American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West | between 77th & 81st
Streets
Upper West Side | Manhattan
to 81st Street | 
to 79th Street
General Information
Contact 212-769-5100 |
American
Museum of Natural History
Hours
Monday thru Sunday
10:00A to 5:45P
Closed Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day
Extras
Gift Shop | Book Shop |
Children's Shop | Cafeteria | Cafe | Naturemax Theater
Admission
Adults $14.00 |
Seniors $10.50 |
Students $10.50 |
Children $8.00
Basic ticket prices include admission to the Museum and the Rose
Center for Earth & Space | Many special exhibits extra
The Museum also offers a variety of very confusing packages that mix and match Special
Exhibits, the Hayden Planetarium Space Show & IMAX films
Highlights
With very modest beginnings rooted in
1869, the American Museum of Natural History has grown to encompass
a hodgepodge of 22 buildings containing almost 40 million specimens
(anthropological, astronomical, biological, mineralogical,
paleontological, zoological and more-ogicals). Getting around the
older parts of the museum can be tricky -- the folks who put up the
signs knew where they were going -- so when in doubt, be sure to
ask; a wrong turn can be a long walk around corners and up and down
stairs
The museum has undergone extensive
renovations and modernization the past few years. The most
noticeable change is the creation of the Rose Center for Earth and
Space. Dedicated to presenting and extending our knowledge of the
universe and Earth's place within it, the Rose Center is housed in a
mammoth glass cube. Within the cube is a striking sphere that
contains, on its upper level, the new Hayden Planetarium and its
very popular Space Show. The Hall of the Universe, the Cosmic
Pathway and the Scales of the Universe, which delve into and
illustrate how our world and the worlds around use were created and
explore the relative size of the galaxies and what they are made of.
The Hall of Planet Earth explores our inner space by focusing on the
geology and climate that fueled the evolution of our world and its
ability to sustain life
A big hit with kids are the two Halls
of Dinosaurs on the 4th floor. They include a ferocious
Tyrannosaurus rex, an Apatosaurus, two Coelophysis and for Juraisic
Park fans, the very first Velociraptor skull found. Representing
armored dinosaurs are Stegosaurus and Triceratops
On the 1st floor, the Hall of
Minerals and Gems contains some pretty fancy pieces: the 563-carat
blue sapphire Star of India, 100-carat DeLong Star ruby, 632-carat
Patricia emerald. Nearby, in the Hall of Meteorites, rest the 34-ton
Ahnighito, the 'largest meteorite in captivity,' discovered by
Robert Peary in northern Greenland
Also on the 1st floor is the Hall of
Human Biology and Evolution. It explores the beginnings of human
evolution and advance of human culture. The Hall's centerpiece is a
set of 4 dioramas that first made their appearance at the museum in
the 1980s. Reinstalled in 1993, they tell the story of our ancestors
from Australopithecus through Neanderthals to our nearest
forerunners, the Cro-Magnon people
Many of the museum's exhibits are
older dioramas dating back many decades. Don't disregard them, they
hold a wealth of information. In particular, be sure to stroll the
Hall of North American Mammals, Hall of North American Forests and
Hall of Northwest Coast Indians on the 1st floor; the Hall of
African Mammals and Hall of Asiatic Mammals on the 2nd floor; and
Hall of Eastern Woodlands and Plains Indians, and Margaret Mead Hall
of Pacific Peoples on the 3rd floor
Exhibitions listed by
order of closing date
November 19 2005 thru August 20 2006
Darwin
A sweeping exhibition that examines the life
of Charles Darwin, the times and scientific thinking around him, his
voyage around the world with its famous exploration of the Galapagos
Island, how his thinking formed, and the effects of his then and now
revolutionary ideas on how life on Earth developed
September 17 2005 thru January 2 2007
Voices from South of the Clouds
Thirty photographs taken by local people
that illustrate their daily lives in China's Yunnan Province, with
descriptions of what the photos tell provided by the photographers
in their own words
July 1 2006 thru January 7 2007
Lizards and Snakes Alive!
If you're interested in squamata,
those lizards and snakes that comprise the largest order of
reptiles, then you have to hurry over to see this exhibition that
consists of 60 live specimens and a wide variety of fossils. I'm
most interested in putting eyes on Megalania prisca. The
fossil cast of this "ancient giant butcher" is about 30 feet long
November 18 2006 thru August 19 2007
Gold
The title of this show basically says it
all: everything about gold. It's history in and effects on past and
present cultures; where it's found and how it's mined; it's physical
properties; objects made from it; scientific and technical
applications. In short, it's all about Gold!
Things change quickly in NYC. Be sure to contact the museum or society for changes to schedules, admission fees, restrictions on children, strollers, backpacks, etc.
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