New York Hall of Science

The New York Hall of Science in Corona, Queens is one of New York City's most underrated family destinations — a sprawling 450,000-square-foot science museum with enough hands-on wonder to fill an entire day. Built for the 1964 World's Fair and expanded multiple times since, NYSCI sits adjacent to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, making it easy to combine with a picnic or a trip to the Queens Zoo.

Inside, the museum's exhibits span everything from microbiology to astrophysics, but always through the lens of doing rather than reading. In the Marvelous Molecules gallery, kids build models of DNA strands. In the Connected Worlds exhibit — a multi-room immersive environment — children wave their arms to control ecosystems projected floor-to-ceiling around them.

The Invention Convention gives budding engineers supplies to design and test their own contraptions.

For families with younger children, the outdoor Science Playground is arguably the museum's crown jewel. This massive outdoor space features water tables, giant pendulums, spinning discs, and two large slides that demonstrate physics principles without a single word of explanation. There's also a water spray area that becomes a lifesaver on hot summer days.

Toddlers and preschoolers can spend two hours here alone.

History buffs will love the Rocket Park, where decommissioned NASA rockets stand sentinel outdoors — including an authentic Mercury-Redstone rocket that once flew in the early space program. The park doubles as a picnic area, and families are welcome to eat lunch among the giants of the Space Age.

Practical matters: the museum is easily reached by the 7 subway line (111 St station) or by car with paid parking on-site. Free admission is offered Thursday afternoons 2–5 PM and Sunday mornings 10 AM–noon. The Science Playground requires a small additional fee ($5 per person) but is worth every dollar.