Kids Guide NJ | New Jersey Guide to activities, places and events for children, teens and families

PLEASE NOTE:
Hours, prices, exhibit and event information are subject to change.
Please call ahead or use the convenient website links to get the latest information prior to your visit.

visitor information

the broadway league
1-888 BROADWAY, Broadway information line. www.ilovenytheater.com, the official website of The Broadway League, lists shows, sells tickets, and offers dining, hotel information and special offers. Add name and address to Broadway Club for Kids or the Broadway Fan Club mailing list to receive special offers. Kids Night on Broadway will be held on February 2, 3 and 7, 2010. Almost every show on Broadway is free for kids, 6-18, with purchase of adult full price ticket. For tickets and info, visit kidsnightonbroadway.com.
www.generationbroadway.com presents comprehensive information about Broadway with recommended ages for shows, games, activities and exercises designed for kids.
Oct Kids Night on Broadway tickets on sale.

high 5 tickets
All teens ages 13-18 and preteens enrolled in middle school can buy theater, music and dance tickets for $5 with ID at High 5 Headquarters at 1 E. 53rd & 5th Ave. or online @ www.high5tix.org. Museum and film screening admissions and Mon.-Thurs. performances are 2/$5. Take 5 program enables small groups of students and their adult chaperones to purchase tickets for participating arts events, 212-750-0555.

entertainment-link.com
Comprehensive online guide and source for discount tickets to Broadway and other theaters, family, sports, performing
arts and music events.

nycgo.com
The website of NYC & Company, the official marketing organization for the City of New York, provides NYC travel guides, maps, tips, event calendars, promotions and tour information. Visitor Information Centers are located in Times Square at 1560 Broadway (between 46th & 47th Sts.); midtown at 810 7th Ave. (between 52nd & 53rd Sts.); downtown at the southern tip of City Hall Park on the Broadway sidewalk at Park Row; in Chinatown at the triangle where Canal, Walker and Baxter Sts. meet; and in the Financial District at the Federal Hall National Memorial, 26 Wall St. 1-800-NYC-VISIT, visitorinfo@nycvisit.com.

discount tickets
TKTS Times Square Discount Booth
Father Duffy Square, 47th & Broadway (under the red steps). For evening performances open Mon.-Sat.: 3-8, Sun. 3pm to one-half hour before latest curtain time. For matinee performances open Wed. & Sat. 10-2, Sun. 11-3. Sells discount tickets
to same day performances of Broadway, Off-Broadway, dance and music events. Cash or travelers checks only.
TKTS Booth at South Street Seaport (Front & John Sts.) sells same day evening tickets and next day matinee tickets.
Open Mon.-Sat. 11-6, Sun. 11-4. See current listings of available tickets at www.tdf.org or sign up for daily email of
available tickets. 212-912-9770.

School Theater Ticket Program
1560 Broadway, Suite 1113, New York, NY 10036, 212-354-4722. Provides discount coupons for plays on and
off-Broadway, events at Lincoln Center and other events in New York City to schools, educational facilities, camps or non-profit groups of 15 or more.

Theater Development Fund
212-912-9770. Teachers, students, retirees, union members, military members and others are eligible to join and receive discounted tickets. Teen blog and student discount show list online.

Hit Show Club
630 Ninth Ave. (between 44th & 45th), 8th floor, 212-581-4211. Responsible for the free discount coupons often found in stores and libraries. Email to join and receive weekly email updates of discount offers, members@hitshowclub.com.

www.BroadwayBox.com
Free listing of discount codes available to purchase Broadway and Off-Broadway show tickets at up to 50% off.

www.nytix.com
Useful website offers Broadway ticket discount codes ($3 fee) and other discount ticket information, free TV show tickets, hotel discounts, tour info, event information.

www.playbill.com
Top Broadway and off Broadway show tickets are available at discounts to those who register on line. You will receive a code to give to the box office upon ordering.

www.theatermania.com, theatermania.com/kids
Comprehensive theater information site with listings, news, reviews, tickets, discount offers and guide to
New York family theater.

American Ballet Theatre
City Center, West 55th St. between 6th & 7th Aves., 212-477-3030. ABTKids Hotline: 212-419-4321. CityTix: 212-581-1212. Oct.-Nov. & May-July seasons feature premieres, full-length classics and repertory ballet, Family Series with half price tickets for ages under 16, and ABTKids performances with pre-performance workshops designed for ages 4-12.
Thru
Full Length Classics, Metropolitan Opera House.
Jul 10
ABT Family Series, series of three different ballets. Children 5-17 yrs. of age are half price.

