How to Spend the Day at Children’s Museum of Manhattan

With loosening restrictions and rising vaccination rates, the first place my daughters and I wanted to visit when we (safely) hosted family from out of state was the Children’s Museum of Manhattan for a fun afternoon. Founded in 1973 as a neighborhood organization, CMOM has grown to be a major museum destination welcoming 350,000 visitors each year. Children’s Museum of Manhattan’s mission is to develop immersive exhibitions and programs designed to spark children’s imagination, curiosity, and intellect. Its commitment to equity must be recognized, most especially its collaborative partnerships with shelters and Head Start centers throughout New Year City. The museum truly brings early childhood magic to its exhibits.

Family Tours at Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Starting June 2, families can reserve 2-hour time slots to explore all of the museum’s exhibits, but until then, CMOM is offering 3 family tours. It is recommended to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled visit to ensure a full experience. These family tours are specially curated for hands-on exploration and are differentiated based on the ages of children. 

Superpowered Creators

On this tour, kids can make, create, and play in CMOM’s Inside Art (ages 3-10) and Superpowered Metropolis (ages newborn to 6) exhibits. They’ll climb through original 3-D artworks and make their own art to take home, then visit a comic book inspired by NYC with a two-story treehouse headquarters for Zip, Zap and Zoom, the superpowered pigeons. Experience a wind blowing fountain, create city sounds in the magical subway car and drive a superpowered pigeon mobile for some fun, hands-on activities. This tour lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.

During our visit, we participated in the Superpowered Creators family tour with my daughters, who are ages 10 and 5. One of our favorite parts of the visit was checking out a special piece by East Village artist Leah Tinari, called Limitless. Limitless is a collection of realistic portraits of remarkable American women made using gouache paint on watercolor paper. Be sure to check it out on the ground floor—and be prepared to be inspired!

Dynamic H2O at CMOM’s Sussman Environmental Center

Kids can play, learn, and splash in CMOM’s seasonal outdoor exhibit Dynamic H20, which is suitable for children of all ages. Visitors will learn more about NYC’s amazing water cycle as they play on the museum’s new expanded 22-foot-long water table. On this 75-minute tour, families can interact with the table’s waterfalls, spinners, and spouts; build bridges and direct water flow; pretend to fish; and construct a city by the water’s edge. 

Playful Explorers

If you have a Dora the Explorer lover, this one’s for you! Kids will play, learn, and explore in CMOM’s Playworks (ages newborn to 4) and Adventures with Dora and Diego (ages 2-6) exhibits. Visitors can climb into a red fire engine, drive an MTA bus, feed the alphabet-eating dragon, and shop and cook in an NYC deli. They can also meet some of Dora’s friends and help Diego rescue animals in trouble while learning about their habitats! This tour lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes.