So much of what makes New York City such a unique and vibrant place to live is its world-renowned arts and culture sites. For nearly six months, the COVID-19 pandemic has kept these treasures closed off to the public. But now, with infection rates remaining low, New York's cultural institutions are finally throwing open their doors again - in a socially distanced and safe way, of course. The city's major outdoor attractions were first to reopen, but now, museums are joining the ever growing list of organizations ready to welcome visitors again.
Here's a rundown of what's open and what's not.
9/11 Memorial & Museum - Opens September 12
Museum capacity is reduced to 25%.
All tickets must be purchased in advance for timed sessions.
All visitors must wear a face covering at all times.
Masks can be purchased through the Memorial's "buy one, give one" initiative where essential workers will receive a mask for every one purchased from the 9/11 Memorial Museum Store.
911memorial.org
9/11 Tribute Museum - OPEN
Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
No entry without a mask.
Temperature checks at the door.
Social distancing enforced.
911tributemuseum.org
Alice Austen House Museum - Opens September 8
Museum will only be taking bookings for socially distanced tours of parties of 5 or less from the same bubble, Tuesday - Friday, one group per hour between 12-4 p.m. The tours will be a maximum of 20 minutes.
aliceausten.org
American Folk Art Museum – OPEN
Capacity is reduced and the museum's new hours of operation will be from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
folkartmuseum.org
American Museum of Natural History – Opens September 9
Museum will only open five days a week instead of seven, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
All visitors will need exclusively timed-entry tickets that have to be reserved in advance online.
All visitors ages 2 and up must wear a face covering.
Museum is conducting temperature checks of all visitors at entry.
Elevator and restroom capacity will be limited.
All theaters, including the Hayden Planetarium, along with the Rose Center galleries, will remain closed for the time being.
amnh.org
The Bronx Museum of the Arts – Opens September 9
New reduced museum hours are Wednesday - Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. (Closed Monday and Tuesday.)
A free ticket must be purchased in advance to secure a time slot.
bronxmuseum.org
Bronx Zoo - OPEN
Date-specific admission tickets are now required for all one-day ticket buyers and members ages 3 & up. All visitors ages 3 & up are required to wear a mask or face covering.
bronxzoo.com
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - OPEN
Advance timed-entry tickets are required to enter.
Face coverings are required.
Indoor spaces and interactive exhibits are closed. Food services are closed and picnicking is not permitted. Bring your own water.
bbg.org
Brooklyn Children's Museum - Reopening TBD
brooklynkids.org
Brooklyn Museum – Opens September 12
All visitors must purchase timed-entry tickets online.
To limit the number of people in galleries, only the first and fifth floors of the museum will be open.
Museum cafe and restaurant will remain closed.
Face coverings must be worn by all guests.
Coat check and water fountains are unavailable.
brooklynmuseum.org
Central Park Zoo - OPEN
Date-specific admission tickets are now required for all one-day ticket buyers and members ages 3 & up. All visitors ages 3 & up are required to wear a mask or face covering.
centralparkzoo.com
Children's Museum of Manhattan - Opens October 16
Visitors must purchase timed tickets.
Small group experiences and socially distanced activities permitted.
cmom.org
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum - Reopening TBD
cooperhewitt.org
El Museo del Barrio – Opens September 12
All visitors and members must book timed tickets in advance. Due to significantly reduced capacity, same-day tickets may be limited.
Face coverings are required for all visitors over the age of 2 and must be worn for the duration of your visit.
All visitors are required to have their temperatures checked prior to entering the building.
Restrooms will only permit the occupancy of one person at a time.
Coat check is temporarily closed.
elmuseo.org
Empire State Building Observatory - OPEN
Capacity has been reduced by more than 50%.
Admissions are by appointment only.
All visitors are required to wear face coverings, and they will be temperature screened.
esbnyc.com
The Frick Collection - Will reopen in early 2021 at Frick Madison at 945 Madison Avenue.
International Center of Photography - Reopening TBD
icp.org
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum - Opens September 25
Advance tickets are required.
Attendance is reduced to 25% capacity.
Museum's new hours are Wednesday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The following exhibits and amenities will be unavailable through October 9: Concorde, Growler Submarine and Exhibition, Gift Shop, Food Service, Guided Tours, Audio Tours, 3-D Films and Simulators. All visitors ages 2 and up must wear face coverings.
intrepidmuseum.org
Madame Tussauds New York – OPEN
Capacity is reduced.
