Museum of the City of New York Tickets and Tours

If you want to feel like a true New Yorker and visit a totally different exhibition, I recommend stopping by the Museum of the City of New York, which traces the history of the great metropolis from its beginnings to the present day through various exhibits.

Specifically, this charming museum with colonial architecture distributes its exhibitions over four floors, including photographs, a curious display of puppets, videos and even a collection of dollhouses (yes, dollhouses too!), which tell the story of New York and its citizens.

This is undoubtedly one of the best museums in New York, which you cannot miss if you are passionate about the city and art.

The best option

Museum of the City of New York Tickets

Skip the queues and get priority entry to the Museum of the City of New York

Perfect if you want to visit this museum without wasting time at the ticket office and with the assurance that you can cancel your plans if you change your mind.

From €20 at Hellotickets

Buying your tickets in advance for the Museum of the City of New York is a must when organising your trip to the Big Apple. Mainly to avoid a terrible queue at the ticket office once you arrive at the building. Remember that, after all, New York is one of the most visited cities in the world and, therefore, its museums are quite crowded. Be prepared!

The advantage? You can visit the museum at your own pace and without rushing, enjoy the preferential access that this option gives you, and also have the right to free cancellation if something unexpected comes up or you change your mind.

The best thing: you can use the time you've saved in the queue to explore the city. ** As Frank Sinatra sang, "New York, New York"** offers a multitude of things to do because the city of skyscrapers is endless, so it's best to make the most of every second.

Recommended if... you want to avoid the crowds and queues that form at the Museum of the City of New York on weekends.

What this ticket includes

• Skip-the-line entry to the Museum of the City of New York
• Free cancellation if something unexpected comes up
• Viewing of the documentary 'Timescapes' (28 minutes)
• Permanent exhibitions
• All special exhibitions

As I explained, it is best to buy the priority ticket , which costs €18. This way, your reservation will be confirmed immediately and you will receive it by email so you can access it wherever and whenever you want. With just one click and without leaving your home!

The price difference between buying in advance and at the museum ticket office is minimal, only 70 pence, and in case of any unforeseen circumstances, if you have purchased in advance, you will receive a full refund. At the ticket office, for example, you would only be refunded 50% if you give at least seven days' notice.

If you are one of those people who likes to leave everything to the last minute, including travel planning (who hasn't done that at some point?), buying your ticket at the ticket office is also a valid option. The current price for the Museum of the City of New York is €17.30.

However, based on my experience at this museum, I don't think this is the best option. Here's why: first of all, buying tickets for the Museum of the City of New York once you arrive at your destination means that you will have to adapt to the museum's opening hours and availability (tickets are subject to a specific time), travel there well in advance and queue for a long time to buy them.

Secondly, bear in mind that the museum is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which are the busiest days for tourists. This means you'll waste a lot of time queuing, time that, especially in winter when it gets dark earlier, you'd rather spend elsewhere.

Yes, if you want to explore not only the Museum of the City of New York but also all the attractions of the metropolis without breaking the bank, there are several tourist cards that are very interesting and will suit your tastes. Believe me, there is something for everyone, as you can customise them according to the length of your trip and the number of activities you want to do.

Tourist cards that include the Museum of the City of New York:

• New York Pass— from £89
• New York Explorer Pass — from €71

The Museum of the City of New York is located in East Harlem at the top of Museum Mile at 1220 Fifth Avenue 103rd Street and is easily accessible by public transport. For me, perhaps the most convenient way to get around the Big Apple is to use the underground, where a single ticket costs around €2.60.

However, the New York Underground is literally a city beneath the city. So you don't get scared, here are some basic tips to help you find your way around and use the New York Underground.

Recommended methods of transport

• By bus: take the M1, M2, M3, M4 or M106 lines to 104th Street
• By subway: you can take the red lines 2 and 3 or the green line 6
• By bicycle: most of the institutions on Museum Mile are committed to eco-friendly transport and have parking facilities for these vehicles nearby. This is no exception. There is a Citi Bike – the public bicycle parking system – on Fifth Avenue at 103rd St.

Nuria's Traveller Tip

Note for savers! If you plan to use public transport several times, the best option is to buy a MetroCard, which is valid for the underground and buses.

Unlike most museums in the Big Apple, this little gem is only open from Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. I suggest you check the opening hours on the official website before you go, as they tend to change depending on the time of year (it closes earlier in winter). Please note! It is also closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

If I may make a suggestion, it is best to visit the Museum of the City of New York on Friday morning and avoid Saturdays and Sundays. It is a fairly small gallery and you may encounter crowding issues on weekends. This way, you can wander freely through the exhibitions!

