MommyPoppins.com
MAKE YOUR DAY
Get Listed Log In Sign Up My Profile Sign out Contact
New York City
  • Anywhere
  • New York City
  • Dallas Fort Worth
  • Atlanta
  • Boston
  • Chicago
  • Houston
  • Miami South Florida
  • Philadelphia
  • Washington DC
  • Orlando
  • Los Angeles
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Connecticut
  • Long Island
  • New Jersey
  • Westchester
Get Listed Log In Sign Up My Profile Sign out Contact

HOME - New York City

Activity Calendar

Providers

Calendar  
  • Events

  • Deals

  • This Week's Picks

  • Activity Providers

  • Submit an Activity

NYC Guide  
  • News & Openings

  • NYC Baby Guide

  • NYC for Preschoolers

  • Tweens & Teens

  • Neighborhood Guides

  • Parks & Playgrounds

  • Free Activities

  • Visitors' Guide to NYC

  • Restaurants

  • NYC Moving Guide

Things To Do  
  • Crafts for Kids

  • Recipes

  • Science for Kids

  • Games & Activities

  • Outdoors

  • Online & Virtual

Camps & Classes  
  • Camps Guide

  • Classes Guide

  • Preschools & Schools Guide

  • Directory

Parties & Holidays  
  • Gift Guide

  • Birthday Parties

  • Party Providers

  • Holidays

  • Spring Guide

  • Summer Guide

  • Fall Guide

  • Winter Guide

Family Travel  
  • Day Trips

  • Family Vacations

  • Theme & Water Parks

  • Resorts & Hotels

  • Adirondacks

  • Hamptons & North Fork

  • Poconos Guide

  • Jersey Shore Guide

Contact

Sign up for our free newsletters.
Kids can go apple picking near NYC at Alstede Farms, where low-to-the-ground trees are perfect for little pickers. Photo by Rose Gordon Sala
Apple Picking near NYC: Best Apple Farms and Apple Festivals for Kids
The Bronx Zoo celebrates Boo at the Zoo with family activities all October long. Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Best Halloween Events in NYC 2025 for Kids and Families
Try your hand at corn husking and more analog entertainment during the Corn Fest at the Queens County Farm Museum. Photo courtesy of the Queens County Farm Museum
Best 2025 Fall Festivals and Fairs in NYC this September and October
GUIDE
Halloween Events & Activities for NYC Kids
The Little Red Lighthouse welcomes fall with an all-ages, waterfront festival on Saturday, October 4. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks
Halloween and More Things To Do in NYC with Kids October 2025, from Mommy Poppins Editors
The Bronx Zoo hosts a pair of Halloween events, including the after-dark Harvest Glow. Photo by Terria Clay/courtesy of the Bronx Zoo
Haunted Houses and Walks in NYC for All-Ages
Hit The High Line in costume to celebrate all things creepy and crawly on Saturday, October 25. Photo by Liz Ligon/courtesy of The High Line
Top Free Halloween Events in NYC in 2025: BAMBoo!, Great PUPkin, Labubu Fest, and More
GUIDE
NYC Fall Day Trips Guide: Orchards, Farms, Festivals, and Kid-Friendly Getaways 2025
The 2025-2026 public school year for NYC kids starts on Thursday, September 4.
Here's the NYC Public School Calendar for 2025-2026
Get ready for back to school with all the right supplies, classes, and tips.
GUIDE
Back-to-School Guide 2025-2026
See the skyline from a whole new vantage point on the Roosevelt Island Tram. Photo courtesy of NYCGo
Ultimate New York City Bucket List: 100 Things To Do in NYC with Kids Before They Grow Up
Stranger Things: The First Shadow plays at the Marquis Theatre and gives the popular Neflix show a prequel. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Best Broadway Shows for Kids and Families in 2025
Tom's Restaurant is situated on a fairly sleepy corner in Morningside Heights despite its high-profile turn in Seinfeld. Photo by Jody Mercier
Lights, Camera, New York! Where to Find Iconic NYC Movie Sites with Kids
The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader
Ultimate New York Bucket List: 100 Things To Do with Kids in NY State
Diving into the sprinkle pool at the Museum of Ice Cream is a great way to cure rainy day blues. Photo by  Jody Mercier
47 Fun Indoor Activities in NYC for a Rainy Day
Vinland Playground got a fresh upgrade in Bay Ridge. Photo by NYC Parks/Daniel Avila
Jaw-Dropping New Playgrounds in NYC to Explore with Kids Now
Summer camps help kids develop social skills and have fun
GUIDE
NYC Summer Camp Guide
The Peninsula New York rolls out the red carpet for kids—and their grown ups!
Family-Friendly Hotels in New York City with Perks for Kids
Climb on platforms dangling from ropes at Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
NYC's Best Playgrounds: 21 Parks Worthy of a Subway Schlep
There's always a cool new piece of public art to see and interact with in NYC. Photo by Jody Mercier
100 Free Things To Do in NYC with Kids
Brooklyn's Flying Apple offers action-packed fun for kids of all ages.
24 Best Kids' Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in NYC
Discover the NYC-themed play space hidden inside the Toys
27 Free Things To Do Indoors in NYC: Free Places To Play Indoors on Cold and Rainy Days
Photo courtesy of PLAY Greenpoint.
GUIDE
Guide to Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in NYC
Free activities for Kids in NYC include the Children's Museum of the Arts, which has pay-what-you-wish Thursdays from 4-6pm. Photo courtesy of the museum
GUIDE
Free Things To Do in NYC with Kids Guide
Visit the 180 Pool at the Crystal Springs Resort. Photo courtesy of the resort
14 Family-Friendly Weekend Getaways near NYC
Explore modern humanity through all-new world-wandering exhibitions at Mmuseumm.
Weird, Wacky, and Wonderful Under-the-Radar Museums in NYC that Kids Love
Kids' classes like art lessons can help your NYC child grow and develop
GUIDE
Guide to NYC Classes for Kids
For an only-in-NYC experience, head to the Top of the Rock to enjoy the view. Photo by Jody Mercier
Best Attractions and Things To Do near NYC that are Kid-Friendly
Tea Around Town combines a sumptuous meal with a unique view NYC landmarks! Photo by Jody Mercier
25 Best NYC Tours for Families: From Boat Rides to Free Walking Tours and More
The American Museum of Natural History's blue whale is an NYC icon, and the entire museum is one of the best children's museums in NYC. Photo by R. Mickens/courtesy of AMNH
Best Museums for Kids in NYC: Children's Museums and Family-Friendly Museums in NYC
GUIDE
Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties in NYC
Registration is now open for the reasonably priced summer camps at YMCA locations in NYC.
Free and Cheap Summer Camps in NYC for Kids
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has 75 animal exhibits and is home to more than 7,000 animals. Photo courtesy of the aquarium