Face coverings are required at all times.
madametussauds.com/new-york
Madison Square Garden All Access Tour - Reopening TBD
msg.com/madison-square-garden
The Met Cloisters – Opens September 12
Entry to the Museum is by timed ticket or reservation only and capacity is limited.
Face coverings are required for all visitors over the age of 2 and must be worn for the duration of your visit.
All visitors are required to have their temperatures checked prior to entering the building.
All restrooms have occupancy limits and some restrooms may not be open at the time of your visit.
Coat check is temporarily closed.
metmuseum.org
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Fifth Avenue) – Opens August 29
Entry to the Museum is by timed ticket or reservation only and capacity is limited.
Face coverings are required for all visitors over the age of 2 and must be worn for the duration of your visit.
All visitors are required to have their temperatures checked prior to entering the building.
All restrooms have occupancy limits and some restrooms may not be open at the time of your visit.
Coat check is temporarily closed.
metmuseum.org
MoMA PS1 - Opens September 17
Entry is by advance timed ticket only and capacity is limited.
Tickets must be reserved online. Tickets will be available beginning September 10, and remain free for all New York City residents.
MoMA members receive priority access, subject to capacity restrictions, and do not need to book in advance.
Temperature checks are required for all visitors, and everyone over the age of 2 must wear a face mask or covering. Masks will be provided free of charge if needed.
moma.org/ps1
The Morgan Library & Museum – Opens September 5
Advanced ticket purchase or reservation is required.
Everyone entering the Morgan’s campus must wear face coverings that cover both the nose and mouth.
The Morgan Dining Room, The Morgan Café and coat check are currently closed.
Print materials are no longer available on site.
themorgan.org
Museum of Arts and Design - Opens September 17
Details TBD.
madmuseum.org
Museum of the City of New York - OPEN
Museum is operating at 25% capacity.
Masks are required at all times.
Group tours and in-person programs, lectures and events are temporarily suspended.
mcny.org
Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocauset – Opens September 13
Museum capacity reduced to 25%.
Museum will be open three days per week rather than six days, and with limited hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors must purchase timed-entry tickets online in advance.
All visitors must wear a face covering.
Museum restaurant will only offer take-out and delivery until further notice.
mjhnyc.org
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – OPEN
Entry to the Museum is by advance timed ticket only and capacity is limited.
Tickets must be reserved online and will not be available at the Museum.
Tickets are released one week in advance in one-week blocks, every Friday at 10 a.m.
Members do not need to book tickets in advance.
Mondays are reserved exclusively for members and their guests.
Checkroom is closed, and large bags will not be admitted.
Restaurants are temporarily closed.
The Cullman Education and Research Building, Crown Creativity Lab, Heyman Family Art Lab, classrooms, and theaters are currently closed.
Films, performances, gallery talks, and other in-person events are currently suspended.
moma.org
Museum of the Moving Image - Reopening TBD
movingimage.us
New Museum – Opens September 15
To celebrate reopening, admission will be free to all visitors through Sunday, September 27.
Visitors will be limited to less than 25% of capacity.
All visitors will be required to purchase admission tickets in advance online beginning August 31, 2020.
All visitors ages 4 and up are required to wear a face covering.
Your temperature will be checked upon entering the building.
Coat check, cafe and water fountains are unavailable.
newmuseum.org
New York Aquarium – OPEN
Date-specific admission tickets are now required for all one-day ticket buyers and members ages 3 & up. All visitors ages 3 & up are required to wear a mask or face covering.
nyaquarium.com
New York Botanical Garden - OPEN
All visitors, including members, must purchase or reserve timed-entry tickets in advance.
Everyone is required to wear face coverings throughout the Garden grounds.
NYBG is closing indoor spaces and any collections where social distancing might not be possible including the Haupt Conservatory, Edible Academy, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Mertz Library, Rock Garden and the Tram Tour.
nybg.org
New York Hall of Science - Will reopen April 1, 2021
The New-York Historical Society – Opens September 11
Visitors must reserve a timed-entry ticket online.
Museum will be closed Monday through Wednesday and reopen Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. exclusively for people who are either over the age of 65 or immunocompromised.
