The American Museum of Natural History’s Discovery Room has re-opened and it's such great news for kids who enjoy science and their families.

photo credit: Alvaro Keding/© AMNH

While my son is a teen now, when he was younger we visited the AMNH's Discovery Room often. Along with having so many areas for kids to explore, there was fun activities and special learning experiences.

A few we've experienced over the years include:


Meeting the scientist and seeing a real octopus tentacle. We also learned about coral and other deep sea creatures.


Visiting the Seismology Lab to learn about earthquakes, tsunamis and local geologic rumblings below New York’s City.

I'm sure with the re-opening, there's lots more amazing experiences happening at the AMNH Discovery Room!

Discovery Room Re-Opening

Wonders await children of all ages in the Discovery Room, which re-opened on Saturday, October 19 to the public for weekends.

From its life-sized replica of an African baobab tree to an interactive re-creation of a paleontology field site, this engaging space for children is a hands-on introduction to every major field of Museum science and research, acting as a gateway to its world-famous exhibitions and galleries.

Visitors to the Discovery Room can:

• Assemble a life-sized cast skeleton of Prestosuchus, a 14-foot-long reptile from the Late Triassic Period, handle real fossils, and unearth an Oviraptor nest in a re-creation of a paleontology field site.
• Spot animals in a majestic two-story replica of an African baobab tree filled with birds, insects, reptiles, and small mammals.
• Explore a cabinet of fascinating specimens to create your own collection of minerals or arthropods.
• Track real-time earthquakes anywhere in the world on our digital seismographic display, explore the natural world with sophisticated microscopes, and much more.

Free with any admission to the Museum, The Discovery Room will be open on Saturdays and Sundays 10:30 am–1:30 pm and 2:15–5:15 pm. Timed 40-minute passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis, as capacity is limited.

The Discovery Room is designed for children ages 4-12, but children of all ages are welcome when accompanied by an adult.

Learn more, visit - www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/discovery-room