Best Aquariums to Visit from the NYC Metro Area with Kids
Get a Broadway-caliber serenade during a birthday dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner.
Best Fun Restaurants for Kids' Birthdays in NYC
Get a birds eye view of the skyline from the Edge observation deck at Hudson Yards. Plan a visit near sundown to watch the city lights come to life. Photo by Jody Mercier
3 Days in NYC with Kids: Ultimate Itinerary by a Local Mom
Feed a crowd with extra large, classic, New York-style pizza slices without breaking the bank. Photo by Jody Mercier
NYC on a Budget: Cheap Things To Do and Money Saving Tips for Families
These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
75 Indoor Activities for Kids on a Rainy Day
The Met offers pay-what-you wish admission at all times to New Yorkers and kids always attend for free. Photo by Jody Mercier
Free Museums and Free Museum Days in NYC for Kids
Kids can while away hours of a day with a set of watercolors and a stack of new paper for painting. Photo by Sara Marentette
Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects
No visit to NYC is complete without an up-close encounter with the Statue of Liberty. Photo by Jess Laird
40 Best NYC Attractions to Do with Kids Right Now
Teach 'em to tie during downtime.
65 Life Skills to Teach Kids at Every Age
GUIDE
NYC Kids Summer Guide: 728 Best Festivals, Deals, Activities & Free Things to Do
Take a hike with your little one on a family day trip from NYC.
GUIDE
Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways for NYC Kids
Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander
67 Easy Science Experiments for Kids To Do at Home
Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
GUIDE
Playgrounds & Parks NYC Guide
Suncatcher_Liz Baill @creativishmom
GUIDE
Crafts for Kids Guide: Thousands of Craft Ideas
There's plenty of free fun to be had when we team up with Brooklyn Bridge Parents to host Playtopia at Atlantic Antic on Sunday. Photo courtesy of Playtopia at Atlantic Antic
Open House NY, Fall Festivals, Labubus, and More Things To Do this Weekend
FIND AND BOOK ACTIVITIES
calendar icon
This Week In
New York City
Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Opening Week
Rockefeller Center - 9:00 AM Pick
Stargazing on The High Line
The High Line - 7:30 PM Pick
Sloomoo Institute
Sloomoo Institute - 10:00 AM
Community Superheroes Week with FDNY at CMOM
Children's Museum of Manhattan - 10:00 AM
P.S. Art: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of NYC Kids at The Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - various times
Featured
Bay Ridge Prep Upper School Open House
Bay Ridge Prep Upper School - 9:00 AM
Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Opening Week
Rockefeller Center - 9:00 AM Pick
Sloomoo Institute
Sloomoo Institute - 10:00 AM
Community Superheroes Week with FDNY at CMOM
Children's Museum of Manhattan - 10:00 AM
Tunes at The Triangle
6th Avenue Triangle - 4:00 PM
Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Opening Week
Rockefeller Center - 9:00 AM Pick
Sing with Suzi in JJ Byrne Playground
JJ Byrne Playround - 10:00 AM Pick
The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail at the New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden - 6:00 PM Pick
Sloomoo Institute
Sloomoo Institute - 10:00 AM
Community Superheroes Week with FDNY at CMOM
Children's Museum of Manhattan - 10:00 AM
Featured
HudsonWay Open House for Prospective Families
HudsonWay Immersion School - 9:00 AM
Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Opening Week
Rockefeller Center - 9:00 AM Pick
The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail at the New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden - 6:00 PM Pick
Fall Movie Nights at Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards - 6:00 PM Pick
Movies Under the Stars: Coco in St. James Park
St. James Park Playground - 8:00 PM Pick
Featured
Broadway Magic Hour at the Broadway Comedy Club
Broadway Comedy Club - various times
Fall Festival at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum
Dyckman Farmhouse Museum - 10:00 AM Pick
Raptors in the Autumn Sky at Wave Hill
Wave Hill - 10:00 AM Pick
Spark And Spirit: Getting Halloween READY at CMOM
Children's Museum of Manhattan - 10:00 AM Pick
Ghostscrapers at the Skyscraper Museum
The Skyscraper Museum - 10:30 AM Pick
Featured
Pippi Longstocking! Puppet Show in Andrew Haswell Green Park
Andrew Haswell Green Park - 11:00 AM
Raptors in the Autumn Sky at Wave Hill
Wave Hill - 10:00 AM Pick
Spark And Spirit: Getting Halloween READY at CMOM
Children's Museum of Manhattan - 10:00 AM Pick
Bank Street Fall Fair
Bank Street School for Children - 10:00 AM Pick
College Point Street Fair
College Point Blvd - 11:00 AM Pick
Diwali in Prospect Park
Prospect Park - 10:00 AM Pick
Diwali, A Festival of Lights at CMOM
Children's Museum of Manhattan - 10:00 AM Pick
Celebrate Diwali in Central Astoria
Playground XXXV - 12:00 PM Pick
Diwali at the Seaport
Pier 16, South Street Seaport - 3:00 PM Pick
Sloomoo Institute
Sloomoo Institute - 10:00 AM
SEE ALL ACTIVITIES
SUBMIT AN ACTIVITY +
Bay Ridge Prep Upper School Open House
Bay Ridge Prep Upper School
HudsonWay Open House for Prospective Families
HudsonWay Immersion School
Broadway Magic Hour at the Broadway Comedy Club
Broadway Comedy Club
Sign up for our free newsletters.
FOLLOW US FOR ACTIVITY PICKS, DEALS, AND GIVEAWAYS
FaceBook Instagram Twitter Pinterest YouTube
Activity Guides
  • Beaches & Lakes
  • Best Of Lists
  • Birthday Parties
  • Boats
  • Boredom Busters
  • Camps
  • Childcare
  • Christmas/Hanukkah
  • City Guides
  • City Hacks
  • Classes & Enrichment
  • Community
  • Crafts & Recipes
  • Earth Kids
  • Easter
  • Fairs & Festivals
  • Fall Activities
  • Family Travel
  • Farms & U-Pick
  • Free Activities
  • GoList
  • Halloween
  • Holidays
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Indoor Activities
  • Museums
  • News & Openings
  • Outdoors
  • Parent Talk
  • Parks & Playgrounds
  • Play Gyms & Sports Centers
  • Pools & Spray Parks
  • Preschools & Schools
  • Restaurants
  • Shows
  • Skiing & Winter Sports
  • Special Needs
  • Special Occasions
  • Sports
  • Spring Activities
  • STEM
  • Stores & Services
  • Summer Activities
  • Theme & Water Parks
  • Trains, Dinos & Heroes
  • TV, Film & Movies
  • Virtual
  • Visitors Guide
  • Weekend Events
  • Weekend Trips
  • Winter Activities
  • Zoos & Gardens
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Pin It WhatsApp

