Museum tickets in New York
The best New York museum tickets: Natural History, MoMA and more
Natural History, MoMA, the Met, the Guggenheim and the Intrepid. Here is which ticket to book and which are free.
See our 8 picks
The American Museum of Natural History is a big science museum on Central Park West. A ticket costs from €33 on GetYourGuide. It covers more than 40 permanent halls and the new Gilder Center.
Entry is pay-what-you-wish only for New York State residents with ID; everyone else pays. MoMA, the Met and the Guggenheim each charge about $30 for adults on their own sites. GetYourGuide shows prices in your own currency.
Our 8 picks for New York museums
Four are classic museums. Four are newer experiences, from a TV show set to an ice cream museum.
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from €33 per person Our top pick Any time that day 4.5 (17,821) reviews on GetYourGuide
American Museum of Natural History ticket
Entry to more than 40 halls, the Rose Center for Earth and Space and the new Gilder Center. Options add timed entry to one or all special exhibitions.
Best for Families and dinosaur fans
Check availability: American Museum of Natural History ticket on GetYourGuide -
from €27 per person Any time that day 4.6 (14,445) reviews on GetYourGuide
MoMA entry ticket
Entry to the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown, with all special exhibitions, daily films and an audio guide. The listing names Monet's Water Lilies and Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans.
Best for Modern art lovers
Check availability: MoMA entry ticket on GetYourGuide -
from €34 per person 1-day ticket 4.7 (5,262) reviews on GetYourGuide
Intrepid Museum entry ticket
Entry to the aircraft carrier Intrepid on Pier 86 and the Space Shuttle Pavilion, home of the shuttle Enterprise. The ticket has priority access.
Best for Fans of ships, planes and space
Check availability: Intrepid Museum entry ticket on GetYourGuide -
from €27 per person Timed entry 4.3 (2,405) reviews on GetYourGuide
Guggenheim Museum entry ticket
Entry to all exhibitions in the Guggenheim, with an audio guide and sales tax included. The building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, says the listing.
Best for Architecture lovers
Check availability: Guggenheim Museum entry ticket on GetYourGuide -
from €49 per person 1 hour 4.7 (7,135) reviews on GetYourGuide
The FRIENDS™ Experience
A 1-hour walk through sets from the TV show, with photos on the orange couch. It is on East 23rd Street. Bag check costs $3 an item.
Best for Fans of the show
Check availability: The FRIENDS™ Experience on GetYourGuide - from €43 per person
160 W 45th St
RiseNY
Any time that day 4.7 (808) reviews on GetYourGuide
RiseNY experience
Galleries about New York, then a soaring ride that feels like flying over the city. It is at 160 West 45th Street.
Best for Families who want a ride over the city
Check availability: RiseNY experience on GetYourGuide - from €41 per person
21 Dey St
Mercer Labs
1 h 30 min 4.5 (845) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology
Digital art rooms, a 4D sound gallery and an infinity room with 507,000 LEDs. Plan 60 to 75 minutes. It is at 21 Dey St in Lower Manhattan.
Best for Digital art fans
Check availability: Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology on GetYourGuide - from €36 per person
558 Broadway
Museum of Ice Cream
1 h 30 min 4.3 (3,199) reviews on GetYourGuide
Museum of Ice Cream
Playful rooms with unlimited ice cream samples, at 558 Broadway. Plan about 1.5 hours.
