While the word "museum" might not initially set your tot's eyes (or yours, for that matter) aglow with excitement, you both might be surprised at how unstuffy a day at the museum can be.
The locations below offer exhibits that cater to the younger crowd, which means they're specially designed to be interactive, colorful, and fun, as well as educational. Some may build on your child's school curriculum while others might introduce something totally new, but each specializes in creating an environment that brings learning and playing together for children-and, of course, their grown-ups are welcome too!
MANHATTAN
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
212-769-5100, www.amnh.org
Open daily 10am-5:45pm. Suggested admission: $16, $12 students and seniors, $9 children 2-12, free members. Kids' site: www.amnh.org/ology/anthropology.
- The Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World: Visitors travel the most famous trading route in history, through four ancient cities spanning across Asia and the Middle East whose traditions and technologies still influence the modern world. Watch silk worms spin cocoons, explore a night market, learn about the ancient arts of papermaking and glassblowing, and more. Through August 15.
- The Butterfly Conservatory: Celebrating its 12th year at the museum, this exhibit invites visitors to mingle with up to 500 fluttering, iridescent butterflies among blooming tropical flowers and lush green vegetation in 80-degree temperatures. Through May 31.
Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM)
The Tisch Building, 212 West 83rd Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam)
212-721-1234, www.cmom.org
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm (closed Mondays, except February 15). $10, $7 seniors, free members and children under 1.
- PlayWorks: Children ages birth to 4 years old can feed alphabet letters to Alphie, the talking dragon, drive a fire truck, and more, all while exploring language, art, science, and imagination.
- Adventures with Dora and Diego: Children ages 2-6m join Diego on a series of high stakes animal rescue missions where they can help save armadillos, build a bear's nest, and get ready for a fiesta at Dora's house.
- Gods, Myths and Mortals: Discover Ancient Greece: Children ages 6 and older can climb a giant Trojan horse, escape the Cyclops, sing with the Sirens, and examine ancient artifacts as they learn about the myths, legends, and values of the Ancient Greeks.
- Little West Side: Children age 4 and younger can tell time at the clock tower, learn colors at the grocery store, build the city skyline, or relax with a good book -all while building literacy and math skills in a familiar setting.
- Block Party: Children of all ages can build with specially designed blocks, working together or solo.
Children's Museum of the Arts
182 Lafayette Street (between Broome and Grand)
212-941-9198, www.cmany.org
Open Wednesday-Sunday 12-5pm (Thursday 12-6pm), closed Mondays except February 15. $10 per person (pay by donation Thursdays 4-6pm).
- The Black Book of Colors: Based on the children's book The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria, this exhibit teaches sighted children how people without sight can experience colors through sound, smell, touch and taste. Through February 7.
- Five Years Of Films: A History of CMA's Media Lab: This exhibition celebrates the 5th anniversary of CMA's Media Lab, documenting the department's history through its clay characters and film sets. Each film has been chronologically encapsulated into dioramas stretching horizontally along CMA's gallery walls. Films from CMA's Media Lab may be viewed on the CMA Blog: www.blog.cmany.org. March 3 through June 6. Children's opening reception: March 4, 4-6pm.
SONY Wonder Technology Lab (SWTL)
56th Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenues)
212-833-8100, www.sonywondertechlab.com
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm; reservations highly recommended (must be booked a minimum of seven days in advance of desired visitation date). FREE.
- The SWTL is a four-story technology and entertainment museum for all ages. It houses a wide variety of permanent, interactive exhibits, including Virtual Surgery, where visitors can "feel" what it's like to perform open-heart surgery; WSWLTM Production Studio, where visitors can explore the various roles associated with television production; GameBuilder, where visitors can create their own computer racing game; and Wonder Of Music, where visitors explore the process of making music and perform in front of a virtual audience.
