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Museum Tours

COVID-19 update: The Museum is closed to maintain health and safety, and programs are suspended. Read more.

See our self-guided tours and our accessible tours below. 

All tours are accessible by wheelchair.

Public Tours

Museum Highlight Tours

These tours highlight the Museum's collections. Daily at 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, and 3:15.

Spotlight Tours

These tours focus on specific halls or themes. Times and topics vary. Ask any information desk for schedule.

Foreign Language Tours*

These tours are in a foreign language and highlight the Museum's collections. Times and languages vary.

  • Spanish (Español)
    Tours begin at 2:30 pm
    TBD

  • Chinese (中文导览)
    Tours begin at 1:30 pm

    TBD

  • French (Français)
    Tours begin at 1:30 pm

    TBD

  • Additional French tours begin at 12:30 pm

    TBD

  • Hebrew (סיור מודרך בעברית)
    Tours begin at 2:30 pm
    TBD

  • Italian (Italiano)
    Tours begin at 2:30 pm

    TBD

*Tours are subject to change

 

Self-Guided Tours

 

Explainers

Monday–Friday, 1 pm–5 pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10 am–5 pm

Fossil Explainers, identified by a red button, staff the fourth floor to answer any questions about fossils and paleontology.

Earth and Space Explainers, identified by a purple button, staff the Rose Center for Earth and Space, the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites, the Harry Frank Guggenheim Hall of Minerals, and the Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems to answer questions about astrophysics and geology.

 

Accessible Tours

The Museum offers a variety of specially designed tours for visitors with disabilities and their families.

Learn more about accessibility at the Museum.

Sign Language Tours

Experience informative, entertaining, and inspiring presentations of permanent and special exhibitions for both deaf and hearing audiences with simultaneously signed and spoken tours.

Registration required: unfortunately, no walk-ins are accepted. Email [email protected] or call 212-313-7565 at least 72 hours in advance. 

Free for Members or with Museum admission. Programs subject to change. Upcoming tours:

Please note, as of March 11, all tours have been suspended. Read more about the Museum's efforts to maintain health and safety during the COVID-19 virus.

 

CANCELED Fossils - Saturday, March 21 at 12:30 pm CANCELED

 

Programs with sign language are intended primarily for the Deaf community. ASL students may attend, but we do not sign attendance sheets.

Tours for Blind or Partially Sighted Visitors

Visitors who are blind or partially sighted are invited to attend this program, held monthly in the halls of the American Museum of Natural History. Specially trained Museum tour guides highlight specific themes and exhibits, engaging participants through extensive verbal descriptions and touchable objects. Science Sense tours are available to individuals or groups.

Registration required; unfortunately, no walk-ins are accepted. Email [email protected] or call 212-313-7565 to register.

Free for Members or with Museum admission. Programs subject to change. Please note: two weeks advance notice is required to request a Science Sense tour on a date that is not scheduled below. 

Upcoming tours: TBA

Please note, as of March 11, all tours have been suspended. Read more about the Museum's efforts to maintain health and safety during the COVID-19 virus.

 

Tours for Families Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders

The Discovery Squad is a unique tour program designed for families affected by autism spectrum disorders. The program was developed in collaboration with the Seaver Autism Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The program begins at 9:00am on select Saturday mornings. 

Registration is required; unfortunately, no walk-ins are accepted. Call Central Reservations at 212-769-5200 (Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm) to register.

Discovery Squad tours take place before the Museum is open and are free. Programs subject to change. Upcoming tours:

Please note, as of March 11, all tours have been suspended. Read more about the Museum's efforts to maintain health and safety during the COVID-19 virus.

  • CANCELED Saturday, March 14, 2020
  • CANCELED Saturday, April 4, 2020
  • Saturday, May 2, 2020
  • Saturday, June 20, 2020
  • Saturday, July 18, 2020
  • Saturday, August 8, 2020
  • Saturday, September 19, 2020