their parents by “celebrating, documenting and interpreting the city’s past, present and future.” Current exhibits include “Germ City: Microbes and the Metropolis,” which explores the story of the city’s long battle against diseases, and “Rebel Women,” which looks at 19th century women who challenged the status quo, including Elizabeth Jennings Graham, a black woman who refused to get off a segregated trolley in 1854, and Hetty Green, a businesswoman dubbed “the witch of Wall Street.” Admission is free if you’re under 20; $18 for adults and $12 for seniors.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN 212 West 83rd St.
212-721-1223
This five-story Upper West Side museum is a great place to spend a rainy day — or any other day — with kids interested in arts, sciences and the humanities. Each floor features a hands-on environment for discovery, exhibits, workshops and performances that will enthrall kids with a bent for the artistic. Special exhibits include “EatSleepPlay,” to encourage children to eat healthy, and “Let’s Dance,” to introduce them to the varied world of dance. CMOM hosts an annual “Sunday Funday” benefit in January, and year-round is admission is $14 for children and adults and free for kids under 1 year of age.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF THE ARTS 103 Charlton St.
212-274-0986
This spacious Soho museum offers hands-on arts experiences for kids and families, including after school classes, exhibits and performances. It has several art labs, an art studio, a media lab, a sound booth where kids can record their own music, and even a quiet room. Exhibits like “Acts and Activism: Drawing the Line,” try to instill a sense of community involvement. There also are Saturday family studio events and art colony day camps. One parent says that “the children’s museum is great. I love the way they sing to the children ... [and] they express the idea of art in different ways.”