American Museum of Natural History – Museum Review | Condé Nast Traveler

What’s this place all about?
Truly one of the world’s great natural history museums, the American Museum of Natural History is a grand monolith from the late 19th-century that spans four city blocks on the Upper West Side, just across from Central Park. When visitors choose only one museum in NYC, it’s likely either this one or the Met.

What will we find in the permanent collection?
All aspects of the natural world are represented here, from a vast collection of taxidermy mammals (many donated by Theodore Roosevelt, from his African safaris), to depictions of the life of Native American tribes, to an entire hall dedicated to marine life—including a life-size model of a blue whale. The crown jewel for many, though, is the dinosaur floor, with an imposing skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex that dominates the room.

What about temporary exhibits?
There are usually two special exhibits at any time, including recent shows like an in-depth, immersive exhibit dealing with human senses and perception and a deep-dive into the world of mummies, with examples of ancient Egyptians and Peruvians preserved for thousands of years.

What did you make of the crowd?
Visitors come from all over the world and all walks of life, but children are often the majority here, and they usually head straight to the dinosaur and marine life exhibits.

Any guided tours worth trying?
There are free guided tours offered daily, which are informative and fascinating, though wandering on your own and getting lost is the best way to find something you never knew you wanted to find. There are also demonstration booths in the Hall of Ocean Life, staffed by enthusiastic science aficionados who can’t wait to have your child participate.

Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it?
Like the museum itself, the AMNH shop is huge—it spans three levels and is worth a stop to check out the selection of books about current exhibits, plus t-shirts, toys, and a dedicated dinosaur shop-within-a-shop for dino paraphernalia, like fossil replicas and models.

Is the café worth a stop, or should we just plan on going elsewhere?
Skip the lackluster food court and grab a snack at the huge Levain Bakery, four blocks away.

Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged?
Pick one hall that most interests you (the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, for instance), and delve into everything there. An hour will fly by and you’ll be glad you didn’t spend the time running around all over the place.