American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Located in New York City, the American Museum of Natural History is one of the most recognizable, even iconic museums in the world. Located in Manhattan, New York, the museum boasts an impressive collection of more than 33 million artifacts, covering just about everything from dinosaurs and minerals to space meteorites and cultural artifacts.

Have you watched the movie Night at the Museum? Yes, the one where the exhibits come to life after the museum closes. It was the New York museum that was the setting for the first part of this popular film series, and it must be said that the film did the museum quite a publicity stunt, as the number of visitors increased by as much as 20% after the premiere!

But it was not only because of this film that we decided to visit the famous museum. The rich collections, interactive exhibitions and fascinating shows that provide endless opportunities to explore the natural world and the cosmos meant that we simply could not pass by such a place during our stay in New York.

In this post we will introduce you to the museum’s history, permanent exhibitions along with a handful of practical information about prices, tickets, access, etc. The post also includes quite a few photos, but some are from temporary exhibitions that are no longer there, but something extra has definitely been prepared in their place!

We hope that after reading you will easily determine if this is the place for you.

Table of contents

Highlights

But before we get to the description of the museum itself, some important information.

The museum is located in Manhattan right next to the Central Pak, on Central Park West, but the building can also be accessed from 88th Street and Columbus Ave. Being in August, we had to stick out our own in line. By the time we got to the ticket offices, we were waiting about 20-30 minutes, despite having reserved entrance for a specific time (this was probably due to the fact that tours with children were allowed in first).

Visitors can look forward to 4 floors full of exhibits. It’s a good idea to start by thinking about what interests you most and choose the halls where you will find the most interesting exhibits – the museum is large enough that you may not have enough time to go through everything in one day. We inside spent 7 hours and did about 12 kilometers!

It’s a good idea to download the Explorer app beforehand – it’s the museum’s official app, which will make it easier to navigate the facility, or download a pdf map to your phone. An interactive map is also available on the museum’s website.

There are cafes and even restaurants on the museum grounds, so you can stop your tour at any time and have something to eat.

History of the American Museum of Natural History

The museum was founded in 1869 by a group of prominent New Yorkers who wanted to create an institution dedicated to education and scientific research. It took several years from the initial idea to the approval of the museum and its establishment, but it finally came to fruition and in 1871, in Central Park, in the Arsenal building, a two-story exhibition with fossils and insects opened its doors to visitors.

However, it soon became apparent that the space was insufficient for the museum’s growing collections and popularity. In 1877, the museum moved to a newly built edifice on its current site on Central Park West. The edifice was designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, creators of the famous Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park (you can read about how the men helped create a green oasis in Manhattan in this post).

Over the years, AMNH has continually grown, building new wings and adding more exhibition galleries. Today, the museum complex is the largest natural history museum in the world, comprising 21 buildings that house dozens of exhibition halls, research laboratories and the famous Hayden Planetarium.

Since then, the museum has continued to grow and expand, becoming a global center of research and discovery. The latest part to be commissioned is The Gilder Center, made available in May 2024.

The museum boasts of having more than 32-33 million artifacts, but we reassure those who find this number dizzying. Of course, not all of them are on display, the vast majority of them are not on display for viewing, but are safely stored in the museum for research.

Exhibitions at the American Museum of Natural History

There are as many as 42 rooms in the museum with permanent exhibitions included in the ticket price and another ten with temporary and additional paid exhibitions. And indeed, it can be a challenge to see so many rooms full of exhibits in one day!

The museum is divided into sections, and within them are specific exhibition halls, and so we have halls: dedicated to birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals (6 halls), forests of North America, minerals, meteorites, Earth, the origins of the universe and another 6 halls with fossils! There is also a section on culture and human origins, where peoples and cultures from different corners of the world are presented in 9 rooms.

Some exhibitions are in the form of a more traditional museum, such as those with prepared dioramas depicting different corners of the Earth, while others are full of interesting exhibits, complete with various multimedia facilities. The halls are varied and do not follow a single style: some are rooms full of glass display cases, while others are kept in the dark to perfectly display the collections here.

