Reviews of New-York Historical Society (Museum)

j ellington

Gorgeous. Fun. Great for kids. Amazing place

Suz Sims-Fletcher

What a great treat the new york historical society is! Such diverse exhibits which are always changing. Some of the permanent collection is always on display. From the George Washington portrait that is the basis of the George on your dollar bill to the gorgeous glowing glass of tiffany lamps to shows through the ages and bill Cunningham there really is something fir everyone. Pay what you want on Friday.

World Got Talent

tooop and so great

Danny Palo

one of our favorite museums to visit very close to Sarabeth's which we also love.

Thomas Flattery

George Washington’s Hudson Valley Encampment was spectacular

Caral Parris

Loved the exhibition.

Susan mayo

Must see - "World War I - Beyond the Trenches" - a heart wrenching presentation of American artists' responses to World War I, its horrors and propaganda.

Tara Kemble

I was at the Harry Potter Exhibit yesterday and although I enjoyed the visit, the people working there ended up ruining the experience. I unfortunately had a 6:00 time slot and being a huge fan, took my time. I had no idea it was closing until someone walked through saying “yeah we are closing in four minutes”. And that was all the announcement that was made. after I rushed through the next room I wanted to take a picture quickly in front of the first book cover sign in the lobby while waiting for my family and the man who stopped me was so rude and made me feel stupid because “the museum is closed”. I asked for one picture and he was so condescending about it. It ended up ruining part of the experience for me after months of waiting. This exhibition mattered a lot to me and just because they don’t care doesn’t mean they should take it out on the people who do. It was a great museaum but being treated like that deters me from wanting to go back again in the future. “Making history matter” starts with the way we experience it.

Debra Myers

Great experience

Altin Guberi

Awesome

S M

Harry Potter Exhibit was enjoyable

Pinky Parekh

Enjoy this museum a lot with my kids. They learnt a lot and enjoyed the hands on activity in the discovery club! The Rose Planeterium is wonderful!

james cornish

100% Worth it . No need to pre buy tickets online , everyone joins the same line . Learned a lot

Topher Ziobro

This museum is really dynamic from it's first floor interactive exhibits to it's older historical paintings. Their current exhibit of the Swing era in NYC was engaging and I was happy to see the placards alongside the paintings delve into the artists materials and references for each painting. The attached restaurant also has gracious and helpful staff. My only downside was the inability to take photos, even in the entry way to exhibits like Swing Time.

jens degreef

Nice

Trucking Dispatch

I like

Nickel Teixeira

I must be visiting during an off time, but i learned absolutely nothing about NYC here. Plenty if exhibits about civil rights marches in Alabama, toy trains, and Chinese immigrants in San Francisco, but the small hallway I found had exactly 3 windows about life in New York in general, but nothing about the city itself. So disappointed, just a waste of time and money for things I can see in any other museum in any other city.

Dave Fan

hidden gem, they did a phenomenal job with the harry potter exhibit

Mary Khun

Baked goods are delicious

Ted Barnett

Confusing layout (unclear signage, random exhibits) and very little to do with actual New York history. Spend your time and money at the Museum of the City of New York, or the Tenement Museum.

Susmit Paul

Love History? this is definitely a must visit.

ren hao

Admissions Adults $20 Seniors/Educators/Active Military $15 Students $12 Kids (5–13 years old) $6 Kids 4 and under FREE Admission is pay-as-you-wish from 6–8pm on Fridays.

wael kotb

Nice place

Kaitlyn Lucey

great internship positions available for high school and college students.

Joey Dossche

Went in for a quick visit but stayed for 3h. Loved it!

Herbert K

Visitors and New Yorker's alike will want to keep coming back. The absolute must see is the New York City movie. I have the privilege of living five minutes away, born here more than eighty years ago and this movie still makes me emotional. If you have young kids, the DiMenna Children's museum on the lower level will make your visit even better. These posts stay up indefinitely, so even though it is now under restoration, the Luce exhibit of American artifacts, antique "everything" is a no miss if it is open. Lots of good eating, Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History a whole minute away for a slow walker.

Andre Lourenco

Great to learn a lot about the history of NY

Laura Slabin

Have visited a few times and disappointed every time. The train exhibit consists of ~5 trains. The third floor has been closed for a while. The children's floor has not changed and my kids are bored of it.

Doktor John Ambrose

Endlessly fascinating collections. Informative, educational, entertaining.

