Spotlight: NYC - American Museum of Natural History

Spotlight: New York City is known for many things - one of which is its wide selection of museums. The most famous one might be MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art). The other candidate for the top spot would be the American Museum of Natural History (made famous by the movie Night at the Museum). Other museums reflect the wide range of demographics represented in this culturally diverse city. They include: The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Brooklyn Children's Museum, El Museo del Barrio, Jewish Children's Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Skyscraper Museum, and many others. Since we had two young girls with us, the natural choice was the American Museum of Natural History. We also visited the Intrepid, and loved it. Someday, I'd love to visit several of the others.

Location: The Museum of Natural History is located on the north-west side of Central Park between 77th and 81st Streets: map

Time: Open 10:00 - 5:45 pm. Most people will probably take between 2-3 hours exploring the exhibits.

Cost: Adults - $22; children - $12.50; admission is "free" with the purchase of the New York City Pass.

Description: The American Museum of Natural History is adjacent to Central Park, providing easy access for park goers hoping to get out of the sun for a couple of hours. Guarding the entrance to the museum is a statue of President Theodore Roosevelt mounted on a horse.

    As you walk through the doors, you are greeted by the sight of a giant dinosaur skeleton. For movie-goers, this probably sounds familiar. However, for those who are expecting the museum to be exactly like the movie (Night at the Museum), you'll quickly discover that it isn't. The movie was based on the book rather than on the museum. Therefore, it wasn't filmed at the museum, but rather on a movie set. After you sprinkle in a healthy dose of artistic license, you'll understand the discrepancies. Still, there are plenty of recognizable characters and exhibits to discover: Dexter, Rexie, Teddy, Dum Dum, African mammals, the blue whale, miniatures, etc. But the museum extends way beyond the narrow focus of the movie.

Dexter

Dum Dum

     The museum contains 46 permanent exhibition halls, and owns more than 30 million specimens of living creatures (not all of which can be displayed at any one time) exhibited in dioramas featuring ecosystems from around the world. The 4th floor is dedicated to fossils and the skeletal remains of extinct animals (particularly dinosaurs), progressing from one age to the next. In the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, a 94-foot, 21,000 lb. blue whale hangs above you as you observe the treasures of the ocean. The Rose Center for Earth and Space lets visitor explore the mysteries of space - particularly our solar system. The Guggenheim Hall of Minerals displays some of the Earth's richest treasures.

Rexie

Milstein Hall

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Things You Should Know:
- The museum offers a variety of themed self-guided tours that allow you to focus your visit on learning as much as you can about what interests you (ie. whales, dinosaurs, etc.). For example, we followed the Night at the Museum tour. Ask the front desk for details.
- Check the museum's official site to check out current and coming special exhibits.
- The museum is open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Nearby: Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Lincoln Center