To whet your appetite, every half hour (between 10:15 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.) the museum screens the award-winning 28-minute documentary 'Timescapes', which gives a quick overview of the history of New York and serves as an introduction to the museum. I suggest you bring your own headphones for the interactive experiences in the galleries. You'll also find an exhibition of toys and antiques, the Stettheimer House collection, and many other surprises in the temporary exhibitions. A sneak peek:

Stories of New York

In particular, you will enjoy the exhibition Collecting New York Stories, a collection of historical and contemporary photographs spanning from colonial times to the recent past, featuring works by both well-known and emerging artists, including Janette Beckman, Bruce Davidson, Richard Sandler, Harvey Wang, and many others.

Puppets of New York

Until 3 April 2022, you can also visit the exhibition Puppets of New York, which explores the surprising history of New York City's most extravagant residents: the puppets that travelled with immigrant communities to settle in the city. Likewise, if you are a music lover , you will love the exhibition New York, New Music, a retrospective look at the musical revolution of the 1980s in the great metropolis.

Activist New York

And my favourite and the museum's highlight: Activist New York, which, through artefacts, photographs, audio and visual presentations, tells the story of the different movements that have taken place in the city: the fight against slavery, sexual freedom, the women's revolution and religious freedom, among others.

That's a personal answer that will depend on the type of museum visitor you are, how interested you are in the exhibition, and how much time you have in the city. Personally, I think you can see the exhibition in an hour and a half if you want to do a quick visit, or in about two hours if you want to take a more detailed look.

Keep in mind that, as I mentioned, the documentary 'Timescapes', which quickly contextualises the history of the great city, will take you 28 minutes. In my opinion, it's better to take your time and enjoy the museum's surprises, such as the shop, which will remind you of your teenage years. Don't just tick it off your list!

Yes, there are private tours and guided group experiences. If you want a more personal and intimate experience, the museum offers the option of booking a one-hour tour with an expert guide or with the art curators in charge of the exhibitions, which can enhance your experience. This format is recommended for families, university groups, companies, team activities and organised groups. Here are the two options available:

What the guided tour includes

• 1-hour guided tour during the museum's opening hours
• Free admission to the galleries and special exhibitions
• 15% discount in the museum shop
• From €303 (please note that this is a flat rate for groups of up to 10 people)
• Drink and snack

What's included in the guided tour

VIP

• 1-hour tour led by the museum curator during the museum's opening hours
• Free admission to the museum's galleries and special exhibitions
• 15% discount in the museum shop
• From €692 (flat rate for up to 10 people)
• Drink and snack

Is it worth paying for one of these tours?

It depends mainly on your budget and the number of people travelling. Personally, I think it's worth it if you're a large group. For example, if you're travelling with your family (a group of 10 people), the guided option will cost £30 per person.

If this isn't the case (and you're only going with a friend or your partner) and you're on a tight budget, I recommend buying the priority ticket and downloading the Urban Archive app to your mobile phone for a free guided tour with your ticket so you don't miss any details of the exhibition.

The museum has launched Project Kid, an initiative in which artist and programme founder Amanda Kingloff holds virtual sessions teaching children how to make crafts at home using everyday objects with a New York City theme. Do you remember the TV programmes Art Attack and El Manitas? This is something similar.

This art project is aimed at families and children over the age of 7 to stimulate their creativity. For example, among the proposals presented is to create a snow globe with New York City in the background or to build miniature dollhouses, an idea inspired by the museum's Stettheimer dollhouse collection.

If you like this idea, take a look at this guide full of things to do in New York with children. I'm sure it will make your family trip a great success.

Nuria's Traveller Tip

When you've finished visiting the exhibition, head to the museum shop. It's the perfect place to buy an original gift! You'll find curious objects and unique souvenirs, such as Lego pieces to build the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building.

If you want to take home a fun souvenir from New York (something other than the classic postcard or magnet), I suggest you visit the
museum shop at the end of your visit. It's small but mighty. You'll love it!

There you'll find Epi, Blas, Kermit the Frog and the Cookie Monster turned into puppets, which you can buy for €9.50 each; or if you're one of those who likes practical gifts, you can buy two pairs of socks featuring the characters from the iconic Sesame Street series for €12. Reasonable prices for a museum.

There is also space in the museum for memory and activism with objects inspired by the exhibition 'Activist New York'. I was fascinated by the socks featuring Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which, incidentally, are now sold out. If you want to know who this superwoman is who challenged Trump and fought for women's legal rights, I recommend watching the film 'On the Basis of Sex'.

And if after visiting the museum you're left wanting more, and you don't want to go to the typical galleries, don't worry, New York has many hidden cultural treasures. My favourites are the Guggenheim Museum, which houses paintings by Picasso, Monet and van Gogh, and the spectacular views from the Whitney Museum, ideal for watching the sunset.

Here's the definitive guide to the best museums in New York. Which one will you choose?