Reviews of New York City Fire Museum (Museum)

Suz Sims-Fletcher

Jam packed with fire stuff! Impressive, historic. Stuffed horse and dog....not my thing, though....interesting.

Luca Napolitano

Fun and educational for all ages, really good program although bit pricey.

Mrs. Sawyers

Went here with a group of adults with disabilities the staff were very accommodating and respectful to the group

Daragh Toomey

Was quite small and not alot of info given in some of the displays, the 911 section was very good and quite touching

Rebecca Foresight

very educational, great exhibits and the staff here are fantastic

Laura Horowitz

I love this museum so much to see & history

Scott K

A great, affordable experience with a lot of cool exhibits and information.

Robert Mangual

Just go have fun learning....... respect

Raymond Wall

Great place to see the history of firefighting. There’s a 9/11 room that’s quite moving.

Joe Korea

In memory of 343 fireman perished in world trade center collapse

David Greiner

A really great museum. The 911 memorial is very moving .

katya zolotova

fantastic for children and grownups! we arrived 40 minutes before closing and didnt get chance to see second floor. first floor was fun!

R Greenberger

Nice museum. I was just at the fire museum today with my 3 children (ages 7 and under). We saw many old fire trucks. We all enjoyed seeing the old fire trucks. The children were not allowed to climb a FIRE truck. We just wish the they would have a fire truck that is designated for the children to climb.

Athena Chang

This is a small but historical Fire Museum that is worth visiting. It is free but takes donation. There are a lot of of fire trucks, horse carriages and tools on display. You can also try on their 30 lbs gear to see how it feels like to be a firefighter! When we visited, we got a hilarious guide and he was a retired firefighter for 20+ years. He made the tour rather interesting, educational and meaningful. There is also a 9-11 display room.

Mike Bolle

This place is awesome! Lots of History hats off to all of our firefighters. I can't help think about Ghostbusters though when I look at the outside of the building

Nathaniel Schiesl

i went here expecting a bunch of cool fire like blue fire, cold fire, but instead it's about people that do the opposite.

Bo Kim

Great place to have children’s birthday parties

Nicky ann

Let me start by saying you'll need an informed guide and a lot of time. Kids can "drive" an old fire truck, read cool history, dress as a fireman and shop for fdny gear. But the best part is the comfortable layout its especially good for large families because no one can get lost.

Kelly Osvold

The NYC Fire Museum offers a memorable trip through the history of the NYC Fire Department. The 9/11 section is emotionally stirring. The admission is very affordable. They do offer admission discounts for students, Seniors, Firefighters and AAA. Admission is free for active and retired military, as well as for PANYNJ, FDNY, NYPD and DSNY.

Akshara Pillai

We loved this museum.Tickets are very cheap, and the museum is 2 flors. They have amazing replicas or originals of the fire departments equipment and things. And a whole room dedicated for 9/11 remembrance. The entire experience was educational and moving and we really walked out of there feeling a lot of different emotions. The staff were also extremely kind and friendly and the atmosphere was quite nice.

Malte Zander

Nice museum with historical and modern firefighting equipment. Very moving 9/11 memorial as well. Expansive explanations help understand the exhibits. I personally would have liked to see some more modern vehicles, as in post-WWII. But that is certainly personal preference. Almost forgot: there's a section to help children learn about fire safety that looked very well-made.

Desmond Chow

I was really impressed with the New York City Fire Museum. I went there with Google and we had a private tourguide, a retired fireman who was very knowledgeable. The museum is filled with old fire engines and memorabilia from the olden days. We've come a long way in fire fighting technology. This is a great place to take pictures and you can even try on a firefighter outfit, helmet and all.

Travis Gunther

Great history and artifacts, and very enjoyable with to Firefightera visiting at the same time.

ESTHER HOROWITZ

Great place and educational as well. it teaches you about the history and practicalities of fire safety in a really entertaining way.

