NYC in the Rain: Nine Indoor Plans Worth Doing

How much rain to expect for NYC in the rain

New York gets measurable rain on about 125 days a year, or roughly 10 days a month. NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Central Park list between 3.19 and 4.6 inches of rain in every month. Adding the twelve months gives about 49.5 inches a year. July is the rainiest month at 4.6 inches, and February is the driest at 3.19 inches.

Rain here is a steady habit, not a season, so a wet day can land in any month. In winter some of that moisture falls as snow, and February is the snowiest month with 10.1 inches. Check the forecast the night before and pick your plan that evening. The subway is a fair choice in the rain: the fare is $3 a ride, according to the MTA, and you tap a card or phone at the reader. Taxis are an option too, but no official page I read says how rain changes taxi fares or waiting times, so that part is not published.

A rainy day in New York is a good day to be inside a building that is worth the trip.

1. American Museum of Natural History: best for a long, dry morning

The American Museum of Natural History has more than 40 permanent halls under one roof. The doors are open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to the museum's visitor guide. The Rose Center for Earth and Space and the Gilder Center are part of general admission.

General admission for an adult is $37 in that guide, which is undated, so check the price on the day you book. The pay-what-you-wish price is only for New York State residents with ID. Visitors from elsewhere pay the full fee. The main entrance is at 200 Central Park West. The B train (weekdays only) or the C train stops at 81st St, and the 1 train stops two blocks west at 79th St.

Large bags and backpacks are not allowed, and lockers cost $7 a day for a small one and $12 for a large one. That helps with wet coats and umbrellas. Same-day re-entry is allowed with the same ticket. The guide does not say how long a visit takes, so plan a few hours and leave the extras for a second trip if time is short. The Butterfly Vivarium, the giant-screen film and the Space Show cost extra.

2. The Met: best for a huge museum with late hours on weekends

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest museums in the city. Its visit page lists Friday and Saturday hours until 9 pm, 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and a closure on Wednesday. The museum's site lists them, but hours change, so check them the day before you go.

The same page lists an adult ticket at $30. One ticket covers The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters on the date shown. New York State residents can pay what they wish, with proof. Most visitors from outside the state pay the full price.

Go on a Friday or Saturday if you want to see the museum after dinner. A Wednesday is the one weekday when the doors stay shut.

3. MoMA: best for modern art in the middle of Midtown

MoMA is at 11 W 53rd St, close to Fifth Avenue and the Midtown hotels. Its visit page lists 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, with Fridays until 8:30 pm. Hours change, so check them on the museum's page before you go.

The MoMA entry ticket from €27 is valid on the date you pick, and you can enter at any time during opening hours. The listing includes a downloadable audio guide in eight languages and daily film screenings, and it has free cancellation. It has a rating of 4.6 from more than 14,000 reviews on GetYourGuide. The museum itself runs the ticket.

Things to Do in NYC's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 19 museum entry tickets, with a median start price of €29 per person. MoMA sits just below that median.

4. Guggenheim Museum: best for a shorter visit on the Upper East Side

The Guggenheim is a good second museum for a wet day, or the only one if time is short. Its address is 1071 5th Ave. The museum's visit page lists 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, and a pay-what-you-wish hour on Tuesdays and Sundays from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. Both can change, so check them before you go.

The Guggenheim entry ticket from €27 includes all exhibitions, Wi-Fi and a downloadable audio guide. Free cancellation is included. The rating is 4.3 from about 2,400 reviews, and the museum runs the ticket itself.

5. Mercer Labs: best for an indoor show that is not a classic museum

Mercer Labs is an art and technology museum at 21 Dey St in Lower Manhattan. The Mercer Labs entry ticket from €41 lists 60 to 75 minutes for the full experience. The listing describes a sound gallery with audio from all directions and an infinity room with 507,000 LEDs.

Mercer Labs runs the show, and the ticket has a 4.5 rating from 845 reviews and free cancellation. That is a smaller number of reviews than the big museums have, so read it as a newer attraction, not a classic.

