Children's Museum of Manhattan

212 West 83rd Street
The mission of the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is to inspire children and families to learn about themselves and our culturally diverse world through a unique environment of interactive exhibitions and programs. From its humble beginnings i... more
The mission of the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is to inspire children and families to learn about themselves and our culturally diverse world through a unique environment of interactive exhibitions and programs. From its humble beginnings in a neighborhood storefront in 1973, CMOM has grown to a 38,000 square-foot 501(c)3 learning facility with outreach programs at 49 sites throughout New York City, and has become a destination for visitors from around the world. Each year, CMOM serves more than 325,000 people, which includes 30,000 children who visit the CMOM as part of a school group and more than 34,000 children served through offsite outreach programs. These outreach programs regularly serve children and their families from at-risk communities through partnerships with community-based organizations, schools and libraries. A key aspect of the strategic plan is to provide free or low-cost access to CMOM and its programs to low-income families. CMOM’s three priority areas flow from the strategic plan and are designed to meet specific needs within the community: early childhood education prepares children to enter kindergarten; creativity in the arts and sciences inspires... more

The mission of the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is to inspire children and families to learn about themselves and our culturally diverse world through a unique environment of interactive exhibitions and programs. From its humble beginnings in a neighborhood storefront in 1973, CMOM has grown to a 38,000 square-foot 501(c)3 learning facility with outreach programs at 49 sites throughout New York City, and has become a destination for visitors from around the world.

Each year, CMOM serves more than 325,000 people, which includes 30,000 children who visit the CMOM as part of a school group and more than 34,000 children served through offsite outreach programs. These outreach programs regularly serve children and their families from at-risk communities through partnerships with community-based organizations, schools and libraries. A key aspect of the strategic plan is to provide free or low-cost access to CMOM and its programs to low-income families.

CMOM’s three priority areas flow from the strategic plan and are designed to meet specific needs within the community: early childhood education prepares children to enter kindergarten; creativity in the arts and sciences inspires creative and analytical thinking skills for lifelong learning; and healthy lifestyles programs provide a blueprint for a family's physical, emotional and environmental well being. These priorities are met through exhibitions, presentations by artists from authentic traditions, and arts and science workshops.

CMOM connects the arts, language, science, math and humanities to the social and psychological needs of the child and family. Our programs and exhibits are designed to address the multiple ways children learn and to help parents understand and support their child’s development. CMOM’s philosophy is reflected in the recently opened PlayWorks™ exhibition, keyed to all of the skills children need for school; the upcoming exhibit, Gods, Myths and Mortals: Discover Ancient Greece, designed as an introduction to art, science and literature; and the Healthy Living Programming produced with local hospitals and health providers to encourage positive daily health habits. This philosophy is also woven throughout its Professional Development Training provided to early childhood and school educators.

More than 80 public performances with authentic performers and 3,000 public programs are offered free with admission, connecting children to diverse cultural traditions and the performing arts. These programs also uniquely engage parents to become more active and knowledgeable partners in their child’s development. Detailed learning objectives and curricula are developed and revised through evaluation and testing, ranging from research projects about how children want to learn about the Greek classics to professional evaluation of CMOM’s programs for families in shelters to early childhood curriculum used at CMOM and in the community. A current professional evaluation of early childhood programs at the museum reveals a distinct success in engaging parents in their child’s education and CMOM as a unique facility that values the remarkable breadth of cultural diversity of its visitors.

Outreach Programs

In today’s culture, childhood is compressed. Families have less time to spend with one another. Individuals, neighbors, and communities are detached. Those with different physical and mental abilities, as well as those new to a community, are asked to either assimilate or remain separate. Resources that educate, care for, and promote communities are stretched thin by demands to do more with less. In this environment, children’s museums stand out as unique places that bring children, families, and communities together for quality learning.

In pursuit of its primary mission to bring innovative learning opportunities to children in the greatest need, CMOM partners with a wide variety of Community Based Organizations as well as City, State and National Government agencies, foundations, corporations and educational institutions to provide programs to over 400,000 children each year. These partnerships and the resulting programs have positioned CMOM as a leader in outreach efforts throughout the city, across the country and around the world.


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Upper West Side Description

Children's Museum of Manhattan is located in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan. The home of diverse cultural attractions, the Upper West side is sandwiched between Riverside Park to the west and Central Park to the east. Both parks are excellent leisurely green spaces to spend a day. Central Park is especially notable, as it is New York’s "flagship" park. With over 843 acres of land, it is home to 275 species of birds. It’s quite easy to spend an entire day there too, as the park has several restaurants on its perimeter, a Boathouse, a Carousel, ball fields, a running track, reservoir, sculptures of Alice in Wonderland and Shakespeare, and a nearly endless list of events and other attractions. In addition to being the most densely populated area of the United States, the Upper West Side is the home of several academic institutions and a litany of famous people too numerous to list here. The American Museum of Natural History is among the most notable museum in the neighborhood. This world-famous museum is comprised of several different Halls, each dedicated to a particular theme. The museum's exhibition-halls house a stunning array of artifacts and specimens from all corners of the world and all historical periods including some magnificent dinosaur fossils. Other nearby cultural institutions worth checking out include the New York Historical Society, and the new Rose Center for Earth and Space which houses the Hayden Planetarium; the most technologically advanced Space Theater in existence. The Upper West Side also contains some of the greatest venues to hear classical music. There is the Metropolitan Opera House —one of the world’s leading opera companies since its opening in 1883—as well asAvery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the renowned New York City Opera. Additionally both The Julliard School and Fordham University grace the area. You’re bound to get hungry while visiting the neighborhood, but fear not -there are plenty of famous places to nosh or grab some classic New York smoked salmon in the Upper West Side. There’s Zabar’s—a heavenly deli if there ever was one; Fairway Market which has a huge, gourmet selection of just about everything; Citarella, with fresh fish and much more; and Murray’s Sturgeon Shop—just to name a few. If you're looking for a more substantial meal, head to Prohibition, an upscale restaurant and bar. The interior, which invokes the glamour and romance of the Prohibition-Era style of the twenties and early thirties, helps create terrific ambience. All of this has made Prohibition a mainstay on the Upper West Side. There's also the takeout booth at Carmine's. Carmine's simple and very popular concept is to serve every meal in the style of an Italian American wedding feast - which means large portions of homestyle antipasti, pastas, seafood and meat entrees served on large platters designed for sharing. And when we say large, we mean large; an entree here could easily feed three to four average eaters. After your weekend mid-day meal, take a walk back through Riverside Park or stroll down Riverside Drive and admire the impressive monuments, grand apartment buildings, and views of the Hudson River, all while burning off a few calories of course. Given the number of attractions and cultural institutions in the neighborhood, the Upper West Side is an ideal location to spend your stay in New York. The charming Excelsior Hotel is located right near the Museum of Natural History and Central Park. Meanwhile, the cozy and reasonably priced Belnord Hotel is another conveniently located option for the budget conscious traveler, as is the Comfort Inn Central Park West.

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Info

212 West 83rd Street
New York, NY 10024
(212) 721-1234
Website

Editorial Rating

Admission And Tickets

$16 - Adults & Children
$13 - Seniors & Visitor with Disabilities
Free for CMOM Members & Infants

This Week's Hours

Open 7 days per week between 10am-5pm

Closed on Mondays beginning Tuesday, 9/6/2022

Nearby Subway

  • to 86th St -- 0.2

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