Friday, the museum will open for anyone from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the museum will also be open for all visitors from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
All visitors ages 2 and up must wear a face covering.
Visitors will be subject to a temperature check.
Coat check is not available.
nyhistory.org
New York Transit Museum - Reopening TBD
nytransitmuseum.org
One World Observatory - Reopening TBD
oneworldobservatory.com
The Paley Center for Media - Will reopen January 1, 2021
Prospect Park Zoo - OPEN
Date-specific admission tickets are now required for all one-day ticket buyers and members ages 3 & up. All visitors ages 3 & up are required to wear a mask or face covering.
prospectparkzoo.com
Queens Botanical Garden - OPEN
Garden capacity is greatly reduced to ensure that visitors can safely distance themselves.
Entrances may be temporarily closed when and if the Garden is at capacity. Should you arrive at such a time, they ask that you wait on the socially distanced line or return at a later time.
Visitors must wear a mask or face covering.
Gift shop, gallery and indoor facilities will be closed until further notice.
queensbotanical.org
Queens County Farm Museum - OPEN
Farm is operating at reduced capacity.
Members and general admission visitors are required to pre-purchase admission tickets online.
The Adriance Farmhouse and Petting Zoo are closed.
queensfarm.org
Queens Museum - Reopening TBD
queensmuseum.org
Queens Zoo - OPEN
Date-specific admission tickets are now required for all one-day ticket buyers and members ages 3 & up. All visitors ages 3 & up are required to wear a mask or face covering.
queenszoo.com
Radio City Stage Door Tour - Reopening TBD
msg.com/venue-tours/radio-city-music-hall
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square – OPEN
Capacity is reduced.
Face coverings are required at all times.
ripleysnewyork.com
The Rubin Museum of Art - Opens September 12
Timed entry tickets are now available online for visits through September 26.
Museum capacity is reduced to 25%.
All visitors ages 2 and up must wear a face covering.
Cafe Serai, coat check and water fountains all remain unavailable.
rubinmuseum.org
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden - OPEN
All public programming, including operating hours for the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art and the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden, is postponed until further notice.
snug-harbor.org
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum - Opens October 3
For every admission ticket purchased in advance of the museum’s reopening, the Guggenheim will give a complimentary family pass to an essential worker, including those in healthcare, food service and more. Tickets are valid until December 31, 2021.
More reopening safety guidelines TBD.
guggenheim.org
Spyscape – OPEN
Capacity is reduced to 25%.
All tickets are timed entry.
spyscape.com
Staten Island Children's Museum - Reopening TBD
sichildrensmuseum.org
Staten Island Museum - Reopening TBD
statenislandmuseum.org
Staten Island Zoo - OPEN
All indoor exhibits are closed.
Visitors must reserve tickets in advance.
statenislandzoo.org
The Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration – OPEN
Liberty and Ellis Islands have reopened.
Museums have reopened (with some limitations.)
The interior of the Statue of Liberty (Crown & Pedestal) remain closed.
Food service (outdoor dining only), gift and museum shops are open.
statueofliberty.org
Tenement Museum - Reopening TBD
tenement.org
The Tour at NBC Studios - Reopening TBD
thetouratnbcstudios.com
United Nations Headquarters Tour - Reopening TBD
visit.un.org
Wave Hill - OPEN
Advance ticket reservations are required for all visitors.
On-site events and programs are currently on hold.
Visitors must wear a face covering when entering and exiting the garden and when using a restroom. You may remove you face coverings when you are on the grounds and social distancing is possible.
All buildings on the grounds are temporarily closed.
Picnic area and Café are temporarily closed, but you may bring water — no food. (Water fountains are closed.)
Shuttle service is currently suspended and there is no onsite parking.
wavehill.org
The Whitney Museum of American Art – Opens September 3
All visitors and members must book timed tickets in advance.
Museum is operating at a significantly reduced capacity, and same-day tickets may be extremely limited. Face coverings are required at all times by all visitors over the age of 2. Face visors can be worn, but only in conjunction with a mask.
Masks with valves will not be allowed in the Museum. Visitors who arrive wearing these coverings will be required to use a mask provided by the Whitney to gain entry.
Coat check is not available at this time.
whitney.org
HELPFUL WEBSITE:
https://www.nycgo.com/whats-open-near-you-in-nyc