Choose this when the group has already seen the large art museums. Skip it if you want a quiet gallery, because the show is built on light and sound.

6. Grand Central Terminal: best for a stop between two plans

Grand Central Terminal is a working train station, so you can walk through the Main Concourse on your way between plans. The terminal's visit page lists daily hours from 5:15 am to 2 am. The shops and restaurants inside keep their own hours.

Look up at the ceiling of the Main Concourse. The terminal's page says it shows twelve constellations, painted backwards. Near the Oyster Bar, the tile arches of the Whispering Gallery let two people in opposite corners hear each other whisper.

The entrance to the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt observation deck is also on the Main Concourse level, so you can stay dry on the way to the deck in entry 9.

7. Chelsea Market: best for lunch under one roof

Chelsea Market is at 75 Ninth Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets. Doors are open every day from 7 am to 10 pm and closed on Christmas Day, according to the market's visit page.

Come for lunch and eat inside, out of the rain. That makes it a good break between a morning museum and an afternoon plan. The market opens at 7 am, so it also works for breakfast before a 10 am museum opening.

8. A Broadway matinee: best for the end of a wet day

A Broadway matinee gives you two and a half hours of dry, seated time. Each show sets its own curtain times, so check the show's calendar before you plan around it. Our page on Broadway tickets covers the shows and how to buy.

You can also try the TKTS booth in Times Square at Broadway and W 47th St. TKTS sells same-day tickets and next-day matinees at 20 to 50 percent off, with an $8 service charge included. The booth opens at 11 am on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and at 3 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

If you want a ticket before you leave the hotel, the Aladdin ticket on Broadway from €87 is for the show at the New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 W 42nd St. It runs 2.5 hours and has a 4.8 rating from about 2,300 reviews. It is sold by Broadway Inbound, and it is not refundable, as the listing says.

Pro Tip Save the TKTS booth for a Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday, when it opens at 11 am and you can buy a same-day matinee instead of waiting until 3 pm.

9. An indoor observation deck: best when the sky clears for an hour

An indoor deck gives you a New York view without standing in the rain. The One World Observatory spans floors 100, 101 and 102 and is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm, according to its FAQ. The standard ticket starts at $39 plus a $3.50 processing fee and tax. Tickets are non-refundable and valid for the date and time shown, and late arrivals are accommodated by capacity.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is a Midtown alternative with mirrored rooms inside, entered from Grand Central. The open-air deck at Edge may close for severe weather, while its indoor areas stay open.

Rain and low clouds can hide the skyline, and One World's tickets are non-refundable. Book a deck only on a day when the forecast shows the cloud lifting.

Key Takeaway New York gets measurable rain on about 125 days a year, so a wet day is likely on any trip, and a museum, Grand Central and a matinee can fill it.

How to choose a rainy-day plan

Start with the plan you most want to see, then add a meal and a second stop within a short subway ride. The table compares the nine.

A museum ticket also has a use outside the rain, so see our page on museum tickets in New York if you want to compare the big museums side by side.

The subway fare is $3 per ride, according to the MTA. Tap a contactless card or phone at the reader. For the full picture on fares, stations and the 24-hour trains, see getting around NYC. No official page I read lists a subway stop for every museum, so use the MTA trip planner for the plans without one above.

Is a ticket from GetYourGuide worth it? On a wet day, a dated museum ticket saves time at the door, and the three museum tickets can be cancelled for free. Doing it on your own is fine too, if you do not mind a line at the door and can decide on the day. A ticket suits a fixed plan, and it suits you less if the weather is still unclear. The Aladdin ticket cannot be cancelled, so keep it for a day when your plans are firm.

Each of the four listings has a rating of 4.3 or higher: MoMA 4.6, Guggenheim 4.3, Mercer Labs 4.5 and Aladdin 4.8. The MoMA ticket has the most reviews, with more than 14,000. Mercer Labs has the fewest, with 845. The museums run their own tickets, and Broadway Inbound sells Aladdin. Three tickets have free cancellation, and Aladdin has none.