Dan The Man

awesome family museum, esp since my dad and grandpa were both firefighters, makes it feel extra special, kids love this place,highly recommend!

David and Ruthie Wu

We didn't have an extended amount of time to listen to the self-guided audio tour. For the parts that we did listen to, the audio was very helpful. There was a group of families touring through what seemed like a birthday celebration. One lady was handing a badge to the kids in the group. The 2 rooms I really enjoyed were the room with the timeline and history of firefighting in the city and the room paying tribute to the 9/11 firefighters who lost their lives. It's worth going through and learning the history.

Maria Garland

Some excellent history and fire artifacts to be seen here that I have personally not viewed at other fire museums! Worth the $10 and the stop!!! A hidden gem, must see!!

Daniel P

I wish there was more interactive stuff for kids. No touching is allowed, and no fire pole to slide down. Seems more geared to fire historians than kids. The museum kept my 4 year old entertained only about 30 minutes.

Stephanie K

Very informative. Displays are beautiful!

Leticia Santos

I saw this museum in a list of the 21 best things to do with children in Manhattan. Honestly, it is certainly not. The only interactive thing they have for children is that u are able to dress up as a fireman. I believe that if it was set as a real firestation is it would be much more fun for the children. Instead it has lots of historical things about fireman's and how they used to

Tim Miller

Nice museum with friendly staff. Lots of interesting info on the history of firefighting in NYC.

Joe Marrero

Valueable history of firefighters saving lives. Loved it. Keep up the good work. JM

Edwin vargas

Great place but there should be more staff on site.

A. Bryant

Best kept museum secret in NYC...two levels of FDNY history and 2 rooms dedicated to 9/11, a good gift shop, a child-friendly fire safety room, and lots of firefighters to help you and talk to you. Excellent for children. They will like the taxidermied dog. Mine did. The 9/11 rooms are worth it, very reasonable prices for the museum.

Jenny Perez

Great class trip for the kids!! The fire fighters were very informative and patient with the children. One of them even walked us over to a great lunch spot.

K C

Incredible destination and 911 Memorial #GOFDNY

Victor Lancaster

Great museum with compelling stories or true heros!

Yvonne Burden

Great museum with lots of history!

Dulguun Batbayar

definitely check it out

Ben Taylor

A hidden gem! Not well advertised found by chance, has its own 9/11 memorial. Really moving! Well worth a visit!

Ian Phillips

The whole history of this service of Heroes. Fire trucks and equipment from the 17th century to the present day. Every major fire in the history of NYC is described. The 9/11 gallery is really sad and thought provoking. You need to visit to pay tribute to the Men & Women of the FDNY, Heroes all.

Mickel Gunn

Loveee

James Vieau

Great museum. Lots of history, they have a great setup.

Jason Weaver

Pretty interesting museum. Great artifacts

Dan Brett

We enjoyed the museum but wished there were more detailed descriptions on some of the exhibits. Overall it was good.

Daniel Bido

Great museum. Had great exhibits at centuries old to modern times. One room specially made for our bravest.

Not A Yeti

We loved this museum.Tickets are very cheap, and the museum is 2 flors. They have amazing replicas or originals of the fire departments equipment and things. And a whole room dedicated for 9/11 remembrance. The entire experience was educational and moving and we really walked out of there feeling a lot of different emotions. The staff were also extremely kind and friendly and the atmosphere was quite nice.

Lucais Horsley

Set away from many of the tourist attractions that New York has to offer is this little gem is a must see. Set in a old fire station, you enter and immediately are in a small shop where you pay your entrance fee then told to start in the upstairs room where you will see a large collection of old fire trucks,pictures,and artifacts from around 17th century onwards,downstairs you will see how the fire brigade has moved through the times and you can try on a uniform with breathting apparatus,only then do you realise how tough it must of been to climb the many stairwells in the trade center and theres also a tribute to all those lost on 9/11. Well worth a visit

Leon Ziemba

Amazing!!! As a boy I was fascinated by fire fighting and FDNY in particular. This museum reignited (no pun intended) that intrigue. Even if you're not into it, you will be when you're at this museum. Priceless relics from throughout FDNY history and beyond. There is a room dedicated to 9/11, it is of course sad, but very well done.

