How can a Natural History Museum get something as simple as scientific names and range maps so wrong? Also, they advertised certain exhibits on their website that were closed down when we got there. Regardless, the museum was okay, really enjoyed the Dark Universe exhibit (although it is nothing compared to the London Natural History Museum or similar)
One of the iconic places to visit while you are in NYC, and the only (?) museum that can entertain the whole family. Animal scenes set in a look-alive beautiful glass see through niches, statues, fossils and much more. All you can think (and not think) of the animal world and history of world around us. Like the "DumDum" statue from Easter Islands, space exhibitions you can spend a month here and not get tired.
IMPORTANT Recommendation: In cold and very cold winter days if you are wearing thermal boots, come with another pair to replace and wear while you are there otherwise you will melt. The place is very warmed up.
The best museum for the entire family in NYC. You can easily spend a whole day here. When you need a break just step outside and have lunch in Central Park.
WARNING - the food in the cafeteria is obscenely overpriced.
great museum! don't expect it to be set up exactly like Night at the Museum. plan for at least 4 hours to see every floor and exhibit.
One of my favorite Natural History museums along with the British one. If you love dinosaurs this is the place
Always fun to come here at any day of the week besides saturdays and sunday s. SUPER CROWDED on those days so try to go early weekday or two hours before they close. The pay what you wish fee is convenient being that this museum receives tons of viewers daily.
Incredible experience, spent the whole day here. So much to see and explore, I don't even think we got through it all. The fossils were really cool to see.
Long lines. Wasted 2 hours getting in. Some staff unhelpful. Waste of money. Unless you come early don t bother.
It s okay if you pay for all the extra passes. The main general admission is pretty limited and outdated in my opinion.
Loved this museum! Wish I could see it all in one day but I couldn't. Wen't in here on my day off just to explore and I got lost within the first 20 minutes. Directory and directions weren't that clear. So I decided to join a tour group and it was worth it. Our guide Natalia was very informative and I learned a lot of interesting things about the museum and exhibits. I plan on making a trip here once a month.
I couldn't see the museum in my latest trip due to how early it closes. Please keep it open later like the met on the weekends
If you're a foreigner, the AMNH is a tourist attraction that you cannot miss. However, let your legs prepared for that and dont forget the water bottle and the snacks.
And, of course, be aware that admission price is a suggested price, I told them I was a foreigner student and did not have much money, so I paid $3.
Amazing, too much to see in one day, definitely have to come back
The place is amazing only because of what it holds. The place needs a lot of work put into maintaining the inside. The security around the place need to be ok w people approaching them for directions. Being grunted at by security is very unprofessional. The displays are so dusty and dirty. Months worth of dust everywhere. Toilets and water drinking fountains broken on 2 levels. I suggest they educate there security and get a better cleaning team in.
Buy tickets online to skip the lines! Save half an hour! The museum is amazing, have to see everything. My dream is to meet astronomy professor Nill Tyson who is in charge for a local planetarium.
Very cool museum, especially the dinosaur and mineral exhibits. A must visit!
This is a very nice museum. Love all the fossils and it is a great place for kids. Long lines to get in but it is worth it. The stores are very nice. The lost star is because of all the dead animals that have been stuffed and propped in fake exhibits. Not morally right but it is easy to avoid them when visiting. Also the giant terrifying blue whale that hangs on the top of the ocean exhibit!
Just managed to visit only this museum during my short stay at NYC in Sep 2019. Am still amazed by the collections and the size of the museum. Strongly recommend it to the family with kids. They'll love it, at least lmy sons love it (3 and 5 at that time)! Wish NYC and the museum will get recovered soon.
you need more than one day to see it all. you can use the app of the museum to find your way to the exhibits. Read ahead to see what you really whant to see...
Night at the Museum!!!!!! A must see place! Can be really crowded and noisy during weekends and holidays, when there s full of children. But it s a place deserves explanation!
This museum is really huge that you might get lost in it and remember that walk with your group.It got so many thing to see! Some place it got video to watch, if you want to find some places, I think you might need to download a app called "Explorer", it is a app for this museum that can help you find place that you are looking for, also it show you where you are and show the abject that you must see! It got some really good shows in the museum that cost other cash for it, and they are no in the ticket. If you want to you can buy a City Pass for most of the place in New York, but another thing is that you can it in the museum when you are buying the ticket. In the City Pass it got a show that you can chose one of the two show and go to look.
Amazing & interesting dinosaur section showing triassic, jurassic, cretaceous, paleogene eras & more. Though other sections arent as good.
