New York ain’t short of a museum or 10. In fact, depending on how you define ‘museum’ there are anywhere between one- and two-hundred of the things spread across the five boroughs. We’re talking world-leading institutions in art, culture, history, science, technology, architecture and, well, pretty much every other discipline you can think of. The New York Pass comes loaded with admission to the absolute cream of this bumper crop. Read on to find out more about each of them, including:
- American Museum of Natural History
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Fraunces Tavern Museum
- Staten Island Museum
- South Street Seaport Museum
- Museum at Eldridge St.
- Intrepid Museum
- Museum of Sex
- … and many more!
Want to save a bundle on entry to more than 100 NYC attractions vs buying individual tickets on the door? Choose the New York Pass that’s right for you here. Need a little more convincing first? Read on for the lowdown on all museums currently included on the pass…
Art and design museums
Art and design museums
MoMA is an absolute must see!
Musées des médias, de l'architecture et du design
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Le Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum est le seul musée du pays dédié au design historique et contemporain, avec une collection de plus de 210 000 objets de design couvrant trente siècles.
The Skyscraper Museum
Avec la silhouette du Lower Manhattan en toile de fond et le panorama du port de New York à sa porte, le Skyscraper Museum occupe un site d'une beauté époustouflante et offre un riche aperçu de l'histoire de New York.
The Paley Center for Media
Vous découvrirez ici certaines des formes de médias les plus populaires et les plus avant-gardistes datant des années 1920. Au cours d'une visite de deux heures, vous pourrez découvrir certains des 100 000 programmes de radio et de télévision, dont certains présentent des moments historiques incroyables comme l'alunissage.
Historical museums
Historical museums
Impressive masts at South Street Seaport Museum.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
Built on the site of the former World Trade Center, this is a highly moving memorial to the lives lost on September 11, 2001, with huge, tranquil pools that sit in the footprints of the original towers and cascade downwards, creating the largest manmade waterfalls in North America. The museum focuses on the human stories behind the tragic events of that day, combining moving personal testimonies with multimedia presentations and artifacts – the courageous tales told by first responders and survivors are nothing short of awe-inspiring.
American Museum of Natural History
One of the largest and most celebrated natural history museums in the world, this Upper West Side stalwart is indeed an absolute beast. Set on the edge of Central Park inside an imposing Romanesque Revival edifice (which film buffs will surely recognize from the Night at the Museum movies), it contains a mind-melting collection of ancient artifacts that chart nothing less than the history of life on Earth. Seek out the big guns: the 122-foot-long Titanosaur skeleton, a 34-ton section of the Cape York meteorite, the 563-carat Star of India sapphire and a millennia-old giant sequoia. Get the full lowdown with our complete guide to the AMNH.
Fraunces Tavern Museum
The oldest building in NYC, the Fraunces Tavern Museum immerses you in American Revolutionary history – it served as a haven for George Washington and his cohorts during the American War of Independence. There’s a bar and restaurant here too, so you can even eat and drink in the same space as the Founding Fathers. Linger for dinner and order the famous chicken pot pie – it's here, in the famous Long Room, where George Washington bade farewell to officers of the Continental Army on December 4th, 1783.
Intrepid Museum
Built in 1943, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid and her crew have a distinguished history of service, including tours of duty in both World War II and Vietnam. Now a floating museum, the mighty Intrepid is yours to explore and – as well as an impressive fleet of historic aircraft, from stealth jets to the iconic Bell helicopter – it’s also home to the space shuttle Enterprise, a sleek British Airways Concorde, and Cold War-era cruise missile submarine the USS Growler. Monolithic 20th-century machinery your vibe? Then you’d be plane crazy to miss it. Here are 10 cool things we loved when we visited Intrepid.
South Street Seaport Museum
With its cobblestone lanes, salty sea air and wharf bustle, there’s really no better place for taking a deep dive into New York’s origin story. For here at the South Street Seaport Museum is where you can fully immerse yourself in the Big Apple’s maritime history. Through carefully curated exhibitions in the historic commercial buildings along Schermerhorn Row, you’ll discover how New Amsterdam grew from a tiny Dutch colony to a thriving global port. A fleet of heritage ships, including the Lightship Ambrose, Schooner Pioneer and Tall Ship Wavertree, round out the story, as well as providing some of the port’s top selfie spots. Stick around for superlative sunset views as the sky turns pink over Brooklyn Bridge.