Best Museum Exhibits for NYC Kids Spring 2013: 7 Great New Installations

4/7/13 - By Stephanie Ogozalek

While spring brings outdoor festivals and fairs, and long days at NYC's playgrounds, it's also a great season for new museum exhibits. Alfresco sculpture installations at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden, hands-on math and science fun at the New York Hall of Science, children's artwork at the Guggenheim, the Cloister's 75th anniversary and old-school music videos at the Museum of the Moving Image are just some of what's on tap this spring. Here are the top seven museum exhibits for families making their debuts this spring in New York City.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Spectacle: The Music Video – Astoria
Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Avenue between 36th and 37 Streets
Through Sunday, June 16
Free with admission: $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12
Having grown up with MTV, I'm really excited about Spectacle, the first-ever exhibit devoted to music videos, which chronicles their evolution and cultural impact over the past 35 years. More than 300 videos by both genre pioneers (Devo, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Madonna) and contemporary stars (Lady Gaga, the White Stripes) will be screened, and artifacts and props will be on view. Visitors will even be able to step into a few recreated video environments. Parents, be warned: Music videos have come a long way since Video Killed the Radio Star and some contain violent, sexual or other controversial imagery or situations. If you steer clear of the peepholes in the Agent Provocateur section of the exhibit, where these types of videos will be shown, you should be good to go.