Here are some of the most important parts:

Dinosaur Halls – Expositions full of dinosaur fossils. Amazingly, the dinosaur skeleton is so large that it doesn’t fit in the hall, with its head sticking out through the entrance to the hall. This is a Titanosaurus skeleton at the Wallach Orientation Center.
Milstein Hall of Ocean Life – it is in this section, specifically The Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life, that a large model of a blue whale (it is more than 28 meters long) is suspended over the heads of visitors, as well as displays on marine ecosystems.
Rose Center for Earth and Space – Hayden Planetarium, which offers fascinating space shows and displays on astronomy and cosmology.
The Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals – A collection of several thousand rare minerals and gemstones, including, among others. A unique Star of India sapphire, the largest known star sapphire.
The Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites – in this hall you will see meteorites, but the real treat is the opportunity to touch the largest meteorite to hit the earth.
Halls of Human Origins – 9 An exhibition on human evolution, with several halls showcasing different cultures around the world and a sizable collection of their achievements.

Of course, that’s not all that awaits at the museum. There are also temporary exhibitions, additional shows, guided tours of the museum – here you really need to plan your day well.

American Museum of Natural History in New York with children

Is it worth taking children to this museum? By all means! To a large extent, it is fully adapted for toddlers and they are sure to like it here.

At the museum, children can watch animals, see what kind of environment they live in, learn about our ancestors, other cultures, learn a lot about dinosaurs or fly into space. Could there be anything better for toddlers? ;)

The dioramas are made so that even smaller children, or those sitting in strollers, can see everything in peace. Admittedly, there are also parts where children have to be lifted to see something, but it’s not like you have to do it all the time.

The entire facility is handicapped-accessible so baby strollers won’t be a problem here either.

However, before you drop everything and go to the museum with your children, we must point out that not everyone can stand the sight of stuffed animals, which is what they are here. Some places are also dark, so children may be frightened and overstimulated (after all, inside is colorful, crowded, etc.).

Practical information about the museum

Below we have prepared a handful of practical information about the Museum of Natural History in NYC that will help you plan your visit to this place. We have already included some important information at the beginning of this post.

Access

The American Museum of Natural History is located in Manhattan and borders Central Park. There are three entrances to the museum: up the stairs from Central Park West, from 81st Street, and from Columbus Avenue (the latter two are wheelchair accessible)

The exact address:
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5102

The most convenient means of transportation to the museum is the New York subway. The B or C line stops directly at the 81st Street – Museum of Natural History station. Alternatively, there are numerous bus lines that stop near the museum ( M7, M10, M11, M79, M86 and M104).

Current schedules and information can be found on the MTA website.

Opening hours of the American Museum of Natural History

The museum is open Monday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the only days it is closed are Thanksgiving Day and the 25th. December. However, hours may change, so check the museum’s website for up-to-date information.

Price list – American Museum of Natural History

There is a fee to enter the museum, although there is a large group of people who can enter either for free or for a voluntary fee.

It is a “pay what you want” policy, which means visitors can pay any amount for admission. Who can benefit from this? Residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut with a valid ID. Free entry to the museum is available to those who have purchased a special membership, with prices starting at $149 per adult (family memberships are cheaper).

Well, how much do the others pay?

Regular tickets, only for permanent exhibitions, that is, general admission:

Regular ticket – $28
Discounted ticket (children ages 3-12) – $18
Student, senior – $22

Children under the age of 3 enter for free.

Tickets can be purchased online.

Where to spend the night in New York?

Accommodation near the Museum and Central Park in general is not the cheapest, but after all, this is New York! Here everything is expensive ;)

We have selected for you some accommodations in the area that have at least very good reviews:

The Sherry Netherland
Address: 781 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Prices: from $886 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-sherry
Park Lane New York
Address: 36 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019
Prices: from $911 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-park-lane
Trump International New York
Address: One Central Park West, Upper West Side, New York, NY 10023
Prices: from $1030 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-trump-int
1 Central Park Hotel
Address: 1414 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
Prices: from $1200 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-park
JW Marriott Essex House New York
Address: 160 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019
Prices: from $1030 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-jw-marriott
The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York
Address: Two East 61st Street at 5th Avenue, Upper East Side, New York, NY 10065
Prices: from $1530 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-pierre
The Plaza
Address: 768 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Prices: from $1620 for a double room
Link: https://r4b.link/booking-nyc-plaza

Our review of the American Museum of Natural History

This is the time to take stock. We were definitely wowed by this American Museum of Natural History! And not just the number of collections, but the arrangement, aesthetics, atmosphere. We have seen many such museums so far, such as the famous Natural History Museum in London (see Free museums in London »)
and we must admit that the New York museum is also worth a look.

The number of exhibits, their exposition, and the interesting display of the surrounding world will make the museum interesting in terms of topics for everyone.

Definitely worth spending one whole day here during your visit to New York City!