American Museum of Natural History
Upper West Side4.7sample rating
About American Museum of Natural History
Founded in 1869 on Central Park West, the museum holds more than 30 million specimens across 45 permanent halls, including the fourth-floor fossil halls, the 94-foot blue whale in the Hall of Ocean Life, the Hayden Planetarium and the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation.
Listen to Audio Guide
Narrated by Brian — ElevenLabs v3
Why visit
Dinosaur halls, the blue whale and a planetarium make this the city's best rainy-day and family destination.
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings during term time; weekends and school holidays are busy.
Recommended duration
Allow about 3 hours (180 minutes).
Opening hours
- Every day
- 10:00-17:30
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Information may change — verify details before visiting. This listing is sample data for demonstration.
Location
200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
Take the subway directions with you — download the printable NYC guide.
Nearby attractions
Central Park
843-acre landscaped park at the centre of Manhattan, opened in 1858.
Empire State Building
1931 Art Deco skyscraper with observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors.
One World Observatory
Observatory on floors 100-102 of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the Americas.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Mirrored, immersive observation experience 1,100 feet above Grand Central Terminal.
Radio City Music Hall
The 6,000-seat Art Deco theatre home to the Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular.
The Oculus
Santiago Calatrava's white-ribbed transit hall and shopping concourse at the World Trade Center.
Nearby restaurants
Katz's Delicatessen
Jewish Deli · $$ · Little Italy
Balthazar
French Brasserie · $$$ · SoHo
Le Bernardin
French/Seafood · $$$$ · Midtown
Carbone
Italian-American · $$$$ · SoHo
Gramercy Tavern
American · $$$$ · Greenwich Village
Eleven Madison Park
Fine Dining · $$$$ · Chelsea
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