American Museum of Natural History
Central Park W at 79th St., 212-769-5100. Sky info: 212-769-5900. Tickets: 212-769-5200. 10-5:45, Rose Center open Fri. to 8:45.
Suggested admission: Adults $16, children $9, students/srs. $12. Additional fee for space show, IMAX films, and special exhibitions.
  One of the world's preeminent scientific, educational and cultural institutions displays the world's largest collection of real dinosaur fossils among many other outstanding exhibits, including the Hall of Biodiversity, Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, Hall of Ocean Life, and Rose Center for Earth & Space featuring the Hayden Planetarium. Thematic tours of the museum's collections are offered daily. Visit website for information about adult and children's workshops for ages 4 and up, summer day camps and travel with the museum. For tour info, call 212-769-5566. For workshop info, call Dept. of Education, 212-769-5304. For space show information, see listing for the Hayden Planetarium. For the latest exhibition information, visit www.amnh.org/visitors.
Ongoing
     A Night at the Museum, sleepovers for families and groups with children ages 7-13. Tour the Mammal and Dinosaur Halls with flashlights, see a space show, and sleep beneath the 94-foot-long blue whale in the Hall of Ocean Life. $129 per person includes evening snack and light breakfast. Advance reservations required, www.amnh.org/sleepovers.
     Public Programs, demonstrations, films, performances and special events. 212-769-5315, www.amnh.org/programs for current schedule.
     Discovery Room, an interactive space near the 77th St. entrance offers families, especially children ages 5-12, a behind-the-scenes look at the Museum and its science. Pick up a free timed pass for a 40-min. session at the Discovery Room entrance.
     AMNH Expeditions, family travel programs around the globe. View online or call 800-462-8687.
     Expedition: Treasures from 125 Years of Discovery. Chart your own course through the museum's 40 halls with a CD audio guide and guidebook that highlights fifty vital treasures. Special children's guidebook available.
     Fossil Halls trace the evolution of vertebrate life with more than 100 dinosaur specimens (85% real), videos, exhibits, and computer information stations.      Expedition: Fossils, a 2-hr. random-access CD audio guide is available.
     Hall of Ocean Life, the spectacular home of the beloved 94-foot-long blue whale, has been transformed into a fully immersive marine environment with shimmering blue skylights, ocean sounds, restored dioramas, and ongoing underwater video projections highlighting the diversity of marine habitats. Educator guides available on the museum's website through "Resources for Learning" and children can find a special marine biology section on Ology, the "Kids & Families" section of the website, at www.amnh.org.
     Expedition: Endangered! audio tour leads visitors through 36 threatened, endangered, or extinct species and habitats on display.
Selected Special Exhibitions
Open
     Mysteries of the Great Lakes, IMAX film. Hubble, IMAX film opens July 3.
Thru Aug
     Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World, hands-on activities and interactives bring to life the golden age of the great trading route.
Thru Sept 6
     Lizards & Snakes: Alive!, 60 live lizards and snakes from five continents.
Thru Jan 2
     Race to the End of the Earth, recounts the heroic contest between Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and British Royal Navy Captain Robert Falcon Scott to reach the South Pole in 1911-1912 and explores modern scientific exploration in the Antarctic and the latest research.
Oct 16-May 30
     The Butterfly Conservatory: Tropical Butterflies in Winter, up to 500 live, free-flying tropical butterflies are housed in a walk-through vivarium that approximates their natural habitat.
Nov 20-Aug 14
     Brain: The Inside Story, explores how the brain works, how it is continually changing at different stages of life and how 21st century science can repair and improve it.
Selected Special Events
Nov 26-Jan 1
     Origami Holiday Tree, annual holiday tree display and two lit 19-foot holiday barosaurs welcome visitors to the museum. Volunteers are on hand to teach origami folding.

Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation
West 8th St. & Surf Ave., Coney Island, 718-265-FISH. Winter: Daily 10-4:30. Spring: Mon.-Fri. 10-5, weekends/holidays 10-5:30 (6pm on summer holidays & weekends). Adults $13, children 3-12 $9, srs. $10, under 3 free. Group rates. Parking fee. Indoor & outdoor sea cliffs exhibit, shark tank, touch tank (May-Sept.). Aquatheater features shows year 'round with dolphins (May-Oct.) and sea lion. Hands-on workshops for children and families on weekends, behind-the-scenes keeper and trainer experiences, summer camps, group sleepovers for ages 7-12 (advance reservation, annual brochure available in Sept., 718-265-3448).
New
     Planet Earth: Shallow Seas, 4D experience.
Selected Special Events
Jun
      Fish Tales Extravaganza, marine life reading with children's popular book authors, arts and crafts, and musical performances every weekend in June. 12-4pm.
Oct 30-31
     Halloween at the Ascarium, a not so scary event includes free face painting, arts and crafts activities, haunted house and musical performances. 12-4pm.

Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Park
Fordham Rd. & the Bronx River Parkway, 718-367-1010. April-Nov. 1: Mon.-Fri. 10-5, weekends/holidays 10-5:30. Nov. 2-Mar.: 10-4:30. April-Oct.: Adults $15, srs. $13, ages 3-12 $11, 2 & under free. Nov.-Mar.: Ages 2 & up $9. Congo Gorilla Forest $3 entry fee, reduced off-season. Parking fee. Admission on Wed. by donation. Admission rates discounted during winter. Family or group tours available by reservation, 718-220-5141.
   265 wooded acres allow spacious, naturalistic habitats for over 4,000 animals. Habitats include Congo Gorilla Forest, Tiger Mountain, JungleWorld, World of Birds and World of Reptiles. Special rides and attractions include hands-on children's zoo (open Apr.-Nov.), Butterfly Garden, monorail ride (open May-Oct.), camel rides, Zucker Bug Carousel, and zoo shuttle.
New
     Madagascar!, restored 1903 Lion House and NYC's first landmark LEED (green) certified building.
     Dora & Diego's 4D Adventure.
Nov 26-Dec
     Holiday Activities, weekends.

Carnegie Hall
154 W. 57th St., New York, 212-903-9600. Tickets available at box office, online at www.carnegiehall.org or through Carnegie Charge, 212-247-7800. Sign up at carnegiehall.org/students for $10 student tickets.
CarnegieKids
45-min. concerts presented in the fall and spring introduce pre-school children (ages 3-6) to basic musical concepts through singing, movement, listening and animated feature.
Jan 27-28, 30
     Winter Series, 10 & 11:30am.
Mar 4-6
     Spring Series, 10 & 11:30am.
Family Concert Series
60-minute concerts with world-class artists and hands-on pre-concert activities recommended for ages 5-12. 1pm. $9. Tickets can purchased at www.carnegiehall.org under "Explore and Learn."

Central Park Wildlife Conservation Center
5th Ave. & 64th St., 212-439-6500. Park events hotline: 212-360-3456. Mon.-Fri. 10-5, weekends & holidays 10-5:30. Adults $10, srs. $7, ages 3-12 $5, under 3 free. www.nycgovparks.org/parks/centralpark. Consult centralparknyc.org for walking tours and cityparksfoundation.org for information about cultural events.
   Visit the Tropic Zone, Temperate Territory and the Polar Circle where you can observe animals at close range. Daily animal feedings, guided tours and Wildlife Theater shows (April-Oct.). The Tisch Children's Zoo is an interactive area designed for toddlers and preschoolers to meet a number of small, gentle animals; closed winter.
Dec
     Wild Holiday Party, weekends in December.
Belvidere Castle
Mid-park at 79th St., 212-772-0210. Open May-Oct. 10-5; Nov.-Apr 10-4. Free admission. Houses the Henry Luce Nature Observatory with discovery activities for children and adults.
Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Swedish Cottage, Central Park W. & 79th St., 212-988-9093. Brought to Central Park by Fredrick Law Olsted in 1877, the Swedish Cottage has been home to the Marionette Theatre since 1947. Performances Tues.-Sun. Adults $8, children $5, reservations required.
Other Park Attractions
Historic carousel rides (midway at 65th St., 212-879-0244, free storytelling appropriate for ages 6 and up 11 am on Sat. June thru Sept. at the Hans Christian Andersen Statue (5th & 72nd St., 212-408-0100); model Yacht Club races and regattas most Sat. April thru Nov. on the Conservatory Water (near 5th & 76th); 21 playgrounds.
Jun-Sept
     Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling in Central Park, ages 6 & up. Sat. 11-12. Free.
Oct-Mar
     Ice Skating, Wollman Rink, Central Park East between 62nd & 63rd Sts., 212-439-6900.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
70 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, 212-875-5788.
Fri
     Family Fridays, purchase two regular Friday evening concerts at special subscription price, kids' tickets are free.
Meet the Music Family Concert Series
Afternon concert series or single concerts Nov.-Mar. for families with children ages 6 and up.
Nov 21
     Tough Turkey in the Big City.
Mar 20
     Where Are My Keys?!
May 1
     My What Big Ears You Have! The Better to Listen to Music, My Dear!

Children's Museum of Manhattan
212 W. 83rd St. (between Broadway & Amsterdam), New York, 212-721-1234. Tues.-Sun. 10-5. Adults & children $10, srs. $7, under 1 free. Target Free First Friday Nights: free admission 5-8pm on the first Friday of the month. Hands-on exhibits include Time Warner television studio where daily workshop participants ages 6 & up produce their own TV news; reading/storytelling room; art studio; an outdoor waterplay area (open April to Oct., weather permitting); PlayWorks exploration area for ages 4 & under; and changing exhibitions. Strollers must be checked; no food. Sign up for workshops upon arrival.
Sat & Sun
     Guest artists and hands-on workshops scheduled weekends and holidays, daily in summer.
Ongoing
     Adventures with Dora and Diego, ages 2-6.
     God, Myths &Mortals:Discover Ancient
     Greece, ages 6 and up.
Thru
Sept 19
     Toys: The Inside Story.
Sep 25-
Jan 9
     The Wizard of Oz.

Children's Museum of the Arts
182 Lafayette St. (between Broome and Grand Sts.), 212-274-0986. Wed.-Sun. 12-5; Thurs. 12-6pm. Reserved groups: Mon. & Tues. 10-4. Pay as you wish Thurs. 4-6pm. Admission ages 1-65: $10. Hands-on, interactive arts programs, play areas and exhibitions designed for toddlers to age 10. Art projects daily, music performers and visiting artists on Sat.

Discovery Times Square Exposition
Former New York Times Building, 226 W. 44th St. (between 7th & 8th Aves.), 866-987-9692. Open 7 days 10-10. Admission by timed ticket, fees vary by exhibition. Large-scale exhibitions are presented in the vast space that housed the New York Times printing presses for almost a century. Free education guides can be downloaded for students, seniors, groups and scouts. Audio guides are available online and at the box office. Strollers are not permitted in the galleries. Cafe; Discovery Store; New York Times Store.
Open
King Tut NYC, Return of the King, displays a dazzling array of possessions unearthed from King Tut's tomb.

FDNY Fire Zone
34 W. 51st St. (adjacent to Radio City Music Hall), 212-698-4520. Mon.-Sat. 9-7, Sun. 11-5. Free admission. Multi-media fire safety presentation every hour on the half hour 9:30-5:30, Sun. 11:30-3:30. Adults & children $6, srs. $2, not recommended for children 4 or younger. Fire safety learning center where visitors can climb on a real fire truck, try on bunker gear, meet a firefighter, feel a "hot" door, and learn to crawl through a smoke-filled hallway.

