Stand under a 94-foot-long blue whale. Marvel at the collection of dinosaur bones. Come face to face with your human ancestors. Spiral down millions of years of cosmic evolution. And so much more!
Located in the heart of Manhattan—along beautiful Central Park—the American Museum of Natural History presents an exciting concurrence of the past and the future and is a continual delight for the curious of all ages. Current exhibits include:
Journey to the Stars - New Planetarium Space Show
Travel 13 billion years into the past, when the first stars were born, and witness brilliant supernovas that sent new kinds of matter coursing through the universe, into the atoms of our own bodies and the air we breathe. Visit the heart of our fiery Sun, and glimpse its distant future as it transforms into a massive red giant. Tour familiar stellar formations, explore new celestial mysteries, and discover the fascinating, unfolding story that connects us all to the stars. Narrated by Academy Award–winning actress Whoopi Goldberg.
IMAX Film: Hubble
This film allows you to witness up-close some of the most challenging spacewalks ever performed, and experience firsthand Hubble's awe-inspiring imagery, from the heart of the Orion Nebula and our Milky Way to the edge of the observable universe. On view through Jan. 2, 2011.
Race to the End of the Earth
This interactive exhibition recounts one of the most stirring tales of Antarctic exploration: the contest to reach the South Pole in 1911–1912. The exhibition focuses on the challenges that the two leaders–Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and British Royal Navy Captain Robert Falcon Scott–confronted as they undertook their roughly 1,500-mile journeys from the shores of the Ross Sea to the Pole and back. On view through Jan. 2, 2011.
Night at the Museum: The Real Thing
It may be called Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, but just like the original Night at the Museum, the sequel begins and ends at the American Museum of Natural History and features the same wonderful characters found at the museum–Teddy Roosevelt, Lewis and Clark, the Easter Island head “Dum-Dum,” and that mischievous capuchin monkey named Dexter. To locate your favorite characters and artifacts from the movies, ask for the Night at the Museum Fact Sheet at the Information Desk in the Roosevelt Rotunda. Re-live the fun of the films as you wander from floor to floor!
Future Exhibitions:
The Butterfly Conservatory: Tropical Butterflies Alive in Winter
Mingle with more than 500 live, free-flying tropical butterflies in an enclosed habitat that approximates their natural environment with lush vegetation and live flowering plants. Simulated sunlight and the sound of howler monkeys, parakeets, quetzals, and other species complete the environment. On view October 16, 2010 through May 30, 2011.
Brain: The Inside Story
In this exhibition, explore how the brain–a product of millions of years of evolution–produces thoughts, senses, and feelings; experience how the brain is continually changing at different stages of life; and discover how new understanding of the workings of the brain may help scientists repair and reverse declines in brain function. Throughout the exhibition, challenge your brain with interactive puzzles and games that probe neural connections and pathways. On view November 20, 2010 through August 14, 2011.
Inclusions :

• Admission to the American Museum of Natural History permanent collection
• All special exhibits
• Admission to the Planetarium Space Show
• IMAX movie
• Admission to the Rose Center for Earth and Space

Available:
Daily; the museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
Hours of operation:
10 AM–5:45 PM
Duration:
1-day ticket; please allow at least 3 hours to explore the museum
Note:
The Space Show, IMAX movie, and special exhibitions begin at 10:30 AM and run every hour on the half hour; these are scheduled entries. If you miss your show time, every effort will be made to schedule you for a different time.
Children under 2 years are admitted free of charge. To avoid crowds on Saturday and Sunday, please try to arrive before noon. Free audio guides of the Rose Center for Earth and Space are available in English and Spanish. A variety of dining options are available within the museum.
Reservations are not required but are strongly recommended during the following holiday periods:

Nov. 10, 24, and 25

Dec. 26–30

Jan. 1 and 13–15

Feb. 17–19