BROOKLYN
Brooklyn Children's Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue (at St. Marks Avenue)
718-735-4400, www.brooklynkids.org
Open Wednesday-Friday 11am-5pm, weekends 10am-5pm (winter hours). Extended hours February 13-21, 10am-5pm. $7.50, free museum members and children under 1; free admission 2-5pm on select Wednesdays: February 3, 10, 24. Families can explore the museum's collection of more than 30,000 objects at home by visiting Collections Central Online: www.brooklynkids/emuseum
- Neighborhood Nature: Children can take on the role of field scientist when they observe the life forms and document the environment of a freshwater pond, saltwater beach, urban woodland, and community garden.
- Tales from the Land of Gullah: Step into the world of the Gullah people-West African slaves brought to plantations on isolated islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina in the 17th century-and discover how they held on to their songs, stories, and customs. Find out about the common nursery rhymes (like Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore) that the Gullah gave to American culture, learn to tell Gullah time, go fish netting with a Gullah fisherman, cook a Gullah meal, and more. Through May 2.
- Totally Tots: This early learner exhibit is for kids ages 5 and under, and includes the Baby Hub for those under 18 months, and Water Wonders, Art Studio, Building Zone, and Little Theater for those 18 months old and up.
- World Brooklyn: Visitors can take a trip through Brooklyn (or at least, a child-sized model of the city), learning about its diversity through the stories of real people and places.
Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway
718-638-5000, www.brooklynmuseum.org
Open Wednesday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 11am-6pm. Suggested contribution: $10, $6 students, $6 seniors (62 and over), free members and children under 12.
- Kiki Smith: Sojourn: This site-specific installation by Kiki Smith explores the ideas of creative inspiration and the cycle of life in relation to women artists. Features a range of media, including drawing, sculpture, painting, and photography. February 12 through September 12.
- To Live Forever: Art and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt: This exhibition draws on 107 ancient Egyptian objects to illustrate a range of strategies the ancient Egyptians developed to cheat death. It explores mummification and tomb rituals and examines what the Egyptians believed they would find in the next world. February 12 through May 2.
Micro Museum
123 Smith Street
718-797-3116, www.micromuseum.com
Open Saturdays 12-7pm. $2 per person.
- Signature Power: Legends and Other Myths: This visual art show for more than 25 artists includes several interactive art works, media installations, and live music on "The Lumiano," a piano that lights up when played. Through April 29.
New York Transit Museum
Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street
718-694-5100, www.mta.info/museum
Open Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm. $5, $3 children 3-17 and seniors, free museum members.
- Last Day of the Myrtle Avenue El: Photographs by Theresa King: This photo essay shot 40 years ago features the trains, stations, passengers, and views from the Myrtle Avenue El on its last day running. These photographs provide a glimpse into the past and preserve a memory of growing up in Brooklyn. Through July.
- The museum also hosts several children's programs, including a Weekly Preschool Time on Thursday afternoons for ages 2-5.
STATEN ISLAND
Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island
718-351-1611, www.historicrichmondtown.org
- Bringing Up Baby: Children's Furniture and Family Life: An exhibition that features childhood objects and furniture-such as highchairs, cradles, and baby carriages-from American homes between 1780 and 1925, and explores their role in family life. Visitors will observe how furniture changed as childrearing practices and parental aspirations evolved through the centuries.
- Toys!: This exhibit features more than 200 of the most popular toys from the 1840s through today and explores how toys act as agents of self-discovery and socialization. Includes hands-on activities.
Staten Island Children's Museum
Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island
718-273-2060, www.statenislandkids.org
Open Tuesday-Friday 12-5pm, Saturday and Sunday (and school holidays) 10am-5pm. The museum will be open for free from 10am-5pm on Monday, February 15. $6, free members and children under 1.
- Bugs & Other Insects: Children can explore the world of insects when they crawl through a human-sized ant hill, try on an exoskeleton, watch butterflies being born and bees working in their hives, and build bug inspired crafts.
- Block Harbor: Visitors can explore and pretend to sail a pirate ship.
- Great Explorations: Learn about extreme environments as you explore a rainforest canopy and cave, drive a dogsled in the tundra or dive to the ocean floor, build an igloo, cross a river, walk on snow shoes, or host a radio show.