If you want to learn more about history, this is a fun museum that you will love to go to.
If you're going to pay what you want for tickets, then the entrance on 81st street has the shortest line. Otherwise if you pay full price you can get your tickets online and skip the line, which is considerable--we waited only half an hour but sometimes you could wait up to 2 hrs, especially if you get in the line at the main entrance instead of the one on 81st street.
I don't hardly need to say anything about how amazing all the exhibits are. The two main things, as far as the bulk of the displays, are dinosaur bones, and exhibits that represent ancient cultures on every continent of the earth. There's also a lot of animal exhibits and there's a planetarium...you don't need to pay extra for the extra exhibits; it takes hours to see all the main exhibits even if just breezing through them. There's too much to see, that's my only complaint!
There is quite a long line to check your coats but as far as picking them up it was painless.
Big beautiful exhibits about the natural world, what isn't to love?
It's a great museum with so many things to see. However they close off sections for functions without any warning. Most visitors are tourists and allocate precious time from their trip to come to the museum and pay good money to come in. Closing off sections without warning feels extremely unfair especially to tourists who can't allocate a second day to come back. Disappointing experience overall.
The artifacts were cool but the staff was the absolute worst?? Maybe have everyone here take basic customer service training??
This was a very disappointing experience to say the least. We were overcrowded like cattle. And the exhibits looked like they have not been cleaned since the displays were set up in the 1970's. The layer of dust on all the exhibits was absolutely shocking! I couldn't tell if I was looking at a herd of elephants or wooly mammoths. In one section, look up and check out the mold on all the air-ducts. My family could not believe it! Layer of dusty film on the inside of glass and dead flies and moths in exhibits was surprising. For us, it undermined any credibility on anything displayed. Cheesy! Go to the MET and see how a real museum is maintained.
Great museum. There's a lot to see and even more to learn. I would definitely recommend a trip to this museum, even if you're a local.
I went here for a trip it was fastcinating and intresting I loved it
My kids leave this place loving science and full of questions.
Astonishing place and shows... Definitely worth every penny you pay
Horribly outdated and absurdly ethnocentric. I felt ashamed visiting here w guests from out of town and saddened by the fact that in a city like New York we'd have such a horrible excuse for a museum. Some of the exhibits felt downright racist and offensive! My only hope is that more people will rank this place lower and they will take a hint.
Just wow!!
This museum is absolutely amazing. You can easily spend half a day or more here. Each exhibit is beautiful and well made. The animal exhibits are the best part with some gorgeous dioramas. The taxidermies are so lifelike for the most part. I have visited this place multiple times and I never get tired of it. Would highly recommend.
Pre-book your tickets! Do NOT wait until the day. You ll fly through the lines and go straight in. Also, if it s first thing in the morning, use the side entrance into the space section. Less people know about that entrance. We paid for the full entrance and four shows. The 3D Blue Planet one was good and about an hour long. The Space Dark Matter was alright, but neck ache after a while so sit on the very back rows. The T-Rex exhibition is alright, but nothing spectacular. Lastly the butterfly s, very good for the IG. By far the best exhibition is the dinosaurs, though it does get crowded.
Meals, the dining options are expensive and it s difficult to find seating after 11:30. Find a seat first, then send someone to get the expensive Mac n cheese and fries.
It was a good 6 hours at the Museum, but we we re exhausted in the end.
Love it here however it's sad that so many people don't follow instructions.
You need a week just to see everything in here, let alone the rest of Manhattan! Amazing displays, very well done. Ticket staff weren't the friendliest but the security were very helpful and friendly, thank you. Go to the Planetarium entrance if you have a bicycle to lock up.
This is an amazing museum, and it is pretty much impossible to see it all in a day. I loved the biodiversity and sea life exhibits, and the space exhibit has some mind blowing visual aids to explain the scale of the observable universe.
Great place to learn about our history this is a must visit if you are in new york city highly recommended 10 stars from me
A clean a diverse museum. You can easily spend the whole day here, but the food court is a bit pricey.
How can I say it in simple words? Just come here! Come with no stress, watch things, give them time and try to fully understand them. One of the places you are going to leave, but will not leave you for a while. Been here at least 5 times. To be continued...
Plan 4h minimum to go through this amazing museum - immense variety and richness that make travel across ages, geographies and civilisations !
