New York Hall of Science: The Complete Guide

NYSCI makes learning about science fun and engaging for kids and families

By

Heather Cross

Updated on 07/31/19

New York Hall of Science

Address

47-01 111th St, Queens, NY 11368, USA

Get directions

Phone +1 718-699-0005

Web Visit website

The New York Hall of Science, also known as NYSCI, was originally built for the 1964 World's Fair. At the time it was one of the only science museums in the country. Now it is one of the premier science and technology education centers in New York City.

Children of all ages will love the numerous hands-on activities that are simultaneously fun and educational. Rocket Park allows visitors to see some of the first rockets and spacecraft that started the space race. The museum also has an area especially for the youngest visitors, Preschool Place, which is perfect for toddlers.

Visiting the New York Hall of Science with your kids will inevitably remind you of the science museums from your childhood. Although this means that some of the exhibits need updating, it also means there are plenty of the classic science museum displays that you can enjoy seeing your children learn about light, math, and music in the same way you did.

NYSCI has plenty of new and temporary exhibits to explore. For example, in the summer of 2019 there was an exhibit that used an adorable cat to teach children about renewable energy. They could even flip switches and send harvested energy to their cell phones to charge. Another temporary exhibit over the summer focused on women in space. During the warmer months, visitors can enjoy the Science Playground and Mini-Golf course for a small extra fee (Note: The latter is closed for renovations until the end of 2019.)

For up-to-date information about hours, admission and exhibits, visit the official New York Hall of Science website.

What You Should Know About Visiting NYSCI

From Grand Central, it will take about 45 minutes to reach NYSCI on the 7 train.
Plan to spend about two hours exploring the exhibits that most interest your child at the museum.
You can purchase food in the cafe or bring your own. The menu includes plenty of kid-friendly options.
The Queens Zoo, Queens Museum, Flushing Meadows Carousel and Lemon Ice King of Corona are both close to NYSCI, and can easily be combined to provide an entire day of entertainment.
There is (paid) parking right at the museum, but there is also free street parking along 111th Street.