New York’s Museum of Modern Art: Why MOMA is the Best NYC Museum with Kids

New York’s Museum of Modern Art is one of the best places to bring kids when you’re in NYC. Our kids sometimes get tired of all the museums we take them to, but MOMA is different. Getting to visit an art museum that is full of pieces they’re actually familiar with is special, especially when they see something they recognize and have to tell you about it. I love it. Spending time at MOMA is up there with seeing Broadway shows with kids: super special and wonderfully NYC.

As you read on, I think you’ll see why I’ve picked this as a top activity with kids in NYC. Between the famous works you’ll see and the ability to connect to the exhibits, it really is a special place to visit, with or without kids. If you have any questions about visiting MOMA or any other museums in New York, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more, especially about such a cool place as New York City.

Why visit MoMA with Kids

Considering the number of famous art works we came across, it’s difficult to pick out what was realy the best part of visiting MoMA with kids. While not every single room had a piece us adult or the kids were familiar with, I would say that 2/3 of the gallery space had pieces of art that one of us recognized and had something to say about it. That’s always our goal when we’re visiting any museum with our kids: get them to talk about what they see and hear what they’re taking away from the experience.

The Museum of Modern Art with kids is a nonstop conversation, changing from room to room. That was definitely the best part of the experience, but when it comes to the actual art we saw, we each had favorites. Seeing something utterly recognizable, such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, is part of the fun of visiting MoMA with kids. As an adult who’s been to art museums around the world and studied art at the university level, there were many more pieces and artists that I got excited about that the kids did.

Pop art and Cubism are fascinating to me, and it turns out are really great to talk about with kids too. It’s easy to walk into a room full of beautiful impressionist works and see who likes Monet or Cezanne, but chatting with a teenager about Cubism and hearing their thoughts on the style and why an artist would create works like that is exactly why I wanted to visit MoMA with kids. While most ages are good for a day at the Museum of Modern Art, I think it’s most interesting and valuable to add to a trip to NYC with teens.

Tips for Visiting MoMA with Kids

Before you visit MoMA with kids, take some time to gauge their knowledge and interest in modern art. MoMA is so great to visit with children of any age because it’s full of recognizable pieces, so whether or not anyone has had any art education, there is plenty to talk about. I think a good activity with kids before you walk into MoMA is to show them some different pieces to look for when you’re actually in the museum. Talking about artists like Picasso or Edward Hopper and showing kids some examples of their work primes their eyes to be able to pick out interesting art as you go through.

If you don’t want to do a little pre-visit discussion about art, you’ll still enjoy visiting MoMA with kids. While you can easily spend two hours or more going through the many floors of the museum, some people may only need an hour. It’s easy to breeze through the exhibits just looking for the famous works that catch your eye, but I would encourage you to spend time reading the placards about some of the art and artists you don’t recognize too. I mean, craft your own museum experience, but visiting MoMA with kids or just as a singular adult is a great opportunity to understand the creation of art through the years, the evolution of styles and techniques, and the morphing of political commentary and activism in art.

I know that art museums aren’t everyone’s favorite thing to do when visiting New York, but MoMA really is a special experience and it’s worth finding the time to visit. Unlike many other attractions in NYC, admission to MoMA is open ended instead of being timed entry. You’re not limited to the amount of time you can spend in the museum and you can leave and come back in the same day if you want. To prevent museum fatigue (yes, this is a thing in our family) take you’re time doing a few floors, then take a break to grab lunch outside of the Museum of Modern Art, and then return to see the last of the exhibits you want. Breaking up the visit will make it so you don’t have to miss anything.

10 Pieces of Art Not to Miss in MoMA

We all have our favorite artist and their works, and many of mine happen to be a part of the permanent collection at MoMA . I’ve picked, what I think, are the ten pieces of art in MoMA that you cannot miss. These are the works that, if you’re visiting MOMA with kids, you’ll want to be sure you see.

• Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh
• Self Portrait, Frida Kahlo (there are several)
• Waterlilies, Claude Monet
• Golden Marylin, Andy Warhol
• The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali
• Hope II, Gustav Klimt
• Drowning Girl, Roy Lichtenstain
• Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Pablo Picasso
• Christina’s World, Andrew Wyeth (I include this because we spend a lot of time in Maine in the Wyeth family stomping grounds)
• I and the Village, Marc Chagall

There are WAY more famous, familiar and fascinating works of art in MoMA, but I think seeking these ones out if you’re visiting with kids is a great way to see the expanse of the collection and to give them examples they connect to.