- Ladder 11: Pretend you're a firefighter as you ring the bell, slide down the pole, don firefighter gear, and more.
- Portia's Playhouse: Kids can put on skits in this authentic theater using props, costumes, and sound effects on a real stage.
QUEENS
Queens County Farm Museum
73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park
718-347-3276, www.queensfarm.org
- Open daily 10am-5pm, tours of the farmhouse available Saturday and Sunday 11am-4pm. FREE admission. Offers school programs for students in grades pre-K to 9, from September to June. Contact the education department for information and reservations: 718-347-3276 x 302, or info@queensfarm.org.
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th Street
718-699-0005, www.nyscience.org
Open Tuesday-Thursday 9:30am-2pm, Friday 9:30am-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm. $11; $8 children 2-17, students with college ID, and seniors (62 and older); free members. Free admission on Fridays, 2-5pm and Sundays 10-11am, through June.
In addition to over 450 hands-on, permanent exhibits, the Hall of Science hosts traveling exhibits, including:
- Math Midway: This range of exhibits is focused on fun and challenging mathematical content for all skill levels-from children to Ph.Ds. View the exhibits and interact mathematically by creating a pen and ink drawing using the mechanical "harmonograph" or playing with the "organ function grinder," which mixes math and music. February 6 through April 18.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY
Greenburgh Nature Center
99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale
914-723-3470, www.greenburghnaturecenter.org
Grounds open daily-including hiking trails-from dawn till dusk, free admission. Indoor exhibits: open weekdays (except Friday) 9:30am-4:30pm, weekends 10am-4:30pm. $7, $6 students and seniors, $5 children ages 2-12, free members and children under 2.
- Outdoor Animal Displays: See prairie dogs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and a birds of prey aviary (free).
- Indoor Exhibits: The exhibits include an animal museum with more than 100 live specimens, the greenhouse with a variety of plants from all over the world, and a large exhibit room with changing natural history and nature related art exhibits.
Katonah Museum of Art
134 Jay Street, Katonah
914-232-9555, www.katonahmuseum.org
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm. $5, $3 students and seniors, free 10am-12pm, free members and children under 12.
- Young Artists 2010: Select paintings and sculptures created by more than 300 students from 34 schools in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess, and Fairfield Counties will be on display in the 27th annual installation of this exhibit. February 7-14.
- The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater: This exhibit examines the power of puppet theater to express emotions and ideas, and explores its use of painting, sculpture, text, music, movement, and technology. It features work by contemporary puppeteers, painters, film, and media artists. February 28 through June 13.
?- Puppetry Around the World: Classic puppet forms, including marionettes, shadow puppets, and hand puppets, will be on view in the Learning Center. Families can also create their own puppets and perform in the center's puppet theater. February 28 through June 13.
Trailside Nature Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
At Routes 35 and 121, Cross River
914-864-7322, www.trailsidemuseum.org
Open Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday 9am-4pm. No admission fee ($2 suggested donation). 35 miles of hiking trails open daily, dawn till dusk. Hosts nature programs for children and adults, including guided hikes, plant and tree identification, maple sugaring, and story telling.
Westchester Children's Museum - Coming Soon
Future location: Boardwalk at Rye Playland (on the Long Island Sound)
914-421-5050, www.discoverwcm.org
The museum is currently under construction and is set to open this year. It will cater to children up to age 10 and provide opportunities for continued growth for preteens and teens, with exhibits focused on water play, pretend play, physics, science, art, music, and places to climb, build, and examine.
Westmoreland Sanctuary
260 Chestnut Ridge Road, Mt. Kisco
914-666-8448, www.westmorelandsanctuary.org
Open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10:30am-5pm. Seven miles of trails are open daily, dawn till dusk, for hiking and leisure. FREE admission. Offers a variety of nature based programs for kids and adults.
