Tips for Visiting the Museum This Holiday Season

Thank you for visiting the Museum this winter! For the most enjoyable experience during a very busy and festive time, we’ve compiled a list of quick tips.

Beat the crowds when you visit between Christmas and the New Year. The Museum will be open an hour early, from 9 am–5:30 pm, on Saturday, December 27, through Monday, December 29.

Did you know? Museum Members can use a dedicated entrance for expedited entry and receive free admission to all ticketed exhibitions, plus discounts in the shops, cafes, and the Restaurant at Gilder. Not a Member? Join today. 

Don’t forget: The new entrance at Columbus Avenue and 79th Street, through the Museum’s Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, has the fastest entry times. Get tickets online in advance of your visit. All visitors are required to pass through security checks before they enter the Museum to ensure their safety.

Reminder: The Museum is closed on Christmas Day but open all other days—including New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

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What Not to Miss This Season:

  • Explore the before-and-after story of the asteroid impact that led to the extinction of non-bird dinosaurs in the Museum’s newest exhibition Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs. Free for Members.
  • See the 150-million-year-old Stegosaurus fossil known as Apex, now on view on Floor 4 of the Gilder Center. Included with any admission.
  • Be sure to check out the Museum’s annual Origami Holiday Tree! The 13-foot-tree is delightfully decorated with thousands of hand-folded paper models created by local, national, and international origami artists. Included with any admission.
  • Discover the chance encounters that have shaped our place in the universe in new Space Show Encounters in the Milky Way, narrated by Pedro Pascal. Free for Members.

More Tips for Visitors:

  • Download our free Explorer app for turn-by-turn directions and highlights.
  • New this holiday season: storage lockers for coats, shopping bags, and other personal items, located on the lower level of the Rose Center for Earth and Space, are available for rent, from 10 am through 5 pm.
  • Make a reservation for lunch at the Restaurant at Gilder.
  • The Discovery Room has returned! 40-minute timed sessions are included with Museum admission. View all hours.
  • Visit the Accessibility section to learn more about Museum facilities, resources, and programs, including a new Sensory Room, located on Floor 1.

Check out Plan Your Visit for public transportation information.