How much does the Children's Museum of Manhattan cost?

Admission is typically around $15-17 per person, with children under 1 free. Family packages are available. Check cmom.org for current pricing. EBT/SNAP cardholders get free admission through the Museums for All program.

What age is the Children's Museum of Manhattan for?

Best for ages 1-9. The exhibits are designed for infants through about 3rd grade. Older kids (10+) often find the content a bit young. Toddlers through early elementary is the sweet spot.

Is the Children's Museum of Manhattan stroller-friendly?

Yes — elevator access throughout and a designated stroller parking area at the entrance. However, the museum can get crowded and navigating with a large stroller through peak-hour crowds can be challenging.

Is the Children's Museum of Manhattan open on Mondays?

No — CMOM is closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10AM-5PM.

How do I get to the Children's Museum of Manhattan?

Take the 1 train to 79th St or the B/C trains to 81st St. The museum is at 212 W 83rd St between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave on the Upper West Side.

Children's Museum Of Manhattan

Name: Children's Museum Of Manhattan
Address: 212 W 83rd St, New York City, NY, 10024, US
Telephone: +1 212-721-1223
Rating: 4.2

1 / 5

Rating

4.2(3,077)

Family of 4

$60-80 admission for family of 4 + subway = ~$70 total

Duration

2-3 hours

Best Ages

Best for ages 1-9

About

The Children's Museum of Manhattan has been a cornerstone of Upper West Side family life since 1973, and for good reason — five floors of genuinely engaging, hands-on exhibits designed for the under-10 crowd, in one of New York's most walkable family-friendly neighborhoods.

The museum's layout gives parents some breathing room. Exhibits are organized by age and interest, which means you can park a toddler in the water play area (bring a change of clothes — they will get wet) while an older sibling works on a media project in the TV studio upstairs. The cooking exhibit, where kids can work through pretend food prep at kid-sized kitchen stations, is consistently one of the most popular with the 4-7 set.

For parents visiting New York with young kids, CMOM solves a specific problem: rainy days, or days when the high-energy beach/park activities aren't working. The museum is large enough that a family can spend 2-3 hours without running out of things to do, but small enough that kids don't get overwhelmed or lost.

The Upper West Side location is a major logistical plus. The neighborhood is full of family-friendly restaurants, Riverside Park is steps away for outdoor time before or after, and the Natural History Museum is a 10-minute walk for families who want to make it a full museum day.

Closed Mondays — don't show up on a Monday expecting to get in. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are consistently the least crowded visiting windows.

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

Yes

Nursing / Changing

Available

Kid Meals

Limited

Setting

Indoor

Rainy Day

Great option!

Plan Your Visit

Best Time to Visit

Tuesday or Wednesday morning — lowest crowds. Avoid Saturday afternoons.

Wait Times

No wait for entry; timed-entry booking available online

Nearby Food

The Upper West Side is loaded with family-friendly restaurants. Shake Shack on Columbus Ave is a 5-minute walk. Gray's Papaya (NYC institution hot dogs) is nearby. Zabar's deli for a gourmet picnic. Plenty of pizza by the slice within blocks.

Why Kids Love It

CMOM's five floors of hands-on exhibits hit the right notes for the 2-8 crowd: a water play area with jets and sprays, a media studio where kids can make their own cartoons, and a cooking exhibit where kids pretend-cook at small kitchen stations. The building is easy to navigate without kids getting lost, and the exhibits change periodically, so repeat visits feel fresh.

Pro Tips from Parents

Closed Mondays — plan around this when in NYC with kids.
The water play area will get kids wet — bring a change of clothes or pack a bag for soaked kids.
The museum is on the Upper West Side, one of NYC's most family-friendly neighborhoods. Combine with a stroll on Riverside Park or Shake Shack on Columbus Ave.
Strollers can be left in a designated area at the entrance to avoid lugging them through crowds.
The basement floor tends to be least crowded and has good toddler exhibits.