C K

Great place. I went there with special needs kids they respect them who they are

Adam Inlay

Cool museum. My son loved it here

Paul Pavlinovich

This museum is absolutely full of history and nostalgia for the machinery, services, volunteers, heroism and people of New York City Fire. After buying a couple of shirts I was given an autobiography of a firefighter which was interesting reading. I really enjoyed wandering the halls of this place. I love old machines and really enjoyed being able to get close to the equipment. The building is fascinating with horse drawn gear right through to the near modern day. The ground floor is #accessible but the upper floor is not. There is a childrens educational exhibit. Stick this on your New York List. #letsguide

Крутой крипер шоу :]

Was good place. You can see firefighters history.

Zahid Nabi

Confused ... Why I went there

Liam Gardner

Brilliant attraction with really detailled features.

Samuel

A nice place to visit with kids... quite cheap as well compared to many other things to do in Manhattan. Staff was unfortunatelly unfriendly. But don't skip your visit because of that. You'll find friendly people all around.

Rosetta Hicks

It was very nice first time there

Dominick Reale

A truly humbling and breathtaking experience. Being a firefighter myself I am truly honored how this museum displays the first responders equipment and vehicles. Every life lost on that day was remembered here and it was done in the best way possible.

DavidBeachhouse1969

Brilliant museum & profoundly moving too

Joe C

Lovely little museum for all ages.

Anthony Del Grosso

Great place. Friendly staff.

Randy Johnson

Very nice, small museum. Lots of information and old fire engines - everything from hand drawn, hand pumped engines up through steam powered engines. They also have a movie about fire boats that is really interesting.

Avalyn Jackson

Quirky informative tour guide. The antique trucks are a beautiful thing to see. Great photo ops. You aren't allowed to touch anything but they do have an area where you can try on the actual fire hat and uniform. There is a separate room dedicated to 9/11 which is very nicely done.

Salim Virji

Although the Fire Museum has a good collection of antique and historical fire-fighting items, it offers little to place firefighting in context, and the museum lacks entirely in exhibits that might appeal to young children. Nothing is available to climb on or interact with, and most exhibits rely on text-heavy descriptions. A single video installation featuring weird! 80s fire safety commercials? accompanies a timeline of NYC firefighting and significant fire events — yet the photos are all at adult eye level. There is a rack of firefighting jackets and equipment that kids can try on.

Ehud Zion Waldoks

Not for little kids. My 6 and 3 year olds were bored. 2 floors of memorabilia

Kerry McInally

Very informative. Very chilly venue though since would recommend wearing a jumper x

sky unidentifiedstorm

Great venue to hold your special occasions. Several levels, to for for parties, museum below. Originally a fire house. 911 Bull located in front. Pay Parking lot next door. Easy to find by car. Transit close by.

Sean Westgate

I loved visiting this place as did my three-year-old son. I would highly recommended for a short visit as it's not that big. But they have a cool selection of fire memorabilia and something about the history of the Shields and hats which I found very interesting. They also have a moving memorial to 911 first responder victims.

Owen Hamilton

Myself and my mother visited the museum yesterday as we had some time to spare before going to the airport for our flight home to England, and we thought it was well worth the visit, I'd have thought the museum could easily charge more for entry and it shouldn't put people off, the only downside to our visit was that it coincided with a children's party and as I'm in a wheelchair that meant we had to wait a while to use the lift to get up to the second floor but that was just bad timing on our part. The 9/11 tribute was very moving to see all the equipment that was recovered from Ground Zero. The most interesting part we thought was the stories about the dogs that were involved in the rescues from a long time ago and to read the story about "Chief" was wonderful, not only that, there he was in his own box! I would definitely recommend anyone makes the effort to go to this museum, I suppose it could be bigger to cover more of the history but I did like the fact that it is housed in an old fire house from 1904.

