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American Museum of Natural History

Write a Review Manhattan, New York All ages Verified•History Museum

Last reviewed May 2026 by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards

About American Museum of Natural History

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.

Spanning four city blocks on the Upper West Side, the American Museum of Natural History is among the largest museums on earth, with 45 permanent halls covering everything from deep time to deep space. It's a place you can return to many times and still not see it all.

What you'll see and do - The famous dinosaur and fossil halls, with their towering mounted skeletons. - The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, anchored by the 94-foot model blue whale. - The Rose Center for Earth and Space and its Hayden Planetarium shows. - Dioramas of world wildlife, plus halls of gems, meteorites and human origins.

Attraction Details

Facilities

  • Toilets
  • Gift Shop
  • Baby Changing
  • Food Options
  • Parking
  • Pushchair Friendly
  • Wheelchair Friendly

Events at American Museum of Natural History

  • Member Evening Hours

    Wednesday, May 27, 2026

    An exclusive program for museum members.

  • Astronomy Live: When A Star is Born

    Thursday, May 28, 2026

    A live astronomy program at the Planetarium.

  • Speaker Series for Teachers: How Ocean Drilling Records Help Study the Chicxulub Impact and Mass Extinction

    Tuesday, June 2, 2026

    A free teacher speaker series with Chris Lowery on ocean drilling insights into the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.

  • Chancellor's Day Workshop: Environmental Action in Our Classrooms

    Thursday, June 4, 2026

    An educator professional learning workshop focusing on environmental action in classrooms.

  • Expedition AI

    Saturday, June 6, 2026

    A family program about artificial intelligence.

  • Astronomy Live: The Hidden Worlds of Asteroids

    Tuesday, June 9, 2026

    A live astronomy program at the Planetarium focusing on asteroids.

  • Pride Night at the Museum: Forces of Nature

    Friday, June 12, 2026

    A special festival event celebrating Pride.

  • Member Morning Hours

    Saturday, June 13, and Sunday June 14, 2026

    Exclusive access for members and their guests to explore the museum before it opens.

  • Member Storytime

    Saturday, June 13, and Sunday June 14, 2026

    A storytime event exclusively for members.

  • OrigamiUSA: June Special Folding Fun Session

    Sunday, June 14, 2026

    All-day origami classes taught by OrigamiUSA, with varying class levels.

  • World Cup, World Cultures

    Celebrate the community and science of sport as New York welcomes FIFA World Cup 2026™.

  • A Night at the Museum: The Overnight Experience

    An after-hours program allowing visitors to sleep over at the museum.

Plan Your Visit

Family-tested advice for a smoother day at American Museum of Natural History.

Best time to visit

Arrive within the first hour of opening for the shortest queues and best photo light.

Who it's for

All ages

Getting there

Onsite or nearby parking available at 200 Central Park West.

Pro tip

Pack snacks, refillable water bottles and a portable charger to keep the day running smoothly.

Directions

American Museum of Natural History

200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024

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Last updated 5/27/2026

American Museum of Natural History Reviews

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