Good option to visit with family, was nice to be here and learn more about history
Worthwhile to visit. Make a day trip out of it. Loads to see
Amazing see the T. rex head skull was worth it just for that
This place doesn't even need a review. The exhibits are always well-curated, and the permanent exhibits will always have some new knowledge to impart. The hall of gems, tucked away in the back corner of the first floor, is my favorite permanent exhibit. Check it out!
I love this museum. Especially the bird dioramas. The painted landscapes behind all the animal displays are amazing.
The Squid vs Whale display: there was garbage under the whale. Arizona tea bottle, waste paper, and a few bits and pieces. Quite funny. Who throws their garbage in a museum exhibit?
Fantastic museum.
The new titanosaur is massive!
Avoid on a rainy day because the line to get in is outside, but this museum is amazing and a must if you re in the city.
This place is amazing we loved it you could easily spend a couple of days here.We visited from the UK and I would happily recommend it to everyone.
amazing place to see. i saw night at museum movie during my 13 hour flight from Istanbul to Los Angeles then i decided to visit this place when i reach new York during my USA trip
i recommend this place for every one adults and kids.
please try to watch night at the museum series before visit it will add a special taste for you adventure here
thanks
I love this museum. Especially for the dinosaurs and large overhead whale!
One of the most rich museums in the world. If you want to know about an specific topic here is a good way to do it instead of reading a book. For seeing it all it could take you up a day, but it's incredible
One of the best natural history museums in the world.
Phenomenal establishment. Quality exhibits on countless species and human cultures, with scholarly commentary. Meticulous detail and information. Cultural artifacts and lifelike animals. You can donate any amount for tickets to enter. I will definitely be back.
Cons: Parking is tough. Bathroom odor Several Water fountains broken.
Gigantic museum! Takes about 4-5 hrs if you each and every stuff. This should include breaks and relax time you take. If you are in a hurry, visit the paleo section, mammoth, Egyptian section, will take about 2 hours.
such a great museum I really enjoy it especially the space show Dark Universe
This is a fantastic museum and experience for adults and kids, alike. They have countless attractions spread out over multiple buildings and exhibit halls. You can easily dedicate a day here. Staff are very helpful and the facilities are phenomenal.
We visited as part of our New York Explorer City Pass.
It was worth visiting just to see the dinosaur exhibition but as a 27 year old couple who've been to many museums we were greatly underwhelmed.
Glad we went to say we've been but would imagine it's more of interest to those with school aged children.
Loved the American museum of natural history. It is a must at see. Make sure you have time to explore it all. We missed a big chunk of it. Can't wait to go back sometime.
Museums are special for me. Whereever I go they are the first places I go look for. There is so much fun in getting lost in history. Here you can get coins printed with your favourite historic ecology system on it. Kids will love the interaction.
The dinosaurs and space exhibitions are the best. I would recommend spending most of your time there. You can see most things within 2 hours if you really breeze through but obviously you can spend days in there if you really want to. I also felt compelled to go to the zoo as I thought it would be sad if this was the only way we could see some of these amazing animals in the future
Even if it gets a little crowded especially during weekends, American Museum of Natural History is a place where you can spend quality time with friends or family. The exhibits which includes the famous Dinosaur exhibit(a hit among the kids) are all superb. The staff are well trained and well educated.
Map is terribly confusing and I got lost and spent countless minutes trying to figure out how to get to the next point of interest. Many of the exhibits are caked in dust and don t appear to be tended to very frequently. To be frank, a lot of them look seriously outdated and forgotten about. No clear signage or direction on where to find restrooms.
This museum is the best museum I've ever been in there are so many fossils from a t-red skull to a triceratops even a sabertooth tiger was there this museum is a must go
My son had a blast here. He loved all the exhibits. A really enjoyable experience.
Great experience you need at lees half day to enjoy all what this museum can offer.
Very very good museum! Amazing diorama and collections
Perfect place for families with kids. For an adult that has an average knowledge about the evolution of the mankind and earth itself, it may result boring.
me and my friends tinna and wilson got high here (or maybe in the seventh floor bathroom at our school?? AND HALUCINATED BEING HERE??) either wag it was very very nice and we talked about how stulid our butlers are
Dark, hot, crowded, old displays, gift shop traps...
This was a fun museum to visit. The space show was fun and interesting. Almost the whole fourth floor is dedicated to fossils. Some areas of the museum seemed a bit run-down and in need of Renovation.
They do have nice exhibits of dinosaurs and early humans, but the dioramas of indigenous peoples and present-day animals looked very dated, not very appealing or representative, if you've seen the animals in real life. It felt like the place has more food courts and gift shops than exhibits. The closing time of 5:45 is very early and the interesting shows have their last presentation at 4:30, so it's best to go early. The biggest pain point though was that most of the museum was closed in preparation for some kind of event and nobody told us when we bought the tickets. Could've been a nice experience, I guess, but the lack of information ruined it.