Best for Kids and a fun break
Check availability: Museum of Ice Cream on GetYourGuide
New York museums compared
| Ticket | From | Duration | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Museum of Natural History ticket | €33 per person | Any time that day | Families and dinosaur fans | The museum's own ticket, and the most reviews here: 4.5 from 17,821. |
| MoMA entry ticket | €27 per person | Any time that day | Modern art lovers | The museum's own ticket, rated 4.6 from 14,445 reviews. |
| Intrepid Museum entry ticket | €34 per person | 1-day ticket | Fans of ships, planes and space | The museum's own ticket, rated 4.7 from 5,262 reviews. |
| Guggenheim Museum entry ticket | €27 per person | Timed entry | Architecture lovers | The museum's own ticket, rated 4.3 from 2,405 reviews. |
| The FRIENDS™ Experience | €49 per person | 1 hour | Fans of the show | Rated 4.7 from 7,135 reviews, with timed slots. |
| RiseNY experience | €43 per person | Any time that day | Families who want a ride over the city | A flying ride you will not find in a classic museum, rated 4.7. |
| Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology | €41 per person | 1 h 30 min | Digital art fans | The best pick here for light and sound art, rated 4.5. |
| Museum of Ice Cream | €36 per person | 1 h 30 min | Kids and a fun break | Sweet and silly, though rated lower than the rest (4.3 from 3,199). |
American Museum of Natural History ticket
€33 per personAny time that day 4.5 (17,821)
Details
- Who it suits
- Families and dinosaur fans
- Why we picked it
- The museum's own ticket, and the most reviews here: 4.5 from 17,821.
€27 per personAny time that day 4.6 (14,445)
Details
- Who it suits
- Modern art lovers
- Why we picked it
- The museum's own ticket, rated 4.6 from 14,445 reviews.
€34 per person1-day ticket 4.7 (5,262)
Details
- Who it suits
- Fans of ships, planes and space
- Why we picked it
- The museum's own ticket, rated 4.7 from 5,262 reviews.
Guggenheim Museum entry ticket
€27 per personTimed entry 4.3 (2,405)
Details
- Who it suits
- Architecture lovers
- Why we picked it
- The museum's own ticket, rated 4.3 from 2,405 reviews.
€49 per person1 hour 4.7 (7,135)
Details
- Who it suits
- Fans of the show
- Why we picked it
- Rated 4.7 from 7,135 reviews, with timed slots.
€43 per personAny time that day 4.7 (808)
Details
- Who it suits
- Families who want a ride over the city
- Why we picked it
- A flying ride you will not find in a classic museum, rated 4.7.
Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology
€41 per person1 h 30 min 4.5 (845)
Details
- Who it suits
- Digital art fans
- Why we picked it
- The best pick here for light and sound art, rated 4.5.
€36 per person1 h 30 min 4.3 (3,199)
Details
- Who it suits
- Kids and a fun break
- Why we picked it
- Sweet and silly, though rated lower than the rest (4.3 from 3,199).
- Group size is not stated on the booking pages.
- None of the 8 includes hotel pickup: you meet on site.
- All 8 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 24 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Which New York museum should you book?
Book the Natural History museum for science and families. Book MoMA for modern art, and the Intrepid for ships and space. Pick by what you love, so no room feels like a letdown.
A pass can cover several of these. CityPASS lists the Natural History museum, the Intrepid and the Guggenheim. See our New York sights pass guide to compare.
| Museum | Best for | Who it may not suit |
|---|---|---|
| Natural History | Dinosaurs, space, nature | Visitors who want art |
| MoMA | Modern art | Young kids who need to run |
| Intrepid | Ships, planes, space | Wheelchair users, says the listing |
| Guggenheim | Architecture, art | Visitors who want a big collection |
| FRIENDS™ Experience | Fans of the show | Anyone who never watched it |
| RiseNY | A ride over the city | Visitors who want real objects |
| Mercer Labs | Light and sound art | Visitors who want history |
| Museum of Ice Cream | Kids, photos, treats | Adults who want a classic museum |
American Museum of Natural History: tickets and what they include
General admission covers the main museum. That means more than 40 permanent halls, the Rose Center for Earth and Space and the Gilder Center.
Some shows cost extra: the Butterfly Vivarium, Invisible Worlds, the giant-screen film and the Hayden Planetarium Space Show. The GetYourGuide ticket has options with one or all of them.
On the official site, general admission is listed at $37 for adults, $30 for seniors 60+ and students, and $22 for children 3 to 12. Prices change, so check before you go.
The blue whale is the famous one. The museum says it is a 94-foot model of a female blue whale. It hangs in the Hall of Ocean Life, which every ticket includes. The tour listing says the museum has the world's largest dinosaur fossil collection.
The GetYourGuide ticket has free cancellation. The museum says its own tickets cannot be refunded.
More museum guides
Is the Natural History museum free?
