Human body Museum New York

Ask most kids if they want to go to a museum for the day and the answer is a resolute “no.” But things are different in New York: The city is packed with kid-friendly museums that cover everything from massive blue whales to jet fighters to film and animation. The bonus is that many of these museums are interactive, welcoming children to run around and touch, smell, see and hear exhibits that are geared toward their buzzing, creative brains. From the mighty Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to Discovery Times Square, here’s our roundup of the best museums for the younger set.

American Museum of Natural History
This fabled museum takes the number-one spot among NYC’s kid-friendly museums — and for good reason. The natural world comes vibrantly to life via exhibits like the Hall of Dinosaurs, filled with gigantic dinosaur skeletons; the Hall of Biodiversity, showcasing all sorts of captivating creatures, from the extinct Dodo to the regal Siberian tiger; and the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, presided over by a 94-foot-long blue whale. The museum also shows IMAX nature films, a planetarium with views of the starry sky and rotating special exhibits that have included live spiders, the history of poison and deadly frogs. You can also recreate the famous film Night at the Museum during the monthly sleepovers. Call far in advance to book — these night affairs are wildly popular.