Allan D

Good exhibits more geared for adult visitors but worth a visit.

Rob Kitchen

Defiently a must see if you are interested in the fire service.

Irene Venditti

A Museum that is a Must for every New Yorker. & the World. It is small but powerful with their history including 9/11. It wonderful to be able to talk to the firemen & hear their experiences on being on the job.

Zsolt Boldoczki

A good little museum showcasing the history of FDNY, including a small exhibit of the 9/11 rescue effort. The exhibits are in good condition and easy to browse and understand. The museum also provides a free audio guide for indepth information.

M Oculus

A once grand fire station serves as the setting for a critical slice of NYC history. Without generations of these brave people, the city would've burned down long ago. They do their best to squeeze a great deal of judiciously selected history into a small space. They're stretched across two modestly sized floors with a third reserved for special events like wedding receptions. They impress you with both large and small displays and don't skimp on important social reforms that helped make them more reflective of the people they serve. There's a solemn section devoted to the sacrifices made by the city's bravest on 9/11 including a specific mention of those lost from the nearest firehouse. What's impressive may be the number of horse (and human) drawn wagons that once formed the primary vehicle response to fires. They're huge and there are a number of them and to think they were once drawn by people - as much as they were by horses - is amazing. In addition, fighting fires was once performed entirely by volunteers and each station was funded by a wealthy benefactor. There are a number of such fascinating details on display here. Definitely worth a visit.

Yolanda Marrero

Awesone place for a party!!

Jenny Showcases

This is a great place. It has a really interesting display on the history of the New York fire department and cool old fire trucks. It also has a very moving memorial to the fire fighters who lost their lives on 911. We went straight after the 911 memorial and it made a great combination. This was a much quieter place for contemplation. I think it's well worth a visit - a great combination of history and cool stuff to look at.

Timothy Lum

Perfect to learn the history

JJ Cardona

Good for kids under 6

Anne Elizabeth Smoak

Love the history here. They have a memorial room for the events of 9/11 with a detailed video of actual footage. The history upstairs includes horse drawn fire trucks and leather art. Also there are some really cool fire throwing devices. Check out the gift shop, and ask any of the staff if you have questions.

KalaMarie Bannerman-Martin

Very informative

Chris Schuck

Great museum history of the FDNY

Joseph W

One of my favorite things I took my kid to during our last visit to New York. Their 9/11 room was also a great way to open a conversation of that day with a 4 year old.

Michelle Allende

Pretty historic and my 5 year old enjoyed himself

Lena R

It great but since its a family place a little more taste and morality would b appreciated. I dont want my children seeing calendars with half naked men or women, firefightets or not. I told the guy at the museum ab it but he didnt seem to care

Jay Settergren

Great experience. Thank you NY-TF1

LAKSHIT K JINDAL

Great place for kids to see

Tim Faustini

This is a neat little stop. My company has hosted a few events in the space on the top floor, but the museum itself is little, but interesting. It would make for a nice detour for tourists.

Patricia Salaam

Very interesting place for kids and adults. Informative and realistic displays

HeyRay

I would love to say I enjoyed my time, however I didn't. The audio guided tour that's offered really doesn't tell you much. I was unable to learn about all the interesting information in the museum. I have bad vision do this is why I asked about the audio tour is. The other problem is they have a little headphones symbol with the number that you're supposed to type into the app, problem was I spent a ton of time just looking for the things. It seems very interesting just wish I could take it all in.

Anthony Nicholls

Highly recommended visiting.

AW IMSI

Very small

Irma Labiosa

Great place to take the family, especially children.