Malte Zander

Very varied collection of artifacts relating to a wide range of topics. Has very well-made children's history museum in the basement. Probably best for kids that can at least read a bit though. Changing special exhibition that not necessarily have to do with NYC, but are certainly quite interesting.

Desean Rose

I do love it

Jordan Anderson

This child-friendly museum captures slices of New York history in a fascinating way. Head to the top floor to see thousands of artifacts from NYC, or check out the amazing featured exhibits (Audubon, the current one, is incredible and surprisingly thorough). The highlight of the Museum's collection is Thomas Cole's five-painting series "The Course of Empire". The current exhibition location isn't ideal, but it's worth the price of admission to see these incredibly detailed Hudson River School paintings.

Amir Sedrak

can do better

Matt Bennett

When the best part of a museum experience is the gift shop, you know you've wasted $20.00. The permanent collection was closed when I visited on 2/26/16. There were a handful of items on display on the main floor, but nothing memorable. There were also two separate exhibits: New York and computers (yawn) and a toy collection and that was it, well except for the aforementioned gift shop (some interesting books on New York history).

Janatan Murray

Had trouble parking in this area. The Historical Society is on Central Park WEST also, the streets around here can be confusing.

Richard Gates

Very well worth visiting. Some fascinating exhibits.

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Michelle D Gonzalez

Awesome day!

Amisha Mehta

We went to the NYHS for the first time today. I can't believe it took us this long to discover it. The Children's Museum was lovely. It's spring break in NYC and it wasn't crowded. You could give your children the freedom to look around and explore. They had scavenger hunts, bingo and sketching and all the staff there was wonderful!

Maryann Yin

This place hosted the amazing "Madeleine in New York" exhibit. I love the Keith Haring ceiling in the lobby. All in all, this is a lovely place to visit.

Meg Smith

I didn't know what to expect from the New York Historical Society; I must admit, the name doesn't inspire much. Dull name aside, the museum offers a bunch of interesting exhibits, featuring artwork ranging from the founding fathers' era to the early twentieth century. Exhibits are beautifully curated and do a good job at engaging the audience. We really enjoyed our visit.

Andrew Xia

I'd highly recommend watching their video about the history of New York

Sapir Almog

Big like for it's direct subway station

Martin Smith

I'm in two minds about this museum. I don't think I'd recommend it to more casual visitors looking to learn about NY history. I think to get the most out of it you'd need to have a specific interest in one of the exhibitions. I was hoping for more displays of artifacts in context like they have in the lobby.

Kevin Huang

Museum covered some good elements of NY history. Pretty quick run through unless you read every single thing. May not be worth the price if you don't do some reading. Very informative exhibit on the battle of Brooklyn and various figures in American history.

Nicole Damon

Walked in the door to grab coffee. While waiting went to use the bathroom where we were yelled at by a guard

Steven Smith

I have loved going to the NYHS over the years - they always have interesting and informative exhibits

David Fischer

Went with kids to Harry Potter show. If you are thinking of bringing kids younger than 15 at the show, stay home. Although the show is well put together, it's really an assembly of items related to alchemy, witchery, etc. and some papers and pictures from Rowling's archive. There are no hands-on things, or anything that would be of any interest to a child. Considering the price, timed-tickets, parking, etc. it was a disappointment as the Harry Potter brand is used to bring in families with young kids...but it's not for them.

Giovanni Bugatti

Nice

Anna Dyson

One of the Oldest Museums in America Located in the Upper West Side, this is New York's oldest museum, founded in 1804 where cultural and educational experiences await you. This museum gives you a detailed perspective on NYC's past. Exhibits are varied and cover all aspects of city life. The permanent exhibits on the fourth floor offer a glimpse of urban living, including vintage toys, furniture and clothing. P.S. On the day we visited the museum, found some of the tour guides to be very noisy and loud - unfortunately that distracted me from my museum experience.

Michelle D. Gonzalez

1st time the and it was wonderful, did many things to admire about our history!!

Scott Zawalski

There isn't a ton to see here and what is here is just alright. There is a nice downstairs with a library like feeling that is good to relax and read a couple of books with the kids but if you are looking for a day trip head next door to the American Museum of Natural History. See if you can find the Alice in Wonderland head they have random placed here. (it is a replica of the Alice statue in central park)

vivian piccone jung

The new show about women’s suffrage is very well done. Excellent presentation. I also went into the tiffany rooms. Beautiful work there - mostly by women! The Restauant was booked, even the bar, but the food there is very good if you make a reservation. $$$ though. The coffee shop has some breads and coffees. It is just ok. The whole building is full of interesting things to see and experience. Worth a visit for sure. Just beside the natural history museum it is a nice contrast to the Disney feeling at the natural history museum - though of course that is a wonderful place to visit too.

Rachel Romano

so cool. learned so much. great place. clean and the staff was so great.

Claire Rana

The NY Historical Society has been around for some time.

Meredith Gordon

Often overlooked smaller museum with some great exhibitions; plus the restaurant is lovely.

G Aquino

Visited on a Friday evening, when it is pay-as-you-want. The allotted two hours (6-8pm) was more than enough to see all four exhibits. The 18-minute film, 'New York Story', showing at the auditorium, told the city's colorful history, highlighting its humble beginnings and rise as a global city. There is a small gift shop by the entrance.

Gregor J. Rothfuss

the weirdest part is the attic full of statues, silverware and other random stuff.

Bruce Davey

The continuously showing film about the history of the melting pot that is New York City is brilliant. The exhibits are always high quality.

Jena Korn

Wonderful museum and collection of items and paintings. Especially loved the Tiffany lamps. The kids floor was well curated also and a great place for little ones.

Gord Trotter

Complete waste of time and money! Based on reviews had expected much more. Kept thinking hadnt actually found the heart of the museum. With lots closed just fee artifacts in hallways and some interactive dsiplays on main floor. What a waste!!!

Cloud di Andrea

Top

James Fackrell

One the best and most consistently best curated museums about New York !! Beautiful from all floors Fantastic gift shop and restaurant Great children’s programs

Lucais Horsley

This is the museum of the prestigious New York Historical Society. They have a great standing exhibit of the history of the State and rotating exhibits of small aspects of that history. The art and sculpture displayed are amazing. Of particular interest are the many pieces to be seen nowhere else of the celebrated Hudson Valley School of painters. Very interesting exhibits. Worth a visit. I thoroughly enjoyed the following exhibits: Tiffany stained glass lamps and women photographers The restaurant is expensive.

Davis D. Janowski

I know the historical society not as a museum but as a place for research. And it is one of my two favorite places to do research in terms of a physical space (the other being the main reading room of the New York Public Library humanities collection on 5th Ave. now called the Schwarzman Building).

Leon Lin

Medium sized museum with quite a few interesting collections. Also has pay as your want day.

Brandi Lilly

Family book club events are a great learning experience that happens once a month and includes a review of historical artifacts related to the topic. The children’s museum is also a lot of fun and hands on and the train exhibit was great hit with the kids

aAaa aAaa

I give it only four stars because, while the front desk staff was friendly and helpful, and the exhibits great, at the end, one of the closing security guards was VERY rudely and VERY persistently SHOOING (practically pushing) us out the door at 5:55, even though 6:00 is official closing and we were still admiring something near the front doors on the first floor. The collection itself is great, and I have to go back as I did not have enough tie to see all of it, fairly extensive and interesting.

Rivka Bornstein

We always loved going to the NY Historical Society. BUT I must say charging $20 is over the top! Would have preferred without renovations, when they charged $12... Also they no longer participate in Museums on Us by Bank of America. At one time with that program they were free to cardholders on weekends - then only the first weekend of the month - now not at all. Very sad! We haven't been to an exhibit for some time as a result.

Paolo Berretta

Very nice museum

jnluis soza

Ok

Stephen William

This is a cultural museum, not a historical society. Pretty disappointed.

Reino Hornson

It's a great spot for Historical artifacts, classic but modern, with interactive touch screens, visible information panels, and plenty of open space! The café just looks like an excuse to get drunk, though.

Kelli B

Would like to come back when renovations are done. Think the price should be $10 when you can very easily go across the street for the museum of natural history for a little bit more.

A Monshaw

This is a great museum with a full sized film theater, rotating exhibits from all corners of the city/country (when I went there I saw the "History of Computing" sponsored by IBM and the classic batmobile) and a charming interactive kids museum in the basement (seems perfect for like 3-6 year olds).

Lusy Seitz

It is beautiful museum.

Overdrive Support

Quite an interesting tour - quite a bit of history here in NYC.

Paul Bandak

Something to see for everyone.

Rafael Yau

This is properly one of my favorite museum. It's small, manageable to get around and not too big. The art here is just amazing, I wish I had some skills like that. Staffs are friendly and knowledgeable. Overall great place to visit.

