New Yorkers know that our city is always evolving. For families, one upcoming change to look forward to is that the beloved favorite Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) will be relocating to a larger, purpose-built home. This new location will create an even bigger, more engaging museum experience for our city's youngest and all those visiting for years to come!
CMOM is currently transforming a new home at the corner of 96th Street and Central Park West into a vibrant new learning environment designed for children and the adults who love exploring with them. Expected to open in 2028, the new museum—formerly a landmarked church—will feature seven floors of new research-backed exhibits, immersive experiences, a dedicated performance space, improved visitor amenities, a rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park, and plenty more to discover. For the first time, CMOM will be housed in a space specifically designed for the Museum—and, more importantly, for your kids!
For families, this move brings a lot to look forward to. The larger building will more than double the museum's visitor capacity, making it easier for more families to enjoy everything CMOM has to offer. It will also expand the museum's programming to serve children from birth through age 10, giving your older kids new opportunities to play, create, and learn in age-appropriate ways. The new location also gives all the programs and classes that CMOM families know and love some room to grow. This will allow for more enrollment in early childhood education classes led by expert teachers that are meant to prepare both the little ones and adults for each step in the youngest kids’ early journeys.
The new location itself is another big plus—CMOM will make it even easier to turn a museum outing into a full day of family fun and expanded itineraries, as the new location looks out onto the many playgrounds and attractions of Central Park. Whether you're planning a weekend adventure or entertaining out-of-town visitors, having two family-friendly museums so close together gives the West Side their own Children’s Museum Mile to reflect the East Side’s Museum Mile on 5th Avenue, just across the park.
Families won't have to wait until 2028 to enjoy CMOM. The current museum at 83rd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue will remain open while the new location is under construction, continuing to welcome children and families from across the city for daily programs and activities. And when the new museum finally opens its doors, it promises to offer even more opportunities for kids to explore, imagine, and learn together with the people they love.