Museum of the City of New York
The essential introduction to NYC, you’ll find the Museum of the City of New York right up at the top of Museum Mile. This stellar museum explores the past, present and future of New York through groundbreaking exhibitions that explore what gives the city its singular character. Visitors really get under the skin of the Big Apple thanks to objects, images, video, photographs, and interactive digital experiences that span 400 years of New York City history.
The New York Historical
A trip to NYC just wouldn't be complete without a visit to The New York Historical, where four centuries of history, art and artifacts tell the story of America through the lens of New York. Founded in 1804 as the New York Historical Society, this was the city’s very first museum, and its extraordinary, eclectic collection of artifacts – everything from Tiffany lamps to Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’ watercolors and 19th-century American board games – has more than cemented its reputation as one of the city’s essential cultural institutions.
Cultural, religious and general interest museums
Cultural, religious and general interest museums
The ornate interiors of the magnificent Museum at Eldridge St.
Museum at Eldridge St.
Rediscovered by an academic in the 1970s and meticulously restored over the following three decades, the Museum at Eldridge St. has been described as ‘gasp-inducing’ by The New York Times. It's housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century synagogue, complete with kaleidoscopic stained glass windows and glass ceiling domes adorned with intricate Star of David designs. Afterwards, don’t skip the chance to chew on a warm sesame bagel from nearby bakeries like Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys.
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Explore the broad tapestry of Jewish life in the 20th and 21st centuries – before, during and after the Holocaust. The third-largest Holocaust museum in the world, it's located on the southernmost tip of Manhattan, and contains a staggering collection of some 40,000 artifacts, photographs, documentary films and survivor testimonies. Enjoy a moment of quiet contemplation in the peaceful Garden of Stones, a living memorial garden designed by sculptor Andy Goldsworthy and planted by Holocaust survivors and their families.
Museum of Broadway
If you’re a sucker for the business they call show, and can’t help but sing along loudly every time you hear the opening bars of Big Spender, Circle of Life or Defying Gravity, this is the museum for you. Step inside to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Broadway, including costumes, singalongs, stage sets and more. And, if you can resist the urge to strut your stuff with the chairs from Cabaret, well, you’re made of sterner stuff than us. Take a peep behind the curtain with our complete Museum of Broadway guide.
Staten Island Museum
Something of an all-rounder, this Staten Island stunner is NYC’s only general interest museum, with exhibits that include art, historical artifacts and natural science specimens, with a focus on Staten Island, New York and the surrounding region. Come for the near-legendary mummified cat; stay for the artworks by Andy Warhol and John Sloa, plus historical documents that bear the authentic wax seals of 17th-century English kings Charles II and William III.
Staten Island Children’s Museum
Since you’re already on Staten Island, here’s one for the kids. Founded by a group of parents in 1974, the Staten Island Children's Museum is a place to exercise little minds, bodies and imaginations at New York's only indoor-outdoor interactive museum – think oversized board games, bug zones, pint-sized construction sites and mini theaters. It's located in an 84-acre park, within a historic building in the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens.
Museum of Sex
This one, on the other hand, is strictly for grown-ups. As NYC’s raunchiest museum, the Museum of Sex’s mission is to preserve and present the history, evolution and cultural significance of human sexuality through exhibitions, experiences and programs. Exhibits include erotic art, fetish items and prophylactics through the ages. It's popular and spaces are limited, so book in advance if you're visiting on a weekend, or consider swinging by on a weekday for a more satisfying experience. Oi, stop sniggering at the back!
Enjoyed this little slice of New York?
Follow our MoMA walk-through for families with kids, read our wizard guide to the Harry Potter Butterbeer experience, and go access all areas at the Top of the Rock.
With The New York Pass®, you can skip the stress and save big on dozens of must-see attractions, all with one easy-to-use pass.