Anthony Muljadi

Great museum about New York

Edward Maddalena

In a city that boats the Met, MoMA, the Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim, some of the smaller museums tend to be overlooked, particularly when that museum sits right next to the aformentioned Museum of Natural History. While it may not have the dinosaurs that reside across the street, or any post modern sculptures, the NY Historical Society does tell the story of the city, as well as America as a whole. Although it boats being one of the oldest museums in NYC, if not the entire country, it offers up history through a slick multi-visual package, effortlessly merging the physical with the digital, giving visitors the deeper story behind historical artifacts. Topped off with a slickly produced mini-documentary covering NY from colony to present day, this museum gives every day New Yorkers pride and out of towners a mix of admiration and jealousy

Moishe Singer

Great museum. Easy to get to on the B and C train. Kids museum on the lower level. Had 3 or 4 galleries upstairs. We spent about 3 hours.

LaDarrius Calvin

Very chill and relaxing

Atsuko Yagi

I've only been to their shop and cafe- very peaceful and great for a break after going through the galleries. I love how neatly the goods are displayed and the employees are so helpful. Baked goods are delicious and surprisingly priced like a normal coffee shop!

Joseph Garcia

A living story of the the people and events that made NYC the greatest city in the United States.

Patrina Huff

Nice space. Runs exhibits and talks. Also hosts educator workshops and produces educational materials.

Stephen Lewis

This is a great museum for people who live in New York and people who don't. Great displays, gift shop and restaurant.

Diane Albanese

Excellent exhibit on the history of magic with Harry Potter as the incentive to get us in the door. The fascination was with JK Rowling’s draft scripts from some of her series. Shows such hard work and genius! The shocker was the extensive Tiffany exhibit that just amazed us in every way! The craftsmanship, color, designs and brilliance of these lights amazed my entire family. Wish we had more time.

Aksel Vannus

Great museum. There was a Highlights tour at 2pm and 3.30pm. The Al Hirschfeld exhibition is very interesting as well.

Kurt Barker

There isn't enough about new York history and the magic exhibits seemed to be lacking. The space seems to be used poorly for what was offered.

Rick Bryant

I went to the New-York Historical Society on Saturday, April 7. I'd purchased a ticket ($48) online to hear a talk by historians Annette Gordon-Reed and Carol Berkin, part of the NYHS's Bernard and Irene Schwartz Distinguished Speakers Series. I presented the confirmation I'd printed at home at the admission desk and was told that I could go right in. Immediately after the talk, I went to the Society’s gift shop and purchased Ms. Gordon-Reed’s new book ($19.54) so that I could have it signed. Signed book in hand, I visited the upstairs galleries. I returned to the main floor and tried to visit the Vietnam War exhibition where I was stopped by a museum guard and told that I needed to have an admission sticker in order to visit the galleries. I told her that I’d purchased a lecture ticket. She told me that I still needed to purchase a general admission ticket. The ticket seller at the main desk confirmed that I needed to cough up another $21 to visit the galleries. When I balked, and explained that I’d bought a ticket for the lecture she told me that I could come back on Friday between 6:00pm and 8:00pm and pay whatever I’d like to pay. I live 200 miles from New York City; returning on a Friday between 6:00pm and 8:00pm isn't an option. I looked over the NYHS's website and the Winter/Spring booklet promoting programs and exhibitions. If the society mentions that a lecture ticket doesn’t provide admission to the exhibits, it's not in a prominent spot. They say that ticket sales are final, that the program is subject to change, and that late comers may not be seated. They don't say that admission to their events does not provide admission to the galleries. When I presented my ticket at the admission desk, no one warned me that I'd still need a ticket to see the Society's exhibits. I shared this experience with an old friend who reminded me that the NYHS charged her $50 a day to use its collection while doing her masters thesis research in the late 1970s. Times may have changed in the last 40 years, but when it comes to extracting money from the public, the society hasn't changed very much at all.

Stephanie Cheng

They did a fairly good job with the Chinese American exhibit. I especially liked the maps they had which mapped out the prostitution and gambling houses in San Francisco.

Juan Diaz

This is no doubt a great museum, but the Fourth Floor galleries have now been closed for almost two years presumably for renovation. How long does it take to renovate one relatively small floor of a museum? Some of the best items of the collection are in the Fourth Floor galleries, and yet the public has no access to this space. As a not-for-profit institution which receives a tax benefit, this museum should reopen the Fourth Floor galleries with or without a renovation. With the Fourth Floor galleries open it is a 4 star museum, without it, at best, two stars.

