How much does AMNH cost for a family?

General admission is $28/adult and $16.50/child (2-12). NYC residents can pay what they wish at the ticket window. A family of 4 from out of town will spend about $100-$120 on tickets alone.

How long should we plan to spend at AMNH?

Plan for 2-3 hours with young kids, 3-4 hours with older kids. Trying to see everything in one visit is not realistic — pick 2-3 halls and enjoy them.

Is AMNH stroller-friendly?

Yes. Elevators serve all floors, aisles are wide, and stroller parking is available near exhibit entrances. The museum even has strollers available to borrow.

What's the best way to skip the line at AMNH?

Enter through the 77th Street/subway level entrance (B/C train to 81st St). It's dramatically less crowded than the Central Park West main entrance. Buying tickets online also helps.

American Museum of Natural History

Name: American Museum of Natural History
Address: 200 Central Park West, New York City, NY, 10024, US
Telephone: (212) 769-5100
Rating: 4.6

Rating

4.6(58,200)

Family of 4

$100-$120 (2 adults + 2 kids general admission)

Duration

2-4 hours

Best Ages

3-14

About

The American Museum of Natural History is the single museum in New York City that genuinely works for every age from toddler to teenager. The building is enormous — over 2 million square feet — and trying to see everything in one visit is a guaranteed meltdown for everyone involved. The key is picking 2-3 halls and doing them well.

For most families, that means dinosaurs (4th floor), the blue whale in Ocean Life (1st floor), and either the gem hall or the Discovery Room. The dinosaur halls were renovated and reorganized to follow evolutionary relationships, but kids don't care about cladistics — they care that the T. rex is enormous and the Titanosaur literally doesn't fit in the room. Mission accomplished.

The pay-what-you-wish policy for NYC residents is one of the best deals in the city, but it only works at the physical ticket windows, not online. Show a piece of mail or an ID with a NYC address. Tourists pay full price ($28 adults, $16.50 kids 2-12), which is steep but fair for what you get.

The Gilder Center addition (opened 2023) added a stunning new entrance, a butterfly vivarium, and an insectarium that is genuinely wild — live leaf-cutter ant colonies visible through glass. It's the newest section and still gets the most foot traffic, so visit it last if crowds are a concern.

Logistically: take the B or C train to 81st Street and enter directly from the subway platform. This entrance bypasses the Central Park West line completely. Strollers are allowed everywhere and elevators serve all floors. The museum is fully accessible.

Age Suitability

Infants (0-1)Toddlers (1-3)Little Kids (4-6)Big Kids (7-9)Tweens (10-12)Teens (13-17)

Parent Logistics

Stroller-Friendly

Nursing / Changing

true

Kid Meals

true

Setting

Indoor

Rainy Day

Great option!

Plan Your Visit

Best Time to Visit

Weekday mornings right at 10 AM opening, or Wednesday afternoons when school groups thin out

Wait Times

15-45 minutes for tickets on weekends; near zero with advance online purchase

Nearby Food

["Jacob's Pickles on Amsterdam Ave (10 min walk, big portions, kid-friendly)","Shake Shack on Columbus Ave (5 min walk)","Pizza on Amsterdam — Sal & Carmine's is the local favorite"]

Why Kids Love It

The dinosaur halls on the 4th floor are the main event and they deliver. The Titanosaur stretching through the doorway of the hall is so big it breaks kids' brains. Unlike smaller museums where fossils feel distant behind glass, AMNH lets you get close enough to really study the bones. Most kids plant themselves in the T. rex room and refuse to leave.

The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life with the 94-foot blue whale model hanging from the ceiling is the other jaw-dropper. Kids lie on the floor under it and stare up — this is completely normal here and no one bats an eye. The dioramas throughout the museum are old-school but mesmerizing, especially the African mammals hall.

The Discovery Room (advance reservation required) is a hidden gem for ages 5-12 where kids can handle real specimens, try on fossils, and use microscopes. It's free with admission but fills up fast — book the moment your visit date is confirmed.

Pro Tips from Parents

Enter through the 77th Street entrance (subway level) to skip the main entrance line entirely — most tourists don't know about it
Go directly to the 4th floor dinosaurs first; by noon the halls are shoulder-to-shoulder
The Discovery Room requires advance reservations — book online as soon as your date is set
The food court in the basement is overpriced; eat before or after at nearby Columbus Ave restaurants instead
Download the AMNH Explorer app for a self-guided tour that keeps kids engaged with a scavenger hunt feature

What to Bring

Comfortable walking shoes
Snacks (eating allowed in designated areas)
A light jacket (AC is aggressive)
Phone charger for the app

Cost Info

Estimated Cost (Family of 4)

$100-$120 (2 adults + 2 kids general admission)

Tips to Save

["NYC residents can pay what they wish at the ticket window (not online) — even $1 per person is accepted","Skip the special exhibition surcharge on a first visit — general admission has more than enough for a full day","IDNYC cardholders get free one-year membership","Free first-Friday-of-the-month evenings have been offered seasonally — check the website"]