Forbes Magazine Galleries
62 Fifth Ave. at 12th St., 212-206-5548. Open Tues., Wed, Fri. & Sat. 10-4. Guided group tours by appointment on Thursdays. Free, for children of all ages. Galleries occupy the lobby level of the Forbes building and include soundtrack and display of 500 toy boats, 10,000 toy soldiers, collections of the oldest Monopoly sets, trophies, Presidential manuscripts & WWII documents, painting gallery and Faberge gallery.

Fraunces Tavern Museum
54 Pearl St., New York, 212-425-1778. Mon.-Sat. 12-5. Adults $10, ages 6-18 & srs. $5, 5 & under free. Built as an elegant residence for merchant Stephan Delancey and his family, this is Manhattan's oldest surviving building. In 1762, the home was purchased by tavern-keeper Samuel Fraunces and became an important place for politics as well as food and drink. It is best known as the site where Washington gave his farewell address to the officers of the Continental Army in 1783. School tours and guided group tours available. Programs include evening and lunchtime lectures, Family Saturdays and special events.
Sat
Family Saturday, hands-on activities related to 18th century life the first Sat. of every month.
Thru Jun
Magna Carta and the Foundations of Freedom, one of four original copies of the 1215 document that changed the world can be viewed.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
5th Ave. at 89th St., New York, 212-423-3500. Sun.-Wed. and Fri. 10-5:45, Sat. 10-7:45. Adults $18, students/srs. $15, under 12 free. Pay-what-you-wish Fri. 6-8. Audio tours free with admission. Strollers permitted on ground floor only; baby carriers available at coatroom.
   Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the building is a New York City landmark and also home to one of the finest collections of modern and contemporary art. Family tours and art workshops.
Selected Exhibitions
Thru Jun 20
     A Year of Children 2010, showcases work of art students.
Thru Sept 6
     Haunted: Contemporary Photography/Video/ Performance.
Jul 9-Sep 7
     The Geometry of Kandinsky & Malevich.
Oct 1-Jan 9
     Chaos & Classicism: Art in France, Italy and Germany 1918-1936.

Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth & Space
Central Park West at 81st St., 212-769-5900, space show and current sky information. Free audio tours available with admission. Also see listing under American Museum of Natural History.
Tues
     Celestial Highlights, learn about the night sky during the coming month. 6:30-7:30pm last Tues. of each month. $15, students/srs. $13.50.
     Virtual Universe, a tour through charted space. 6:30-7:30pm first Tues. of each month.
Wed
     Field Trip to the Moon, Wed. at 10:30am.
Fri & Sat
     SonicVisionHow Do You See Your Music? digitally animated alternative music show. 7:30 & 8:30pm Friday and Saturday.
Monthly
     One Step Beyond, live bands, DJ, VJs, drinks and dancing in the Rose Center. 9pm-1am. Parents night out, must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets can be purchased at amnh.org/osb or by calling 212-769-5200.
Open
     Journey to the Stars, space show, narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, explores the life and death of the stars in our night sky. Space shows are shown every half hour 10:30-4:30, Fri. 10:30-7.

Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum
Pier 86 (on the Hudson River) at West 46th St. & 12th Ave., New York, 212-245-0072, 877-957-SHIP. Thru March 31: Tues.-Sun. & holidays 10-5, open select Mondays. Adults $22, srs./students $18, ages 3-17 $17, under 3 free. Save $1.50 facility fee by purchasing online.
    Explore the the 900 ft.-long aircraft carrier, USS Intrepid, the command center of the submarine, Growler, British Airways Concorde, A-12 Blackbird spy plane and 25 other aircraft on display. Virtual Flight Zone Simulators include a G-Force Encounter or flying an F-18 jet fighter mission in a Navy Flight Simulator (additional fee). The Exploreum is an interactive area for children. Scavenger hunts and family guides are available for self-guided tours.
Ongoing
     Operation Slumber, overnight program for organized youth groups. Sea, Air, Space or Life at Sea Birthday Parties. Call 646-381-5010 or email groupsales@intrepidmuseum.org to book.
     Weekend Demonstrations, hands-on activities and lessons at 12, 1:30 and 3:30pm.
     Intrepid Investigators, family program 3rd Sat. of the month for ages 6-11 with adult. Advance registration required, 646-381-5163.
Thru Jun 30
     Mission to Mars Exhibit, features a full-scale mode of the Mars Rover.
Jun 12-Nov 21
     27 Seconds-The Apollo I Tragedy, tells the story of the 1967 Apollo I tragedy during routine tests.
Selected Special Events
Jun 19, Jul 9, 23, Aug 6, 20
     Heroes of the Big Screen, summer movie series on the flight deck. Bring lawn chairs and picnic. Doors open at 7:30pm. Free.

Jazz at Lincoln Center
Frederick P. Rose Hall, Columbus Circle, Broadway at 60th St., 212-258-9800. CenterCharge: 212-721-6500. Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra performances, jazz artists, talks, films, Jazz 101 to master classes, WeBop! classes for children 8 months to 5 years old and their caregiver, and family concerts. $10 student tickets (with valid ID) are available one hour before start of performances in Rose Theater and The Allen Room (subject to availability). Hot Seats, $10 seats for each Rose Theater performance, are available on the day of performance through CenterCharge (subject to availability).
Jazz for Young People 2010-2011
3-concert series of kid-friendly lessons by Wynton Marsalis and guests from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra corps, recommended for ages 6 and older. Concerts on Saturdays at 1 and 3pm.
Nov 20
     What is Jazz?
Jan 29
     Who is Louis Armstrong?
Mar 26
     What is the Big Band Era?

The Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Ave. at 92nd St., New York, 212-423-3200. Sat.-Tues., Thurs. & Sat. 11-5:45; Fri. 11-4; closed Wed. Adults $12, srs. $10, students $7.50, under 12 free. Free admission on Sat. Museum explores the diversity of 4,000 years of art and Jewish culture through permanent and changing exhibitions. Culture & Continuity: The Jewish Journey tells the story of the Jewish experience through art. Audio guide available for children ages 5-12, free with museum admission. Family activities every Sun. and selected holiday weekdays; Sun. family concerts and theater.
Sundays Sept-June
     Drop-In Art Workshop, hands-on arts & crafts Sept- projects for ages 3 and up, 1-4pm; Storybooks, ages 3-7, 1:15pm. For more info and complete schedule of family programs, concerts and events, call 212-423-3337 or visit website.
Ongoing
     Archaeology Zone: Discovering Treasures from Playgrounds to Palaces, interactive children's exhibition designed for ages 3-10. Closed Sat.
Selected Exhibitions
Thru Aug 1
     Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret & H.A. Rey. Hours before the Nazis marched into Paris in June 1940, the Reys fled on bicycles carrying drawings for their children's stories. 80 original drawings and watercolors are on view.
     Modern Art, Sacred Space: Motherwell, Ferber and Gottlieb.
Thru Sep 7
     The Monayer Family: Three Videos by Dor Guyz, perspectives from different generations of a Christian Arab family.
Thru Sep 19
     South African Photographs: David Goldblatt. South African Projections: Films by William Kentridge.
Special Events
Thurs
     SummerNights 2010, art and live music Thursday evenings. Concerts begin at 7:30pm.

Lincoln Center
Alice Tully Hall, 65th St. & Broadway, 212-721-6500. Family Musik series features 1 hr. performances hosted by composer/conductor Rob Kapilow with the Family Musik Chamber Ensemble, guest artists, and audience participation. Performances at 2 & 4pm. For the complete schedule of Great Performers at Lincoln Center, consult website.

Little Orchestra Society
212-971-9500. Concert series for both children and adults.
Happy Concerts for Young People 2010-2011
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center. 60-min. 3-concert series begins in Oct. for ages 6-12. Performances at 11 & 1pm. Subscriptions and single tickets available.
Nov 6
     Stravinsky's Firebird.
Dec 18
     Amahl & the Night Visitors.
May 7
     Peter & the Wolf.
Lolli-Pops Concerts
The Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College, 695 Park Ave. (68th between Park & Lexington).The Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College, 695 Park Ave. (68th between Park & Lexington). Popular 3-concert fall and spring series for children ages 3-5. Call for new schedule.

Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Visitor Center: 108 Orchard St. (corner of Broome), 212-431-0233. Tickets: 866-606-7232 or online. First tour at 10:30am, last tour at 5pm daily. Adults $20, students/srs. $15, 5 and under free. Tenement museum, open by guided tours only, consists of a Visitor Center, where all tours begin, and 1863 tenement building, a National Historic Landmark that was home to over 7,000 people from 20 nations between 1863 and 1935. One-hour tours take you into re-created apartments to tell the stories of different immigrant families (suitable for children ages 8 and older). Three hour free parking is available on Broome St. between Norfolk & Suffolk Sts.
Suggested Tour for Children (ages 5 & up) & Families
Sat & Sun
The Confino Living History Tour. In a 45-min. tour designed especially for families, a costumed interpreter, playing teenage Victoria Confino around 1916, welcomes visitors to her apartment as though they were new immigrants and teaches them how to adapt to the American way of life. Visitors can touch any items in the apartment.
Wed
Tenement Wednesdays, every Wed. tour ticket at the Tenement Museum becomes a coupon a stores and restaurants throughout the neighborhood.

Madame Tussaud Wax Museum
234 W. 42nd St., Times Square, 212-512-9600, 800-246-8872. Sun.-Thurs. 10-8, Fri.-Sat. 10-10, closes early for special events. All Access Pass: adults $35, srs. $32, ages 4-12 $28, under 4 free. 20% discount for tickets purchased online. Mingle with notable figures and celebrities from past and present; 4D theater. A hit with teens; bring a camera.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Ave., 212-535-7710. Fri.-Sat. 9:30-9. Sun, Tues.-Thurs. 9:30-5:30. Closed Mon. Suggested: Adults $20, srs. $15, students $10, members & under 12 free. No strollers on Sun. and at most special exhibitions. Back carriers available at 81st St. coat check.
   Magnificent collections of classical art, Old Masters, Impressionists, American art & crafts, and ancient Egyptian artifacts. Chinese garden; rooftop garden; Costume Institute. In school programs; teacher workshops; middle school and high school art classes; family programs in Spanish; access programs and services for visitors with disabilities.
The Cloisters, a branch of the museum constructed from portions of five medieval cloisters, is dedicated to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages and offers a splendid setting overlooking the Hudson River. Located in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, 212-923-3700.
Main Building Events
A host of family programs are offered free with museum admission with no advance reservations necessary. See online calendar at www.metmuseum.org/explore/museumkids.htm for schedule or call 212-570-3961. On weekends and "Holiday Mondays," look for special family greeters in bright red aprons in the Great Hall who can answer questions, hand out activity guides and recommend free art-related programs.
Daily
     Pick up Family Guides and Hunts at the information desks in the Great Hall and at the Garage entrance. To view and print family guides before your visit, go to www.metmuseum.org/explore and scroll down to "Read All About It!" Check at the information desk for scheduled drop-in guided tours and family programs.
Tues-Sat
     Start with Art, 1 hr. storytelling & sketching program for ages 3-7 with adult.
Sat
     Charles H. Tally Art Evenings for Families. 6-7pm. Ages 6-12 and accompanying adults explore galleries through discussion and sketching.
Sat & Sun
     Look Again!, ages 5-12 and accompanying adults explore art through discussions, sketching & art projects. New area and theme each weekend.
     Gallery Talks and programs at The Cloisters on Sat. and first Sun. of the month. 12 & 2pm.
Sun
     Hello, Met! provides an introducton to the Museum for ages 5-12 and adult through discussion and sketching. 2-3pm.
     Gallery Workshops for Families at The Cloisters 1-2pm on scheduled weekends.
     Discoveries, workshop for children and adults with developmental and learning disabilities. Reservations required, 212-879-5500, ext. 3561.
Mon
     Holiday Monday Family Programs, ages 5-12 explore the museum through discussion and sketching on holiday Mondays.
Selected Exhibitions
May-Oct 31
     Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden open weather permitting.
Thru Aug 1
     Picasso in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, features 300 Picasso works.
Thru Aug 15
     American Woman: Fashioning A National Identity, women's fashion 1890-1940.
Nov 26-Jan
     Annual Christmas Tree & Neapolitan Baroque Creche.

Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center, 212-362-6000.

Museum of the City of New York
5th Ave. at 103rd St., New York, 212-534-1672. Tues.-Sun. & holidays 10-5. Families $20; adults $10; students & srs. $6, 12 & under free. Free admission Sun. 10-12. Five floors of exhibits relating to New York and its history. Antique fire gallery, Dutch Gallery with life-size replica of Dutch fort, Big Apple multi-media exhibition, costumes and Toy Gallery contains more than 10,000 playthings from the late 18th century to the present.
Sat, Sun
     Storytelling and special events.

Museum of Modern Art
11 W. 53 St., Manhattan, 212-708-9400. Mon., Wed.-Sun. 10:30-5:30, Fri. 10:30-8. Adults $20, srs. $16, full-time students with ID $12, 16 & under free with adult (includes admittance to galleries and film programs). All visitors on Fri. 4-8pm free. Admission can be purchased in advance at www.moma.org.
   An unrivaled view of modern masters and art movements from about 1885 to the present is displayed in a renovated and expanded building designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. Ford Family Programs offer guided tours, artist talks, art workshops, and film screenings for children and their adult companions (see below for more details).
Ongoing
     Ford Family Activity Guide for ages 4 & up available at Education and Family Information desk on the second floor (next to Cafe 2).
     MoMA Audio, guides to the collections and temporary exhibitions are available free.
     MoMA Audio: Modern Kids audioguide provides four child-friendly tours geared for ages 5-10. Audio guides may be listened to and downloaded onto MP-3 devices at www.moma.org/audio.
     Red Studio (www.moma.org/redstudio), website designed for teens ages 13-19 to explore modern and contemporary art.
     www.moma.org/destination, website for children ages 5-8.
     www.moma.org/visit_moma/family.html, website provides tips for planning a family visit.
     Art Safari: An Adventure in Looking for Children & Adults, www.mom.org/artsafari), book and website for children ages 5-12.
Selected Exhibitions
Thru Jun 28
     Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century, one of the most influential and beloved figures in photography.
Thru Jul 12
     The New Typography, 1920s and 1930s.
Jul 18-Oct 11
     Matisse: Radical Invention 1913-17.
Thru Sept
    Picasso: Themes and Variations, printmaking.
Ford Family Programs
All programs are free with museum admission. Some programs do not require pre-registration, but tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10am on the day of the program. For dates and registration or to be put on the mailing list, call 212-708-9805, email familyprograms@moma.org or visit www.moma.org/family. For info on programs for high school students, call 212-708-9828.
School Year Ford Family Programs
Fri
    Teen Nights, for high school students. 4-8pm, pizza & refreshments served before program begins at 4:45. Bring a valid high school ID.
Sat
     Family Films, 12-1pm in The Roy & Niuta Titus Theater 2. Families should use 54th St. entrance.
     Films for Tweens, for ages 11-14 and adult companions. 2pm.
     Conversations with Contemporary Artists: The Family Edition, 1-2, registration required.
Sat & Sun
     Tours for Fours, morning drop-in program for 4 yr.-olds and their adult companions.
     A Closer Look for Kids, morning drop-in program for ages 5-10 and adult companions.
     Tours for Tweens, ages 11-14 and adult companion. 10:30-12, registration required.
     Family Art Workshop, 10:30-12:30 & 2-4pm. Advance registration required.

New Museum of Contemporary Art
235 Bowery, New York, 212-219-1222. Wed., Sat. & Sun. 12-6. Thurs. & Fri. 12-9. Adults $12, srs. $10, students $8, under 18 free. Free Thurs. from 7-10. A seven-story stack of metal mesh-clad boxes shifted off axis is home to New York City's only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art.
1st Sat
Target First Saturdays for Families, hands-on programs, conducted by museum educators, are designed for families with children and young adults ages 5-15 on the first Sat. of each month. Free, includes Museum admission for up to 3 adults per family. Tickets are given out on a first come, first-served basis.