Brian L

Buy the 2 for $20 Groupon to save you and a friend $10 each off admission. Enjoyed the 20-minute film about New York City narrated by Alec Baldwin, the IBM exhibits, and the interactive touch-screen games in the basement level. Was disappointed that the fourth floor galleries were closed during my visit.

Mary Collin

Tiffany exhibit was an awesome surprise! The admission price is well-worth that alone.

linda paris

Nyhs has some of the best exhibits. I visit as often as possible

Robert Zelenak

I was a bit unimpressed in this museum. I found it too uppity for a museum about New York City. Some of the exhibits had little to no baring on the city or its history. I actually found the children's museum more educational about NYC history than the New-York Historical Societies deal. But, The film though about NYC was very good though.

Vidhi K M

We went to the Harry Potter exhibit at the Historical Society and it did not disappoint. The museum is nice on its own but the Harry Potter exhibit was awesome. The exhibit ended in January but they have different exhibits all the time. There was a exhibit on the Tiffany chandelier’s which was very pretty.

Jed Ford

It’s a good museum, but I really feel my afternoon would have been better spent at the American Museum of Natural History next door, a museum you could spend a whole two days exploring. If you’re a local, great. If you’re a tourist, take my advice and tick off the must-see’s off your list before visiting. Lastly, admission price is too high and does not justify the experience. I imagine a lot of people could skip an entire floor of exhibitions here.

John Duff

Am in Kenya this historical site is so amazing.

Ava Bai

Absolutely worth a trip for locals and tourists alike. I am a born and bred New Yorker and only recently went to this museum. The curators created a really accessible, interesting and educational exhibit with videos and historical photos documentation. I ended up staying longer than expected. I came back a month later and had lunch at Storico, their cafe/restaurant, and had an delicious shashuka. I would highly recommend a visit, particularly if you happen to the in the UWS.

Elan cadiz

Story time with art project Sundays 11:30am -12:30pm

Anne M Rademacher

I highly recommend the current exhibition, Hudson Rising. This is one of the most sophisticated, and yet completely accessible (and fun!) overviews of the relationship between New York City history and the Hudson River that I've ever encountered. The curators are clearly experts who have worked hard to create a visual and experiential journey across time and riverscape that you won't forget. I'm an educator and I've recommended this exhibit to everyone I know who wants to have a great museum experience while learning alot at the same time. Thank you, NYHS, for this fantastic exhibit!

Uri Shusterman

Didn't like the staff's attitude

Joshua Gat

Great for kids.

caroline loo-lew

My Son attends the Saturday Academy- History of Comics and Prep for the SAT.. great program!! excellent!! my son is really intrigued by it! and I am very pleased!! thank you for offering this!!!Hope to attend many more programs.

Jason

Great place to visit

charles j

Permanent collection of art and historical objects relating to the history of New York. A changing selection of exhibits relating to anything from AIDS to immigration to beer. Recently renovated to include permanent objects such as the roof the Keith Haring's Pop Shop and a short film start your visit. Lectures, walks and films provide an added experience on evenings and weekends.

Ryan Stevens

Nice museum. Only spent 1 hour here. $20

Katie Eckman

Great Harry Potter Exbit

Carol Koronec

Was a nice visit to see Harry Potter history

Rob Z

Pretty Disappointing. New Brighton MN has a better history museum than the pitiful, dirty, smelly city of New York.

Fedor von Bock

So interesting.

Ray Yang

Eclectic grab bag of stuff. Some rotating historical exhibits and some really fun stuff, including a gorgeous and massive collection of Tiffany lamps on the top floor.

Matthew Jastremski

Film "New York Story" is a must see!

Gregory Hill

Good place)

Zachary Babkow

Great!

Robert Kuletsky

Excellent, unique museum experience with an awesome children’s museum in the lower level and plenty for all in the upper levels.

Slick Pruz

Awesome history go NY

mark Dio

anyone see vet blakely there?