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D'excellents musées pour les enfants...
Staten Island Children's Museum
Fondé par un groupe de parents en 1974, le Staten Island Children's Museum est un lieu idéal pour exercer l'esprit, le corps et l'imagination des plus petits dans le seul musée interactif intérieur-extérieur de New York. Il est situé dans un parc de 34 hectares, au sein d'un bâtiment historique sur le terrain du Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens.
The New York Hall of Science
Avec plus de 450 expositions interactives et attrayantes, le New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) est le seul centre scientifique et technologique pratique de New York. Dédié à l'inclusivité, il propose des programmes pour les enfants ayant des besoins spécifiques et excelle à susciter la curiosité et l'apprentissage chez tous les visiteurs.
American Museum of Natural History
Le Musée américain d'histoire naturelle est l'un des musées d'histoire naturelle les plus grands et les plus innovants au monde. Admirez le squelette de Titanosaure de 37 mètres de long, la salle de la biodiversité (Hall of Biodiversity), et explorez les galeries sur les origines humaines et les cultures.
...et un musée résolument pour les adultes
Museum of Sex
En tant que musée le plus osé de New York, la mission du Museum of Sex est de préserver et de présenter l'histoire, l'évolution et l'importance culturelle de la sexualité humaine à travers des expositions, des expériences et des programmes. Il est très fréquenté et le nombre de billets est extrêmement limité ; nous vous conseillons donc de réserver à l'avance si vous prévoyez une visite le week-end, ou de venir en semaine pour une expérience optimale.
Musées d'histoire sociale
Fraunces Tavern
Plus ancien bâtiment de New York, le Fraunces Tavern® Museum (qui comprend un bar et un restaurant) vous plonge dans l'histoire de la Révolution américaine. Vous pourrez manger et boire dans le même espace que les Pères fondateurs. C'est ici, dans la célèbre Long Room, que George Washington a fait ses adieux aux officiers de l'armée continentale le 4 décembre 1783. Il s'agit aujourd'hui d'un complexe de cinq bâtiments comprenant neuf galeries.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Construit en 1943, le porte-avions USS Intrepid et son équipage ont une illustre histoire de service, ayant notamment servi pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale et la guerre du Vietnam. Désormais transformé en musée flottant, vous pouvez explorer l'Intrepid et voir de près la navette spatiale Enterprise, un Concorde de British Airways et le sous-marin Growler. Parcourez des expositions interactives, examinez des objets historiques et découvrez l'histoire de l'innovation et de la bravoure américaines.
Museum of the City of New York
Indispensable introduction à New York, le Museum of the City of New York explore le passé, le présent et l'avenir de la ville à travers des expositions révolutionnaires qui offrent un regard sur les coulisses de ce qui donne à New York son caractère unique.
New York Historical Society
Un voyage à New York ne serait pas complet sans une visite à la New York Historical Society, où quatre siècles d'histoire, d'art et d'objets racontent l'histoire de l'Amérique à travers le prisme de New York.
Musées culturels et religieux
Museum at Eldridge St.
Redécouvert par un universitaire dans les années 1970 et méticuleusement restauré au cours des trois décennies suivantes, ce musée a été décrit comme « époustouflant » par le New York Times. Il est installé dans la synagogue d'Eldridge Street, construite en 1887, qui est aujourd'hui un magnifique monument historique national.
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Explorez la vaste fresque de la vie juive aux XXe et XXIe siècles, avant, pendant et après la Shoah. Troisième plus grand musée au monde consacré à la Shoah, l'établissement est situé à la pointe sud de Manhattan, complétant ainsi le paysage culturel et éducatif qu'il partage avec la Statue de la Liberté et Ellis Island.
Visitez les musées de New York gratuitement avec The New York Pass®
Avec The New York Pass®, vous pouvez explorer non seulement les musées, mais aussi les monuments célèbres, les lieux prisés des locaux et des visites épiques ; tout cela avec un seul pass et pour un prix unique. De plus, vous réaliserez jusqu'à 50 % d'économie par rapport à l'achat de billets individuels pour chaque attraction.
