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Top 34 Attractions for Parents in New York City
Featured in the Parents Map NY map on Steps
1. Staten Island Ferry
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Julia SSure, you’ll find the Staten Island Ferry on almost every New York City tourist guide, but there’s a reason. This free ferry provides great views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York Harbor, and the 25-minute, one-way trip is just long enough to hold your child’s attention. Once across, check out the St. George neighborhood or head back on another ferry for more great views. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
2. One World Observatory
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SWhile the Empire State Building is always a good choice to check out the city view, we like the experience at One World Observatory. Kids get a kick out of riding some of the fastest elevators in the world and love knowing they are on top of the tallest building in the country. Don’t miss the 100th floor for HD videos of New York and the Sky Portal, where high-tech screens give you a bird’s eye view of the street 1,776 feet below. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
3. South Street Seaport Museum
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SHurricane Sandy caused extensive damage to the South Street Seaport Museum, but the reopened venue is a good stop for kiddos interested in ships, boating, and maritime history. Highlights include exploring five historic ships, learning to use a letterpress, and sailing around the New York Harbor in an excursion vessel. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
4. Children's Museum of the Arts
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SThe world is full of stunning art museums, but most aren’t designed for little ones. Check out the 10,000-square-foot Children’s Museum of the Arts for kid-centered activities, plenty of hands-on art workshops, and 2,000 brightly colored paintings and drawings, most of them created by kids. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
5. New York City Fire Museum
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SSet in a historic 1904 Beaux Arts firehouse in Soho, the New York City Fire Museum is a paradise for kids obsessed with firetrucks. You’ll see vintage fire equipment, art, and learn about fire safety and the history of firefighters in New York. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
6. Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SThis 28-acre sports complex on three Hudson River piers includes an 80,000-square-foot field house, a pool, a driving range, bowling alley, and an indoor ice-skating rink that’s available year round. And get ready for more: The company behind Chelsea Piers recently opened a 52,000-square-foot Brooklyn outpost. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
7. National Museum of Mathematics
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SThink math is boring? Let the National Museum of Mathematics change your mind. This under-the-radar museum features a ton of hands-on exhibits showing how science, technology, engineering, and math inform every element of our lives. Kids can ride square-wheeled tricycles (really!), paint on a digital canvas, and stump their parents with an array of puzzles and quizzes. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
8. Empire State Building
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia STake adventurous kiddos to the new 102nd-floor observatory at the Art Deco icon, which whisks visitors more than 1,200 feet above the city. The panoramic views are spectacular (and a great way to introduce little ones to the buildings of Manhattan), and after you’ve taken it all in, you can explore exhibits that detail the skyscraper’s history and place in pop culture. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 5 Parents Map NY locations in Midtown South, New York
9. The New Victory Theater
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Emy MooreAs New York City’s premier nonprofit performing arts venue devoted to kids, the New Victory Theater aims to introduce theater, dance, circus, and music to audiences of all ages. The venue welcomes all patrons to performances, and it also hosts autism-friendly showings with warnings for loud noises and dimmed lights. Check out the calendar over here. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 7 Parents Map NY locations in Theater District, New York
10. Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreAviation fans, this one’s for you. Located in Hell’s Kitchen, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum documents the history of American aviation in an educational and interesting way. You’ll see giant fighter jets, submarines, a space shuttle, and the iconic aircraft carrier Intrepid. Ever-changing rotating exhibits also impress. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 7 Parents Map NY locations in Hell's Kitchen, New York
11. SPYSCAPE
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreThose with Spy Kids aspirations will love Spyscape, which opened in Midtown in 2018. The immersive experience lets kids test their mettle in a variety of espionage-themed activities, including solving puzzles and dodging through lasers, a la Mission Impossible. At the end, your child will find out what kind of spy they are—intelligence analyst, agent handler, and more. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 5 Parents Map NY locations in Midtown West, New York
12. Roosevelt Island and Tram
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreTake the famed Roosevelt Island Tramway over the East River to the two-mile long Roosevelt Island. Stay for a while to explore Southpoint Park, the pleasant paths next to the river, or the late-1800s era North Point Lighthouse. Don’t miss the Louis Kahn-designed Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, which has top-notch views of Manhattan. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 6 Parents Map NY locations in Lenox Hill, New York
13. Central Park
Free
Nature
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreLove this place. I'm waiting for it to be open again...Emy MooreNo child-friendly attraction list would be complete without the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Central Park, the most-visited urban park in the United States. Head over here for a map of the park’s hidden gems, and make sure to see the historic carousel, which is close to the Dairy. It’s a hit with kids of all ages and a great photo opportunity. Belvedere Castle, which recently reopened after a big renovation, is another fun one for kids. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
14. DiMenna Children’s History Museum
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreNestled within the New-York Historical Society is this smaller institution devoted to kiddos, with exhibits designed to help youngsters understand the history of NYC. They’ll learn about major historical figures (like Alexander Hamilton) and important points in the evolution of the city; they can also meet re-enactors who help bring those moments to life. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 13 Parents Map NY locations in Upper West Side, New York
15. American Museum of Natural History
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Tiffany WoodsPick up the Kids Guide to the American Museum of Natural History and get ready for a museum-wide scavenger hunt through the world’s largest collection of dinosaurs, an impressive array of towering totem poles, and much more. Don’t miss the Discovery Room, where children ages five to 12 can get a behind-the-scenes look at artifacts, specimens, and scientific research; and the Hayden Planetarium, one of the best planetariums in the country. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 13 Parents Map NY locations in Upper West Side, New York
16. Children's Museum of Manhattan
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsThere’s lots to do at this children’s museum located near Central Park, so it’s a good bet if you need an indoor activity. Interactive exhibits like “Let’s Dance!” get kids moving and performing, and there’s also story time and more low-key options for the toddler crowd. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 13 Parents Map NY locations in Upper West Side, New York
17. Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsThis 17,000-square-foot children’s museum in Harlem is located on the first two floors of an affordable housing project designed by British architect David Adjaye. With a focus on children ages three to eight, the museum offers year-round art exhibitions, storytelling series, art-making workshops, and an early childhood arts education curriculum. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
18. New York Botanical Garden
Free
Nature
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsThe New York Botanical Garden is an oasis in the city, known for its top-notch exhibitions. But it’s also a great place for children any time of the year. Check out the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden where kids can climb boulders, run through a maze, and examine lily pads. In the winter, the garden’s annual Holiday Train Show is a must-see attraction. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
19. Museum of the Moving Image
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsNot far from Kaufman Astoria Studios, the home of Sesame Street, sits the Museum of the Moving Image, a stopover for kids of any age. The main attraction is “Behind the Screen,” an exhibition that showcases 1,400 artifacts (like a real Chewbacca mask from Star Wars) and interactive exhibits that let kids make their own stop-motion animations, sound effects, and flipbooks. Another hit is the permanent Jim Henson exhibit that displays original puppets and behind the scenes footage from his pop-culture contributions. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids
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20. Queens Museum
Attraction
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsBudding building nerds will get a kick of out The Panorama of the City of New York, a scale model of the five boroughs that was constructed for the 1964 World’s Fair and has been updated sporadically since then. The museum also hosts regular family-focused workshops that let kids channel their inner artist. . https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-city-kids