Kevin So

Great museum, it's a hidden gem in that it's often overlooked compared to the Natural History Museum right next door. The films they show are incredibly well done and makes the visit well worth it! They are must-sees and I highly recommend them, definitely my favorite part! It's like getting a ticket to the movies and a museum at the same time. I came here on a weekday and it was also very peaceful compared to the touristy Nat next door. I had a free admissions pass I got from an event, but if not, I do think the price is very expensive, and if not for the free pass, I don't think I would've come here. There are museums that probably have better value, but if you do have the money to put up, or manage to grab a free ticket outside, I highly recommend checking out this museum! As a New Yorker, born and raised, it got me to really love and appreciate my home and the city I grew up in!

Adam Bavlna

Excellent for children. It is best way for your children to see modern history of NYC. Also there have many things for adult specially old movies in theater.

Rohit Talele

I decided to post my very first 300 word history, just so you can see how basic and, well...corny it can be. For this one, I wrote about the first thought popped in my head regarding Kindergarten. Here it is; Kindergarten - I was five years old when I started kindergarten, but with a September birthday, I turned six soon after. Mrs. Baker was round and wore dresses every day. The first day of school, a little girl in my class cried and cried. She cried every day for weeks. I was curious about her. I watched her come in with her mother. Outside the door, she didn’t shed a tear. But once her mother guided her inside our classroom door, the water works began. She cried all morning. When she wasn’t shriek-crying, she was sobbing, her shoulders raising and falling dramatically. I don’t remember tears, but I do remember that she had a hyper-productive snot gland. She stood there helplessly while Mrs. Baker tried to calm her. Every morning it was the same. Every morning, Mrs. Baker assured her mother that Miss Cries-a-lot just needed a little more time. Months passed. Suddenly one day the classroom was quiet. She was gone and I knew exactly where she was before Mrs. Baker even made the announcement. She was next door, in another teacher’s room. You see, that little crybaby didn’t cry because she missed her mommy. She cried because she wanted to be in the other kinder class – the one with more toys. That’s what she howled about every single day. But that’s not the story Mrs. Baker told. During circle time that morning, she announced that the little girl was now in the other classroom because there were too many kids in her class. I suspect that every single one of my classmates had the same thought…”move me…move me.” After circle time, all the kids were playing when I approached Mrs. Baker. “She really got to move because she cried, right?” I asked. She didn’t answer. “Go play,” she said. She would later tell my mother how smart I was. “She figured out exactly what happened.” She shared. It didn’t take a rocket scientist. Now it's your turn. Open up a page on your word procesor and begin with Kindergarten. Write just a paragraph or two of the first memory that comes to mind. Tie it up quickly and stop. Then challenge yourself to add to it regularly. As a writer, I find it is a good "warm-up" to the writing I must get done on a particular day. Or you may want to use it if you are stuck for what to write. And in the mean time you are doing something even more amazing, you are taking something that is yours and yours alone- a memory- and recording it for generations to come. Good for you! Write Now, Karen

Raasan Ttm

I love history

Aksh

A decent museum

Anne Fernandena

Very interesting exhibits throughout the museum, of interest and relevance to most people. We enjoyed learning the history of the Revolutionary War in New York (George Washington encamped there), the history of the Hudson River and the first environmental protection efforts, historic photos of Muhammad Ali, the garment industry, Tiffany lamps and jewelers, and The Stonewall. The museum is well air conditioned and there is a nice snack bar.

Ulaize Hernández Troyas

Very small and a complete rip off for $20. Some of the collections are good but it certainly does not justify the price.

kegan hall

The fourth floor water fountain has poor water pressure. They also had pretty lamps.

Charles Heckscher

My favorite kind of museum: small, manageable, and of the highest quality. Saw an exhibition of of American folk art in which every item was special - I could have spent hours in the single (large) room. Picasso's huge curtain on the second floor is one of the few pieces that might be a standard tourist attraction - and it's gorgeous - but it's mostly the small things that count.

Traci Cappiello

The New-York Historical Society is now the number one place I will recommend to my friends and family visiting from out of town. It will also be my must-see museum when asked where I'd like to go for a cultural afternoon. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted by friendly staffers who make sure you have everything you need to know to enjoy a wonderful afternoon at the museum. During my visit, I had the pleasure of seeing a swing and burlesque exhibit, along with a civil war and 40,000 items from the early 1900s, including furniture, train sets and other small art pieces. I enjoyed every single piece I came across, though wish some pieces (like the paintings on the second floor) were a bit lower on the wall so I could properly inspect (I'm big on texture and details). I definitely suggest the audio tour, something I overlooked until a security guard saw me on my knees trying to read a desk placard. Oh, and visit the restaurant/wine bar as well, though I hear reservations are suggested since it fills up rather quickly (despite the $13/glass of wine and pricier plates). See you soon, NYHS!

