Things to do in Manhattan with kids
19 attractions in Manhattan • Updated May 2026
The best things to do in Manhattan with kids, all in one place. Manhattan is home to The High Line and a stack of historic sites & landmarks for families, plus easy day trips across New York. Below are 19 family things to do in Manhattan with addresses, ticket info and age suitability. Use the search to find a specific name or filter by category.
Published May 2026. Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Working out when you can actually go? Our New York school holiday calendar has term and break dates district by district, including New York City Public Schools, the main district serving Manhattan.
19 attractions in Manhattan
Search and filter by category to find your next family day out.
19 of 19 attractions
Parks Gardens
The High Line
Manhattan, New York
Stroll an elevated park built atop a disused Manhattan railway, wild plantings and all.
History Museums
American Museum of Natural History
Manhattan, New York
Forty-five exhibition halls of dinosaurs, a blue whale and the cosmos, right beside Central Park, one of the world's great natural-history museums.
Historic Sites
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (via Statue City Cruises)
Manhattan, New York
Ferry across New York Harbor to two monuments that define American freedom and immigration.
Historic Sites
Empire State Building Observatory
Manhattan, New York
Step onto an open-air deck 86 floors up for 360-degree views stretching as far as 80 miles.
Historic Sites
One World Observatory
Manhattan, New York
Ride a Sky Pod elevator to the top of One World Trade Center for sweeping views of the city.
Science Museums
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Manhattan, New York
An art-filled Midtown observation deck with transparent sky boxes hovering over Madison Avenue.
Historic Sites
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Manhattan, New York
Three levels of Rockefeller Center decks frame the Empire State Building and Central Park.
Science Museums
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Manhattan, New York
Board a real WWII aircraft carrier, then stand beneath the world's first space shuttle, all docked on the Hudson in Manhattan.
Parks Gardens
Little Island at Pier 55
Manhattan, New York
An artificial island on concrete "tulips" over the Hudson, part park and part stage.
Nature Outdoor
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
Manhattan, New York
Glide past the Statue of Liberty and 150 NYC landmarks with live narration from a real New Yorker.
History Museums
Madame Tussauds New York
Manhattan, New York
Pose with 200-plus lifelike wax stars, from Taylor Swift to the Ghostbusters, in Times Square.
Zoos Wildlife
Central Park Zoo
Manhattan, New York
Get nose-to-glass with wildlife in naturalistic habitats right in the heart of Manhattan.
Family Entertainment
Bryant Park Winter Village (seasonal)
Manhattan, New York
Lace up for free-admission skating and browse holiday boutiques when Bryant Park turns into a winter wonderland.
Family Entertainment
Chelsea Piers, Pier 62 Carousel & Sports
Manhattan, New York
Ride the Hudson River carousel and play at the riverside sports complex on Manhattan's Pier 62.
Theme Parks
SeaGlass Carousel at The Battery
Manhattan, New York
Ride iridescent fiberglass fish through a glowing underwater fantasy at the tip of Manhattan.
Science Museums
SPYSCAPE
Manhattan, New York
Test your spy skills through interactive challenges and discover your secret-agent profile.
Art Museums
Color Factory New York
Manhattan, New York
An immersive color-themed art experience famous for its confetti rooms and ball pits, though the New York location now appears permanently closed.
Childrens Museums
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Manhattan, New York
Hands-on arts, science, and culture made for the under-sixes, with deep commitments to accessibility.
Science Museums
National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath)
Manhattan, New York
The only museum in North America devoted entirely to making math hands-on and joyful.
Map: family attractions in Manhattan
More about days out in Manhattan
Manhattan has 19 family attractions we would happily take our own kids to. American Museum of Natural History is the one most families start with. Forty-five exhibition halls of dinosaurs, a blue whale and the cosmos, right beside Central Park, one of the world's great natural-history museums. Bryant Park Winter Village (seasonal) is the other name that comes up again and again. Lace up for free-admission skating and browse holiday boutiques when Bryant Park turns into a winter wonderland. Central Park Zoo rounds out the pick of the bunch. Get nose-to-glass with wildlife in naturalistic habitats right in the heart of Manhattan. Also worth your time: The High Line, Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (via Statue City Cruises), Empire State Building Observatory and One World Observatory.
Published prices run from $27 at Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises up to $87 at Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (via Statue City Cruises). 7 of the 19 listed here quote a starting price. The others vary by season or by what you add on, so check before you travel. Age guidance is worth reading first at SPYSCAPE (ages 8 and up) and Children's Museum of Manhattan (ages 0-6).
Beyond family attractions, families in Manhattan also head for historic sites & landmarks (4), science museums (4), family entertainment (2) and history museums (2). If you are ranging wider, everything we cover in New York is one click away.