Hiral Amodia

WHAT THEHEEBEE SAYS ABOUT NEW YORK CITY FIRE MUSEUM: I visited New York City Fire Museum during my visit to New York in Feb-2019. This was among the closest attractions from my hotel at SoHo Village and hence on top of my 'must visit' places. New York City Fire Museum is located in the Soho Village area of New York and looks very appealing from outside when you pass by. the old styled design of the building with bright red color doors and windows is difficult to miss when anyone passes by. This is a three storied museum which the tourists can take a tour of at a nominal cost. At display is everything that one might need to know about New Your City Fire Department (NYFD). At display are the different fire engines starting from the very basic ones showing their evolution. There are at display various other artifacts like fireman's costumes, helmet, decorations etc. All the artifacts are supported by detailed description. The best and most emotional portion is the section related to 9/11. This section displays the bravery of the New York Fire Department in dealing with the 9/11 attack and their martyrdom. This is a 'must visit' attraction for all the tourists and particular for kids and students. Every portion of New Your City Fire Museum enhances the respect for brave firemen. Signing Off Hiral Amodia (TheHeeBee)

K UP

Great place to learn the history of NY Fire Service. Alexander Millar exhibit on the third floor was great!

Sherryann Holder

Has a lot of history

Jackie Benevento

It's a bit smaller than I had hoped but great nonetheless. Loved seeing the old trucks and reviewing the history of firefighting in NYC.

John Ross

Wonderful experience.

Simon Hedley

Great rideye

Jorge Picado

Very nice and quite place.. good enough to cool for an hour.

Daiane Silva

Loved the memorabilia, but the guy on the movie room the day we went could have been nicer. All the other museum people were

BabyKayCee Amore

Great learning experience for children as well for adults!!

M Mc

Really interesting history of the artifacts that are inside the museum including a very old manual wooden water pump.

Melanie Mcguire

We took our boys here last week. You can learn the entire history of firefighting and fire equipment in NYC. The memorial room is moving. Our boys weren’t as enthralled as we thought but my hubby enjoyed it.

Mister Jon

Friendly staff. Nice small gift shop.

Timon Behan

This old historic station and very old fire fighting apparatuses where impressive! Also very nice personal.

Peter Kunen

Not very big but interesting

Wallace Shun

A moving tribute to all of NYC's bravest. What a wonderful place to take your kids and learn about our heroes!! Thanks for this.

Kareem Taylor

Nice apot to take the family. Alot of history in the building and a very nice 9/11 memorial. Made me even more proud to be a firefighter.

Robert Bowen, Jr

Absolutely excellent! So much history set before your eyes! You can envision the people and, later, the horses pulling the apparatus! The 9/11 room is so moving and quiet!! What a fantastic place!!!

Dee Rod

Small museum with some fun stuff for kids to see and do.

Jorge Ledesma

Best fire museum you will ever visit. Every artifact imaginable is on display, since the inception of the FDNY. Also a great place for kids to learn fire safety and the gift shop has great items.

Pat McConnell

Very informative and a nice memorial to 911

Steve Smith

An awesome and inexpensive stop for firefighters or those interested in fire history in the City of New York. There is a lot to see in this three story building. Just a few blocks from a train stop, you can walk in and spend a couple hours exploring (if you want to) or a half hour perusing. Tons of history from speaking trumpets, engines, dogs, the halligan bar, and of course 9/11. My wife and I enjoyed it and if you have time and think this might be for you, give it a shot.

Sean Sims

A unique attraction in the big city. I happened to visit the day Santa was rescued from the roof! Two floors of firefighting history provides a very thorough overview in a pretty small space. They also have a very nice banquet room on the 3rd floor for special events. I would highly recommend anyone with an interest in firefighting history visit the museum.

Richard Gute

Visited yesterday and it was great. As a fireman myself it was wonderful to see how our profession was performed in the past. Keep up the good work.

Elizabeth Brown

The pieces are very interesting and the 9/11 exhibit is chilling. Very well put together.