The Exploded Mind of Mulholland Hwang – Cobble Hill
Invisible Dog, 51 Bergen Street between Boerum Place and Smith Street
Through Saturday, May 18
FREE
Fans of acclaimed children’s book author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers should enjoy this offbeat art exhibition in Brooklyn. Jeffers and his friend, local jewelry designer Aaron Ruff, chronicle a fictitious boy's obsession with the natural competition among animals in drawings, paintings, dioramas and other works that explore the theme. While not specifically aimed at children, the display is kid-friendly, imaginative and thought-provoking for both young and old.

Sandy Remix – Prospect Heights
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Avenue at Crown Street
On permanent display
Free with admission: $10 for adults, free for children under 12
Roderick Romero—known for his fantastical nature structures—has created a site-specific tree house for the BBG that, with the exception of the nails, is made entirely from natural materials. Wood from more than a dozen varieties of trees that fell during Hurricane Sandy were used to create the climbable installation. The 200-square-foot 'nest' is located five feet in the air and offers a nice view of the grounds, though don't expect a traditional kids' clubhouse.

A Year with Children – Upper East Side
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue at 89th Street
Friday, May 3-Wednesday June 19
Free with admission: $22 for adults, free for children under age 12
See the results of the Guggenheim's arts education program Learning through Art as the museum showcases prints, paintings, sculptures and collages created by NYC public elementary school students.

Search for the Unicorn – Inwood
The Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive in Fort Tryon Park
Wednesday, May 15-Sunday, August 18
Free with admission: $25 for adults, free for children under 12
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the medieval museum, which is famous for its stunning 15th century Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries, the Cloisters will display 40 unicorn-themed works alongside its signature attraction.

Four Seasons – the Bronx
The New York Botanic Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard
Saturday, May 18-Sunday, October 27
Free with all-garden pass: $25 for adults, $15 for children ages 2-12
Renowned contemporary artist Philip Haas' new outdoor installation consists of four huge sculptures inspired by the 16th-century paintings Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter by Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Winter is made of dead trees and tangled roots; Spring is a bouquet of colorful flowers; Summer is a harvest of corn, zucchini and peaches; and Fall features grapes, colorful leaves and wine barrels. I have prints of the original paintings hanging over my dining table and can't wait to check the statues out.

Design Zone – Corona
New York Hall of Science, 47 111th Street between 47th and 48th Avenues
Saturday, May 25-Sunday, September 1
Free with admission: $11 for adults, $8 for children ages 2-17
Hit NYC's premiere science spot to learn how video game designers, music producers, roller coaster makers and other engineers use math and science in their creations. As always, the exhibit includes lots of hands-on fun like laying down tracks on a drum machine, spinning tunes in a deejay booth, learning about scale and pattern through image manipulation, designing a skatepark and testing out virtual roller coasters.

Of course most of the shows we profiled in our roundup of the best winter exhibits for kids are still open, including the American Museum of Natural History's Whales and Our Global Kitchen, the Morgan Library & Museum's Drawing Surrealism, the Children's Museum of Manhattan's 10-Foot Cops, the Children's Museum of the Arts' Face to Face, the Guggenheim's Gutai: Splendid Playground and the Brooklyn Children's Museum's super-interactive Big Adventure.


Find out about other cool things to do this season in our Spring Fun Guide.

Museums Preschoolers Kids Tweens & teens Uptown Astoria Brooklyn Queens Bronx Inwood Cobble Hill Upper East Side Prospect Heights New York City

Featured Local Savings

Sign up for our free
newsletters.
New York City
Dallas Fort Worth
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Houston
Miami South Florida
Philadelphia
Washington DC
Orlando
Los Angeles
San Francisco Bay Area
Connecticut
Long Island
New Jersey
Westchester
MommyPoppins.com
Mommy Poppins is a family activity website that helps people find things to do with kids.
QUICK LINKS
Activities
Providers
Family Travel
CONTACT
Newsletter Subscribe
Contact
About
SITEMAP
Submit an Activity
List Your Business
Advertise with Us
© 2025 MommyPoppins. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms of Use.
5.342
X
Click Here to Sign Up!
Register/Login if you don't want to see this popup.