ROCKLAND COUNTY
Bear Mountain Trailside Museum and Zoo
Palisades Interstate Parkway, Bear Mountain
845-786-2701, www.visitbearmountain.com
Open 10am-4:30pm. The site features 40 acres of trails linking the homes of several birds of prey, the bear den, and habitats for beavers, a river otter, foxes, coyotes, and more. The museum includes exhibits on Native Americans, the Revolutionary War, and the Boy Scouts.
Hudson Highlands Nature Museum
Wildlife Education Center, 25 Boulevard, Cornwall-on-Hudson
845-534-7781, www.hhnaturemuseum.org
-? The Sturgeon Swims Through Time: The exhibit presents 400 years of Hudson River history "through the eyes of the Atlantic Sturgeon," an ancient species of fish that has witnessed and withstood tremendous changes along the Hudson River over the years.
-? Reptiles and Amphibians of the Hudson Highlands: Visitors can learn about local reptiles and amphibians. Young herpetologists can check out an interactive exhibit about these secretive animals each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The Historical Society of Rockland County
20 Zukor Road, New City
845-634-9629, www.rocklandhistory.org
Open Tuesday-Sunday 12-4pm. $7, $3 children 12 and under. Sunday admission includes tours of the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House. The museum features a collection of 3,650 objects that date from the early 18th century to the present, including furnishings original to the Blauvelt House family and to the early farms and industries of Rockland County.
-? A Serendipity! The 34th Annual Miniature and Dollhouse Show: This exhibit features two galleries of miniatures, dollhouses, room boxes and other treats that showcase the work of local miniature artists Sandra Mirque and Susan Farnik and other local and regional contributors. Through February 28.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CT
The Barnum Museum
820 Main Street, Bridgeport
203-331-1104, www.barnum-museum.org
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4:30pm, Sunday 12-4:30pm. $8, $6 students and seniors, $5 children 4-17, free members and children under 4.
-? P. T. Barnum: Bethel to Broadway to Bridgeport: The exhibit guides visitors through P.T. Barnum's long and multifaceted career - from his upbringing in Bethel to his most famous enterprise: P. T. Barnum's Greatest Show On Earth® - using numerous historical artifacts.
The Discovery Museum
4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport
203-372-3521, www.discoverymuseum.org
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm. $8.50; $7 children 5-17, students, and seniors; free members and children 4 and under.
-? Amusement Park Science: This exhibit presents the physics behind amusement park rides and attractions through working display models and hands-on activities appropriate for the whole family. Traveling exhibition available through April 18.
Earthplace
10 Woodside Lane, Westport
203-227-7253, www.earthplace.org
Open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 1-4pm. $7, $5 children 12 and under and seniors. Grounds open daily (free admission). A 62-acre property with several nature trails, including the wheelchair-accessible Wheels-in-the-Woods IV.
-? Natureplace: A permanent installation featuring hands-on exhibits at the Explorer's Clubhouse, an indoor "treeful" of activities; Tiny Treehouse, a nature themed play area for children up to age 4; Nature Lab, a discovery lab full of nature artifacts and activities; Backyard Resource Center, an informational exhibit about the lawns, gardens, and wildlife around your home; and Nature Theater, which features films about animals and nature.
?- Ecology Resource Lab: Features a collection of small, live local animals, including a tarantula, giant millipede, and Madagascar hissing cockroach. A changing display of mounted animals, insect specimens, minerals, and other natural items related to seasonal interests
-? Animal Hall: Get up close with a collection of small wildlife ranging from bats to bunnies.
?- Connecticut Birds of Prey: An outdoor enclosure featuring several birds that have sustained injuries and cannot be released back into the wild.
Stepping Stones Museum
303 West Avenue (in Mathews Park), Norwalk
203-899-0606, www.steppingstonesmuseum.org
Open Tuesday 1-5pm, Wednesday-Sunday 10am-5pm. $9, $7 seniors, free members and children under 1. Caters to children 10 and under. Each month, the museum "travels" around the world and features a different culture-February's programs and performances will highlight Brazil.