Papote 44

Thank you to Jean Mc Carthy for his time, expertise and patience. In explaining the history of the FDNY to my family and I, on my son's 13th birthday. Thank you Jean for a wonderful day. I might add it's my first time back to the museum since 3rd grade. I'm now 51 yrs. old. Lol

ApplePieAlibi

This was an awesome experience - got to see some old engines and pump and ladder trucks from the past. Learned about the history of the FDNY. Shed some tears at the 9/11 exhibit. From excitement and joy to sorrow and sympathy, you will feel all feelings here, but that is part of what adds to the appeal. It is a complete experience. Being one of NYs bravest is not easy.

Yehudit Hasin

Informational but not for kids. No touching of the fire carriages and the hands on room is not realistic, it is educational but was not fun for a 3 year old, not a game. Would skip with kids less than 8 years old.

Francis Botero

TL;DR: Okay for adults, boring for small children. With it's proximity to the Children's Museum of Art, it sounds like it could be an awesome place to bring kids. Nope. It's more museum, than anything else. When we went the only interactive thing was dressing up, which didn't make up for the fact that everything else has a do not touch sign. I should have checked reviews online first, but even reading them now, it has conflicting reviews.

Danit Almog

Terrific venue! Unique and moving experience.

kst689

It's a very nice museum of the history of the fire fighters and there is a memorial place for 9/11.

James Todd

We found this museum while walking around Lower Manhattan and were glad we stopped by! An elementary class had a field trip there and the staff had it well coordinated. Numerous fire apparatus, devices, insignias, and displays with detailed history posted. Special 9-11 Remembrance section. Multiple floors and gift shop inside. A must see museum for everyone! I learned so much!

Tom IsTheName

Awesome place and awesome piece of history. Great place to bring a kid that is interested in firefighting. If you're interested in the job it's a great place to visit. Good price, free for fdny members. Two floors of historical firefighting artifacts. Highly recommend for everyone

Shmuli Evers

Small museum with lots of fire departments related historical equipment. Also has a 9/11 memorial, for the fallen fire fighters.

Thomas Haas

A great collection of historic artifacts and an awesome resource of information

Roxy NYC

Great place welcoming and interactive

blorenz1011

Museum was pretty good in its own right but their 9/11 exhibit was breathtaking. A lot of care and love went into every part of it. Reasonably priced.

Karla Manley

Great experience. Staff was very friendly to my students and I.

Xavier Avalos

New York City Fire Museum was fun, I had a great time with the family and also love the fact that I got a discount with my I.D card.

Veronica Nunez Baret

I was really disappointment with my last visit to this museum. I took my class for a fun trip and it was the total opposite. I have been to this museum 3 times with my kindergartners and this was the first year they all said they didn’t like it. The scheduled tour was really messy and totally disorganized. The video presentation got cut short because they wanted us to talk to real firefighters that were in the building. Mind you, 5 year olds don’t ask much questions out of the blue of not prompted, specially when it comes to fire safety. Then, the presentation for the smoke house took forever and the presenter was talking to the kids in a very disrespectful manner. This is probably the last visit to this place.

Anna Garcia

Interesting, quite small compared to the big museums in the city

Chien-Hung Liu

Though staying just a few minutes, my boy had a very good time here. His dream came true!

Paul Marlow

Awe inspiring exhibition from 9/11 and an amazing museum.

Samuel Stark

Nice museum about the history of firefighting in NYC from the very beginning to 9/11.

Anna Jánosi

This museum is very close to Greenwich village so if you visit the"friend's" apartment pop in here too. You can try out the actual fire men' s outfit, see a bit of 9/11 original restored relics. And also you can visit some old fire engines and learn about the New York fire brigade.

Timothy Yeung

Nice small museum with decent exhibits. Just consider the entry fee as a donation to the hard working men and women of the FDNY and you'll be happy you went.

Rafael Velez

My son loved this place... Definately worth it