Only for New York State residents. They may pay what they wish for general admission, with ID. Everyone else pays the full price.
Accepted ID includes a driver's license, state ID, IDNYC, a student ID or a utility bill with your address. Each ID covers up to 10 tickets.
How to get to the Natural History museum
Take the B (weekdays only) or C train to 81st St. The 1 train stops at Broadway and West 79th St, two blocks west. The M79 bus stops next to the museum.
The 81st St station is not wheelchair accessible. The nearest accessible station is 72nd St on the 1, 2 and 3.
To stay nearby on the Upper West Side, see where to stay in NYC.
- Address: 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024.
- Entrances: Central Park West at 79th St, the Rose Center at 81st St, and the Gilder Center at 79th St and Columbus Ave.
- Step-free: the Rose Center (54 W 81st St) and the Gilder Center (415 Columbus Ave).
Best time to visit and how long to stay
Plan your visit around the hours. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
We found no official advice on the least crowded time. You can leave and come back the same day with the same ticket, through security.
Large bags, backpacks and outside food are not allowed; water bottles are fine. Lockers cost $7 or $12 a day.
MoMA, the Met and the Guggenheim
All three charge about $30 for adults on their own sites. Kids get in free at each one, up to an age limit. The facts below come from the museums' own sites.
The Met: tickets and hours
The Metropolitan Museum of Art lists adults at $30, seniors at $22 and students at $17. Children 12 and under are free. One ticket covers The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters on the same date.
New York State residents and New York, New Jersey and Connecticut students may pay what they wish, with proof. The Met lists hours of 10 am to 5 pm, to 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Wednesdays. We have no Met ticket on GetYourGuide.
MoMA: tickets and timing
MoMA lists adults at $30, seniors at $22 and students at $17. Visitors 16 and under are free. It is open 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, and to 8:30 pm on Fridays.
New York State residents get in free on Friday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. They must reserve ahead and show proof of address.
The Guggenheim
The Guggenheim lists general admission at $30. Students, seniors 65+ and visitors with disabilities pay $19. Children under 12 are free.
On Tuesdays and Sundays from 4 to 5:30 pm, you pay what you wish. The suggested amount is $10, with $1 as the minimum.
Intrepid and other museum experiences to book
The Intrepid Museum is an aircraft carrier on Pier 86 at West 46th Street. Your ticket covers the ship and the Space Shuttle Pavilion. The listing says it does not suit wheelchair users.
The other four are newer experiences: the FRIENDS™ Experience, RiseNY, Mercer Labs and the Museum of Ice Cream. Three of them take 1 to 1.5 hours, say the listings.
A rainy day museum plan
Museums are the easy answer to New York City in the rain. Pair the Natural History museum with Central Park West, or MoMA with Midtown.
Buy your ticket before you go. The Natural History museum says all its tickets must be reserved online.
For more ideas when the weather turns, see our guide to NYC in the rain.
Booking tips for New York museums
Reserve the Natural History museum online
The museum says all tickets, even pass tickets, must be reserved online before your visit.
Check the free times
Free and pay-what-you-wish entry is mostly for New York State residents. The Guggenheim's pay-what-you-wish hours are open to all.
Leave big bags behind
The Natural History museum does not allow large bags or backpacks. Lockers cost extra.
Mix a big museum with a short one
Mercer Labs and the Museum of Ice Cream take 1 to 1.5 hours, say the listings. They fit around a big museum visit.
New York museums: questions and answers
Is the American Museum of Natural History free?
How much are MoMA tickets?
How much are tickets to the Met Museum?
How do I get to the American Museum of Natural History?
Is the Guggenheim free?
Do I need to book MoMA tickets in advance, and are they timed?
More New York museum tickets, live
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Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (10), facts checked on 24 October 2026
- American Museum of Natural History: visitor information (PDF)
- American Museum of Natural History: plan your visit
- American Museum of Natural History: ticketing FAQ
- American Museum of Natural History: blue whale
- The Met: plan your visit
- The Met: admission
- The Met: family visits
- MoMA: visit
- Guggenheim: plan your visit
- Guggenheim: discounts
Written by the Things to Do in NYC editorial team.