-? Build It!: Kids can learn about architectural design and construction using tool belts, trucks, wheelbarrows, and workbenches. Through August.
-? Healthyville: Visitors learn about nutrition, fitness, hygiene, and more about their own bodies through exploration and hands-on activities.
-? Waterscape: Kids explore the nature of water, including weather and the dynamics of the water cycle.
-? Rainforest Adventure: Kids learn all about tropical rainforests, including the challenges and opportunities in conserving them and their inhabitants.
Yale Peabody Museum
170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven
203-432-5050, www.peabody.yale.edu
Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm. $7, $6 seniors, $5 children 3-18 and college students with ID, free museum members and members of the Yale University community, free individual admission 2-5pm each Thursday (through June).
-? The Great Hall of Dinosaurs: The hall features skeletons and fossils from the museum's world-renowned collections and Rudolph Zallinger's famous mural The Age of Reptiles.
-? The Hall of Native American Cultures: This hall showcases 360 objects from the museum's Native American collection, including tools of daily life along with historical pieces from tribes across the nation.
-? The Hall of Mammalian Evolution: The hall features the fossils of many different mammals in order to showcase how this class of animals has evolved and diversified over millions of years. Includes Zallinger's The Age of Mammals mural.
-? Fossil Fragments: The Riddle of Human Origins: The exhibit explores the continuing scientific search for human ancestry as well as information on different kinds of humans that lived in the past.
?- Past exhibits are available to view online: www.peabody.yale.edu/explore/webexhibs
LONG ISLAND:
NASSAU COUNTY
Long Island Children's Museum
11 Davis Avenue, Garden City
516-224-5800, www.licm.com
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm (open daily in July and August). $10, $9 seniors, free members and children under 1. Each month has a theme; February is From the Heart month, and the museum will feature customs surrounding St. Valentine's Day, the "heart" as the creative passion that leads to innovation and discovery, and scientific explorations of the actual human heart.
-? The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Based on the book The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, each section of this traveling exhibit from the Great Explorations Children's Museum in Florida features an oversized, three-dimensional version of the book opened to a specific page of the story. Visitors of all ages will learn science, art, and history as they meet characters from the story and participate in hands-on activities. Through May 2.
?The museum also has about 15 standing galleries open with exhibits and activities for young children.
Nassau County Museum of Art: The Children's Museum
1 Museum Drive, Roslyn
516-484-9337, www.nassaumuseum.com
Open Tuesday-Sunday 12-4:30 pm. $5; $4 students, seniors, and children ages 4-12; free members and children under 4.
-? Under the Big Top: The exhibit features reproductions of circus art by famous artists, including Picasso. These pieces are showcased alongside displays that educate visitors in circus skills and endangered animals. Children can also learn to pantomime, juggle, or dress like a clown. Through May 24.
Science Museum of Long Island
1526 North Plandome Road, Plandome
516-627-9400, www.smli.org
A science activity center located on the Leeds Pond Preserve, this museum offers hands-on science workshops for children. All programs and workshops are by preregistration only.
SUFFOLK COUNTY
Children's Museum of the East End
376 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton
631-537-8250, www.cmee.org
Open Monday and Wednesday-Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-5pm. $7, free children under 1. Caters to children ages 2-12.
-? Fun to be Fit! Building Healthy Bodies & Minds: A temporary installation for the fall and winter months designed to promote wellness and physical fitness, this exhibit offers an indoor active play space with activities meant to nurture kids' cognitive and physical development.
Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame
62 South Ocean Avenue, Patchogue
631-758-7463, www.suffolksportshof.com
Open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm. The hall honors outstanding persons of Suffolk County-including athletes, coaches, officials, journalists, newscasters, physically challenged athletes, and Special Olympians-who have made substantial contributions to professional and amateur sports.
Ever wonder how these exhibits come together, or what formula the museum's follow to find the perfect balance between learning and fun? Check out Children's Museums: Behind the Exhibits and get the answers, straight from exhibit developers in the New York metro area.