Getting Tickets to MoMA in NYC

MoMA is open at 10:30 am daily and closes to the general public by 5:30 pm. If you’re a New York resident you can actually visit MoMA on Friday nights for free until 8:30 pm. You do need to reserve these tickets in advance, but all other admission tickets can be purchased same-day. If you are in the mood and want to maximize your MoMA experience, you can also be a part of a guided tour. Some people like this experience because the museum docents have so much knowledge to share, and usually have their own insights into the key works you’ll see. I like guided museum tours when I’m not familiar with the exhibits, but for me MOMA isn’t a place I would do one. If you’re visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art also, THAT is where I think a guided tour is the best use of your time or tour money.

Operating Info for the Museum of Modern Art

Just in case you need to contact MoMA to get some more detailed information or you just want to browse a bit and see what you can glean from them before you plan your visit, here’s all the info you need to add this to your travel plans.

• Hours / Season of Operations: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm (except Friday extended hours for New Yorkers)
• Website: MoMA
• Phone number: 212-708-9400
• Physical address: 11 W 53rd St, New York NY 10019

More Great New York City Activities to Plan For

Visiting New York City with kids is fun, especially if you don’t live in or near a big city. It can be overwhelming or awesome. Our kids love it, but then they have since they were tiny. Between visiting the Empire State Building, doing the Statue of Liberty and seeing Broadway shows, there are plenty of iconic things to do when you’re in NYC. We’ve picked some of our favorite, tried and true activities that you can easily add to your time in New York.

Here are our top ten things to do with kids in New York City (and they’re great for adults too):

• Visit Times Square at least once (it’s iconic and fun to people watch)
• Enjoy a Broadway show or two (our reviews are linked below)
• Check out MOMA – the Museum of Modern Art
• Ride the Subway – check this off with a ride to the Museum of Natural History or Lower Manhattan
• Do the Historic Sites of Lower Manhattan (Federal Hall, Trinity Church, Wall Street…)
• Visit the Museum of Natural History or New York Public Library
• Walk the Highline – really cool repurposed elevated trail tracks
• Visit the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock (ESB is better)
• Climb the crown of the Statue of Liberty and visit Ellis Island
• Check out a few movie filming locations: Central Park, Katz Delicatessen, Ghostbusters Fire Station, FRIENDS apartment…

There are lots more things to do, but these are things that are easy to add to any itinerary, are good year round, and they’re fun/interesting for any age, including adults.

Adding a Broadway Show to your NYC Trip

Just like how the Empire State Building is a New York City icon, so is the experience of going to a Broadway show. This is one of the more costly activities when you’re in NYC, but it’s also, I think, the most worthwhile. I love when we get to support the arts and I love it even more when it makes an impression on our kids. We’ve gotten to enjoy many Broadway shows with them over the years, so write about them often, including what to expect and what may or may not be appropriate with kids.

Here are our reviews of some of the shows we’ve seen as a family. Check ’em out!:

• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway – the continuation of the Harry Potter story
• SIX on Broadway – the story of Henry VIII’s six wives
• Wicked – an absolute classic and always awesome
• The Lion King on Broadway – such a good show for every age
• Little Shop of Horrors – an unusual pick in a small theater, really fun
• The Great Gatsby on Broadway – new and really beautifully done
• Chicago – good for older kids or if they’ve already seen the movie

Of course there are lots more options for shows. If you want to play it by ear and not get tickets in advance, that’s your call. You can sometimes get great same day deals, but usually the seats aren’t great and you may not be able to get your whole party sitting together. We always get our tickets in advance through Broadway Direct (consistent, easy, mobile app…).

I hope this is helpful and encourages you to visit the Museum of Modern Art with kids and really take advantage of all the culture throughout New York City. It took me many trips to NYC before I started to enjoy it and now that we visit with the kids often and have more and more great experiences, I think it really it a special place to enjoy. If you have any questions about planning your time in New York or need more kid-friendly ideas, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!