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The Guggenheim Museum's architecture alone makes it a worthy stop on Museum Mile. Photo by author

What Is Museum Mile?

Officially, Museum Mile stretches from 110th to 82nd street along Fifth Avenue (right alongside Central Park's eastern border). This relatively small stretch of land is home to many beloved cultural institutions, each with something different to offer visitors and families. The number of official participating museums located on Museum Mile varies depending upon where you look, but our unofficial list (from south to north) is:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Neue Galerie
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• National Academy Museum
• Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
• The Jewish Museum
• Museum of the City of New York
• El Museo del Barrio
• The Africa Center

All are worth visiting for families and provide a very different experience.

Morning on Museum Mile

When I explore Museum Mile with my kid in tow, I choose one museum and I start there. Walking around museums is surprisingly tiring, so starting with the museum is the key to a successful outing. This takes some preparation before the day starts: Once I choose the museum I want to visit, I check if it has any FREE admission days, what exhibits are on show, and what the hours of operation are. If you can't find FREE hours that work with your schedule, I recommend looking for Culture Passes via your library card, which might save you some money on admission. Keep in mind, too, that many NYC museums are free for kids or offer suggested admission for locals!

Since most museums open their doors at 10am, I plan to arrive around 10:30am. When we get to the museum, I try to have a specific plan of attack. Some museums, like the Museum of the City of New York (a personal favorite), are small enough to be explored in full in one visit. Others, like The Met, are a multi-day experience. My daughter is older now, so we always try to see exhibits that correspond to what she's learning in school. Last year, we checked out some ancient civilization exhibits at The Met; this year, we might head to the Urban Experiences exhibit at El Museo del Barrio.

When she was younger, I sought out topics she was interested in, such as the fantastic Hall of Musical Instruments at The Met, and interactive activities that kept her engaged, like the hands-on experiences on display at the Museum of the City of New York. No matter where we go, all the museums have plenty of spots for bathroom breaks, and snack breaks can take place at the designated eating areas.

Lunchtime and Where to Fuel Up near Museum Mile

Even with just one or two exhibits on the to-do list, we typically spend about 1-2 hours at a museum. By then, it's time to head out and grab lunch. After spending the first half of the day indoors, I prefer to stay outside if the weather's nice. When the weather looks good, I pack some sandwiches, fruits, and cut veggies, and we head to Central Park for a picnic. If you'd rather have someone else take care of the prep, you can order a Perfect Picnic instead. These meals can be picked up on West 100th Street, so don't forget to factor that into your planning.

If we're going to eat out, I start with a museum on the south side of Museum Mile, so we can enjoy the many great food options in that area. Some family-friendly lunch spots include Bocado on 87th and Lexington, Wok 88 on 88th and 3rd, and Shake Shack on 86th between 2nd and 3rd (always a safe choice!). Levain Bakery on 84th Street and 3rd Avenue is always a win for dessert.

I find that the northern side of the area doesn't have as many options for the whole family. If you end up in the 100s, though, there's a cluster of good lunch spots on 103rd and Lexington that includes pizza, sandwiches, tacos, and ice cream. These are right by the 6 train, so it's a convenient area if you're just spending the morning in the area.

Directly north of The Met, Ancient Playground is one of our favorite Central Park romping spots. Photo by Jody Mercier

Afternoon on Museum Mile

If you're up for it, you can explore a different museum after lunch. We're usually out of energy for exhibitions, though, and after lunch is when we head into Central Park. Like I mentioned before, some of my favorite parts of Central Park are located in the Museum Mile area. With younger kids, there are three playgrounds just inside the park on the eastern side: the beloved Ancient Playground right next to The Met, the Margaret L. Kempner Playground on East 96th Street, and the Robert Bendheim Playground on 102nd.

Older kids might like exploring other areas, including the gorgeous Conservatory Garden at 105th, the impressive trees at the East Pinetum on East 84th, the scenic Harlem Meer between 106th and 110th, or the wilderness and double waterfalls in The Ravine, which requires a deeper walk into the park around East 106th. If the weather is really nice, we'll walk around the Reservoir (enter at East 90th). Central Park has plenty of restrooms, but when in doubt, hop into one of the children's playgrounds, which nearly always have bathrooms.

Getting Around Museum Mile with Kids

There are many ways to get to Museum Mile by public transit, though which station you go to depends on which part of the area you're visiting. These trains and buses can be used to access the area

• The 6 train along Lexington Avenue
• The Q train along 2nd Avenue (but only as far as 96th Street)
• The M1, M2, M3, and M4 buses run south along Fifth Avenue and north on Madison Avenue
• The M106 bus crosses the park at 97th Street and heads north to East 106th Street
• The M86 and M79 also cross the park at 86th Street and 79th Street, respectively

Note that cross-town buses tend to be slow, and sometimes it's easier to walk if you're coming from the west side. The entire stretch of Museum Mile can also be walked at a comfortable pace in about half an hour. We love to walk up through the park, even if the winding paths add some time. Tip: If you're walking inside the park, you can see what street you're on by checking the lampposts. The bases of the posts are inscribed with a number; the first two digits correspond to the street number, and the last number is odd for West and even for East. So if a lamppost reads 9703, you're near West 97th Street, and if you're at 8104, you're near East 81st Street.

Museum Mile is amazing any time of the year, and it's a great way to introduce young kids to museum visits in bite-sized portions. Plus, with the number of cultural institutions and points of interest located in this fairly small area, the family can keep coming back and never get bored.

Museum Mile Festival

Mark your calendars for this annual event, which generally takes place on a Tuesday night in early June. The Museum Mile Festival closes Fifth Avenue from 105th Street to 82nd Street and many of the biggest cultural spots fling open their doors to offer FREE programming. The mood in the street is a celebration of art and culture that makes it one of our favorite annual festivals in NYC!

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