St Mo

Disappointing exhibits. They seemed like they were created quickly and temporary. The stonewall exhibit was hard to follow how it all related to stonewall, and over-simplified. It is presented in a hallway and a small room. Having lived through most of the content, I didn’t feel like it represented the experience for a younger generation. I heard guys in their 20s asking reasonable questions that were not answered in the exhibit. I wish they spent more time, it seemed rushed. Pretty disappointed. The staff was really sweet and the space was opulent and clean

A Google User

Great museum with neat artifacts, interesting art, and helpful staff. I enjoyed the WW1 art exhibit and, suprisingly, the childrens museum the most. It's in a great location too.

Lij T

I was not that impressed, but it was not a waste of time at the same time I probably wont go back. TWO stars because for the price they charge it is not much of a value for the buck. The story of NY show/movie was pretty good. We were done in about two hours, this place is directly across from Museum of Natural History,( now that is a museum worth going!)

caveaenon rivertown

Most beautiful place to learn your history. Very existing experience.

Search of Abroad

Great museum, biggest historical library in the world.

Lorrie Ayers

A great place to do research, attend programs and gain historical perspective on life in the city.

Warren Sze

Fun.

Tony C

One of my favorite places

Ed Dieter

A variety of interesting and informative exhibits. The Sargents in the WW I exhibit are stunning.

Josh Woodward

Overpriced for what it is,especially with a lot of stuff closed. I loved the movie though.

Ahmed Allam

Amazing

Charles Abruzzo

Great experience! Highly recommended to all who visit or live in NYC.

Ted Hayes

This was very much worth the visit. The Tiffany lamps exhibit was amazing. The docent in the Tiffany exhibit was extremely knowledgeable not only about that exhibit but other exhibits also. She made the museum come alive.

Sunshine NY

Good place to visit and the kids can enjoy the exhibition too.

Sam Stone

Phenomenal. Great displays, a boat load of information on New York, and also massive amounts of American history and art.

Cheryl Ostrow

A wonderful small museum on CPW. Make sure you watch the film on the history of the city which is excellent. They usually have several exhibits in addition to their regular exhibits. It’s not the MET - wasn’t meant to be - but makes for a nice few hours alone or with others. Has a great attached coffee house. NYC has many wonderful large and small art institutions. If you visit from outside the city take some time to visit the neighborhoods around the museums. NYC is a city of neighborhoods. Each has a special history and ambiance. Many people spend their entire visit around Times Square and Broadway and don’t visit the other wonderful neighborhoods. TS is a tourist trap. Visit that area to see a play and then spend time like a local. It will make a huge difference in your attitude toward the city. It’s not an easy city. Its often crowded and chaotic but a random left turn will lead you to something wonderful. Overall, it’s a safe city. There are very few bad areas here so don’t worry. The city has about 55,000 law enforcement officers that keep the city moving on good and bad days.

Caitlin Smith

the permanent collection was small and lacking

Martha Mitu

great museum!

marc calef

great place to learn about indiiduals & events effecting the history ofnew york city and the U.S. changing & topical exhibits - Alexander Hamilton, Ben Franklin, Abe Lincoln. Don't miss it!

Pedro Fombellida

Great place for the whole family. I enjoyed the current Picasso exhibit while my kids enjoy the children's historical hands on tour of New York history. Don't miss the historical film, regardless of your status in relation to thw city you will appreciate it and will feel a part of the great metropolis!

Carrie Black

I loved the type writers and I even got to type on them.

David Kolesa

Nice little museum. I would appreciate more information on NYC's history and more NYC related artwork though.

William Holt

Nice place. All the items were properly placed . Their collection was also amazing. The atmosphere was calm and positive. All the stuff was very interesting and unique.

Daniel Orza

Great!

Felicia Kazin Penchina

Great teacher workshops and exhibits.

Greg Dano

If you're looking for a bit of New York history there's no place you should visit first. Inexpensive easy to reach and right in the heart of Central Park. Friendly and informative staff. You'll be amazed at how much our past paved the way for the country we live in today. Enjoy

Alekymia

History of society was wonderful learning experience for children

Yanill Estevez

My daughter and I went in for the Harry Potter exhibit. I loved the gift shop more than the exhibit itself as I feel there wasn't much content. However, it was very well put and the "types" of magic were separated by sections, which is very nice.