New Victory Theater
209 W. 42nd St. (just west of Broadway), 646-223-3020. Tickets: 212-239-6200 (Tele-charge). Ticket prices $12.50, $25, $35. Tickets purchased for 3 or more events receive discount and membership, 646-223-3010. Sept.-May season of professional productions specifically for children and their families by national and international artists. Educational programs include day-time performances for students, curriculum materials, after-school career workshops and apprenticeship programs for high school and college students. 646-223-3092 for information. Call for 2009-2010 season.
Ongoing For Teens Only (ages 12-15) includes special seating area, Q&A with the cast, and activities for select shows.
2010-11 Season
Oct 1-10
     Puss in Boots (El gato con botas), world premiere opera. Ages 8 to adult.
Oct 15-24
     ZooZoo, physical theater. Ages 4 to adult.
Oct 29-Nov 7
     Nevermore: The Imaginary Life & Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, U.S. premiere, theater. Ages 11 to adult.
Nov 2-21
     Egg and Spoon, sensory theater. Ages 2-5.
Nov 13-28
     Squirm Burpee Circus: A Vaudevillian Melodrama, circus/variety.
Dec 4-Jan 2
     Momentum Holiday Show, physical theater. Ages 4 to adult.
Jan 7-16
     Nearly Lear, theater. Ages 12 to adult.
Feb 11-27
     Circus INcognitus, circus/variety. Ages 4 to adult.
Mar 4-13
     Skellig, by David Almond, U.S. premiere theater. Ages 9 to adult.
Mar 18-27
     Mischief, U.S. premiere, physical theater/dance. Ages 4-8.
Apr 8-24
     Boom Town, U.S. premiere, circus. Ages 4 to adult.
Apr 8-24
     Potato Needs a Bath, U.S. premiere, puppet theater. Ages 2-5.
Apr 29-May 8
     The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy, U.S. premiere, puppetry/theater. Ages 8 to adult.
May 6- 22
     Peter and Wendy, theater. Ages 10 to adult.
Family Workshops
1 1/2 hr. workshops focus on a different theatrical genre or performance style related to select shows. Tickets to performance are not necessary in order to participate. Visit website for 2010-2011 schedule.

New York Botanical Garden
200th St. & Southern Blvd. (I-95 Bronx River Parkway exit 4B), Bronx, 718-817-8700. Travel directions: 718-817-8779. Event line: 718-817-8777. April-Oct.: Tues.-Sun. and Mon. holidays 10-6. Adults $20, srs. & students $18, ages 2-12 $8, under 2 free. Parking $10.
   250 acres of natural and landscaped grounds include 27 outdoor gardens, a 40-acre forest, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, hands-on family garden and Everett Children's Adventure Garden featuring discovery center, wetland trail, kids herbarium and playful outdoor landscapes. Golf cart and tram tours. Strollers are not permitted in Conservatory.
Selected Exhibitions
Jun 19-Oct 7
     The Edible Garden, features vegetable gardens, displays, demonstrations, Martha Stewart's Culinary Herb Garden, sensory garden, children's gardening activities and four festival weekends. Find harvest times, preparation tips and recipes online.
Nov 26-Jan
     Holiday Garden & Train Show, a holiday tradition in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Gingerbread Adventures in Everett Children's Adventure Garden. Advance timed tickets available online.
Edible Garden Festival Weekends
Celebrity chefs provide healthy cooking demonstrations in the Conservatory Kitchen. Advance tickets available online.
Jun 19-20
     Summer Grilling Opening Weekend.
Sep 25-26
     Fiesta de Flores y Comida, a celebration of Latin American & Caribbean food & flowers.
Oct 9-11
     Family Harvest Festival.
Oct 16-17
     Finale Weekend.

New York City Ballet
New York State Theater, 20 Lincoln Center, Broadway & 63rd, For information and season brochure, 212-870-5570. Tickets at box office, 800-580-8730, or Ticketmaster, 212-307-4100. Winter and spring seasons and annual presentation of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker begins Thanksgiving weekend through Dec. Family Fun Series, a winter series option for families, offers half-price subscriptions for children ages 8-12 and ballet study guides. Student Rush tickets are available for select repertory performances.
Nov-
Jan 2
     George Balanchine's The Nutcracker.

New York City Opera
David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center, 212-721-6500. Box office 212-870-5570. Oct.-April season features new and classic productions and abridged family matinee. Full-time students age 29 and under can purchase up to two tickets for $12 each. Rush tickets available on Mondays.
Apr 9
     Where the Wild Things Are: Family Opera in 2011 Concert, fantastical opera composed by Oliver Knussen to a libretto by Sendak based on the beloved children's book by Maurice Sendak.

New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th St. & 48th Ave., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, 718-699-0005. Sept.-June: Tues.-Thurs. 9:30-2, Fri. 9:30-5, Sat. & Sun. 10-6, closed Mon. except holidays. July & Aug.: Mon.-Fri. 9:30-5. Sat. & Sun. 10-6. Adults $11; students (2-17)/srs. $8. Sept. 1-Jun 30: Free Fri. 2-5pm and Sun. 10-11. No free hours during July and Aug.
   Originally built as a pavilion for the 1964-65 World's Fair, the building and grounds now feature more than 400 hands-on exhibits devoted to science and technology including a space exhibit, biochemistry lab, technology gallery, sports challenge, interactive math exhibition and Preschool Discovery Place. Birthday parties; sleepovers; scout and community programs.
Sat & Sun
     Drop-in workshops, demonstrations, videos and make-and-take activities related to a monthly theme.
Open
     Historic Rocket Park, chronicles the history of rocket development and includes an Atlas rocket, original Mercury 1 capsule and interactive "climb-in" replica of the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule that carried the first American Astronaut John Glenn into orbit.
Apr 1-Dec 31
     Science Playground. Experience physics through outdoor play equipment special slides, seesaws, water wheels, windmills and musical sound station. For all ages with adult supervision. Expanded area for ages 6 & younger. Flat shoes must be worn. $4.
     Rocket Park Mini-Golf, explore the science behind mini-golf.
Selected Exhibitions
Thru Aug 22
     Amazon Voyage, take a virtual journey on the widest river in the world and learn about piranhas, anacondas, caimans, stingrays, more.