Went here for the first time in my life a couple of years ago (with someone else who was visiting family for Christmas on the east coast) and I have to admit- it was pretty awesome. I wish I could have had the experience as a kid, honestly. The giant turtle was extraordinary, especially to anyone who is into chelonians; but all of the exhibits were very impressive, well organized, and well put together. A word to any claustrophobic people reading: there was less room to move around between some of the exhibits than I expected and (the rude east coast stereotype) people were getting a bit pushy in the more crowded areas (which, to be fair, were few and far between). But regardless of any of that, it's definitely worth the price of admission for the experience!!
This building is pure magical. With the entire history of mankind and nature all under one roof, this is a must visit place while visiting Manhattan. I've been visiting since the 80's and they just keep improving all the displays. The sights and smells of each hall makes you feel like your actually part of that world. From the Hall of North American Forests to the Hall of Birds of the world, each exhibition was created to make the visitor feel part of that world. I wish I lived in New York so that I could visit on a weekly basis.
I have visited the museum many times,and it has been a great experience. I really enjoy visiting the animal exhibitions and the way their environment is recreated. As a teacher, I think it's a great opportunity to show our kids how rich and wonderful our world is. Some exhibits seems to be a little outdated, or too dark. Other than that,it's a great place to visit,learn,and enjoy with family and friends.If you ever have the opportunity to visit New York City, be sure to make a stop in this amazing place.
One of the best museums on the east coast! Definitely worth the general admission price. This was my second time here and I absolutely loved it! Unfortunately the gems and minerals exhibit was under construction so I ll definitely be back soon!! Highly recommend spending a few hours here!
Natural history is one of my daughters favorite places since she was about 3, it was one of my favorite places as a kid too, it's fun to look at the old exhibits with new eyes. The new exhibits are amazing, educanal and lovely. If you live nearby get a membership, if your visiting NYC it's one of those things you should do.
Little needs to be said about how much of a treasure the natural history museum is. It's a wealth of great educational experiences for any age of visitor. I've been several times but I never seem to have enough time to see everything I want to. Try to go about it systematically to see the most while you're there.
On my last visit I checked out the planetarium. So much fun. Great updated video narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson. They run every half hour. Also checked out a senses special exhibit, which was super informative. And there were volunteers walking around to provide nice insights.
The museum is technically a pay what you want setup, but you have to pay full price + extra for the special exhibits. If you live in the city and are interested in the special exhibits, consider investing in a member pass. Basically two visits equates to the cost of a membership.
Had to deduct one star for a lack of communication by the museum. Coming off of the subway, there's an entrance you can walk to down some stairs. When I got there the attendant insisted I couldn't enter at that door simply because I was a member. She was pretty rude and ultimately my sister with bad leg, my toddler niece, and myself had to walk up a few flights of steps whereas a simple sign saying we couldn't go in that way would have led to the elevator. In any case it didn't detract too much from an otherwise fun visit.
The ticket line was really long and the ticket lady wasn't very helpful (granted I went the day after Christmas). But the attractions were amazing. I recommend 'Dark Universe' show in the Hayden Planetarium. Very cool and educational.
I was very impressed with all exhibits. To all of those wondering if it is worth your time to go, yes x 1000. I loved every minute of being at the American Museum of Natural History and can't wait till i'm back in NYC to go again!
The most disorganized, chaotic, cluster I have ever seen. Expected so much more from a NYC museum and one that is associated with Neil Degrasse Tyson. Very disappointing. We spent most of our time lost and searching for what we wanted since the app they tell you to download to get around is out of date and showed exhibits in the wrong location and wrong floors, absolute mess. Should have gone to the MET. Don't make the same mistake.
The Planetarium is by far our favorite place here but the whole museum is great and offers things for everyone to see.
The statue out front , of the Native American and African at the heels of a white man is horrendous . Love the Dino bones though
This is an amazing museum. I love it very much. The dinosaurs are nonpareil. But the location is nice. However the food is only ok. You must check out the Blue Whale!
Just did the night at the museum and it was absolutely worth it. Great tours, events, dinner, and shows, plus walking around the museum when it's completely empty and sleeping under the blue whale. Every worker there was amazing... Very friendly and helpful, such a wonderful experience. Definitely coming back to do it again.
amnh.org