American Museum of Natural History

Founded in 1869, this classic museum for kids of all ages contains halls of fascinating wonderlands holding more than 30 million artifacts; its interactive exhibits, both in the original museum and its newest section, the Rose Center for Earth & Space, are also out of this world. The most famous attractions are its three large dinosaur halls, with various skeletons for ogling, and the enormous (fake) blue whale that hangs from the ceiling of the Hall of Ocean Life. Kids of all ages will find something to be intrigued by, whether it’s the stuffed Alaskan brown bear, the Star of India sapphire in the Hall of Minerals & Gems, the IMAX film on jungle life, or the skullcap of a pachycephalosaurus, a plant-eating dinosaur that roamed the earth 66 million years ago. No matter what section of the museum you’re in, you’ll find enthusiastic volunteer guides who are excited to answer questions. It’s the Rose Center for Earth & Space, though, that has really been the star attraction since its much-heralded opening over a decade ago. Just gazing at its facade – a massive glass box that contains a silver globe, home to space-show theaters and the planetarium – is mesmerizing, especially at night when all of its otherworldly features are aglow. Step inside to trace the origins of the planets (especially Earth), and to grab a cushy seat in the high-tech planetarium, where you can watch either Journey to the Stars narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, or Cosmic Collisions, with soothing voiceover by Robert Redford. Another, smaller theater explores the Big Bang Theory with Maya Angelou’s voice as your guide – and a virtual adventure lets you experience a ‘Field Trip to the Moon,’ with all of the requisite shaking and spectacular views. Visiting exhibitions at the museum are also popular, especially the recurring Butterfly Conservancy, which lets you stroll through a house of glass with more than 600 butterflies from all over the world. It provides an amazing opportunity to truly hang out with – and sometimes serve as a perch for – the creatures. Other special exhibits have recently included ‘Extreme Mammals,’ ‘Climate Change’ and ‘Frogs,’ all of which packed the museum, more so than usual, for months. You’ll also find a great, multilevel gift shop here, which is packed to the brim with unique kids’ gifts, books from current exhibits and specialty items from jewelry to chocolates.