New York Philharmonic
Avery Fisher Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, 212-875-5656. Four Young People's Concerts Nov.-Mar. introduce children ages 6-12 to live symphonic music. Pre-concert Kidzone Live! features demonstrations, activities and a chance to talk to musicians. Phil Teens offers $12 Philharmonic tickets, Saturday matinees and pre-concert events for ages 12-17. Very Young People's Concerts use games, active listening and hands-on music-making with musicians of the New York Philharmonic to introduce children ages 3-5 to classical music.
Ongoing
     $12 Student Rush Tickets, may be available up to 10 days before a concert by visiting www.nyphil.org/studentrush or the box office on day of show. Must have valid student ID.
Young People's Concerts 2010-2011: The Ages of Music
Sat. 2pm for ages 6-12; preceded by Zidzone Live!, interactive music fair, 12:45.
Dec 4
     Baroque.
Jan 15
     Classical.
Mar 12
     Romantic.
Apr 2
     Modern.

New York Theatre Ballet
Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St., 212-679-0401. Ticketmaster: 212-307-4100. Annual 1-hr. Nutcracker in Dec. and Once Upon A Ballet series for families with children ages 3-12. Individual tickets, subscriptions, group discounts.

The Paley Center for Media
25 West 52 St., 212-621-6800. Wed.-Sun. 12-6, Thurs.-8pm. Adults $10, students/seniors $8, children under 14 $5. On-going screenings in museum theaters daily or select your own program from over 60,000 radio and television programs to view or listen to at an individual console.
Sat
Re-creating Radio, ages 9 & older produce old-time radio drama in two-hr. workshop. Advance reservations necessary, 212-621-6600.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium
234 W. 42nd St., 212-398-3133. Daily 9am-1am. Adults $24.99, student/sr. $21.99, children $18.99. Themed galleries feature strange and unusual, and sometimes gruesome, artifacts collected from around the world. Group and school tours; event space rentals; themed birthday parties for ages 4 and up. Download free study guides from website.
New
LaseRace, race the clock through a maze of brilliant red laser beams.

Sony Wonder Technology Lab
Sony Plaza, 550 Madison Ave. (entrance on 56th St. side), 212-833-8100. Tues.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5, last group 12 hr. before closing. Free, advance reservations recommended. Interactive science center geared to ages 8-18. Learn the history of communications technology; how the technology works; and try your hand at a variety of professions that rely on communication technology in six simulated work environments-recording studio, TV studio, medical imaging lab, robotics engineering studio, environmental research studio and video game production studio. Weekend workshops for grades 1-12 (reservations required), movie screenings, and special events.

Staten Island Children's Museum
Historic Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, 718-273-2060. Open Tues.-Sun. 12-5, 10-5 when NY Public Schools are closed. Ages 1 & up $5, under 1 free. Grandparents free on Wed. Strollers not permitted. Creative, hands-on exhibits encourage toddlers to age 10 to explore and experiment. Current exhibits include Bugs & Other Insects, Portia's Playhouse, It's a Dog's Life, Great Explorations, Ladder 11 and Sea of Boats (outdoor play-space, weather permitting). Walk-in workshops and pre-school activities most days and every weekend. Staten Island Botanical Garden is next door, free.
Daily
Feeding Time! and Story Time.

Staten Island Zoo
614 Broadway, Staten Island, 718-442-3100, 718-442-3101. See listing under OutdoorsZoos.

Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th St., New York, 212-864-5400. Community-based arts organization is committed to offering a continuing calendar of artistically and culturally diverse programs at the lowest possible ticket prices. Events include Just Kidding, a Saturday morning multi-art series for children ages four and older.

Theatreworks/USA
Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St., 212-279-4200, 800-497-5007. The nation's largest creator and producer of professional theater for young and family audiences tours throughout the U.S. Touring productions and presentations, residencies and workshops available. Enter your zipcode on websute to find local performances.

Whitney Museum of American Art
945 Madison Ave. (at 75th St.), New York, 1-800-WHITNEY. Wed.-Thurs. 11-6, Fri. 1-9, Sat. & Sun. 11-6. Adults $15, students/srs. $10, under 12 free. Fri. 6-9pm pay-what-you-wish. Explore modern masterpieces of American art in Marcel Breuer's landmark building. Free family guides and family audio guides available in museum lobby.
Whitney Family Programs
Each month explores a different theme. Reservations required for family programs, 212-671-5300.
Select Saturdays Apr-Jun
     Family Fun Art Workshop, gallery tour and art activity for ages 6-10 with adult on select Sat. during the school year.
     Artist's Choice, Artist's Voice Art Workshop, hands-on art-making workshop with artist for families with children ages 8-12.
     Whitney Wees, interactive tour of museum galleries for ages 4-5.
Select Fri
     Stroller Tours, tours of current exhibitions when Museum is closed to the public for parents and babies ages 0-18 months..

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