While NYC offers tons of outdoor summer activities, sometimes you want your fun to come with a little air conditioning. Happily there are a slew of new museum exhibits this season that are perfect for families, so you can soak up some cool culture while literally staying cool.

We've got the scoop on ten awesome summer installations, many of which are interactive. Find out where your kids can get up close and personal with live frogs, stand in an indoor rainstorm without getting wet, collaborate with professional artists and more this summer.

Growing up in Queens, I remember visiting Ridgewood with my grandmother, mainly to buy specialty items from butchers. As a kid, I always assumed Ridgewood was actually in Brooklyn, probably because of the architecture. The quiet residential neighborhood is known for its rows of early 20th-century brick and stone townhouses and has the highest concentration of landmarked structures in all of Queens in its huge National Historic District.

In fact, I wasn't far off. Ridgewood was part of the early Dutch settlement of Boswijk (Bushwick) and didn't have a Queens zip code until 1978! Though Ridgewood's population was once primarily Italian and German, these days you'll find many Eastern European and Latin American families plus a smattering of young artsy types moving in from the hipster enclaves of Williamsburg and Bushwick.

It's easy to see why the nabe appeals to parents: The side streets have a suburban feel but the shops on Myrtle Avenue, Fresh Pond Road and Forest Avenue are just a stroll away. Plus there are multiple public parks, and local listservs like Ridgewood Queens Moms Meetup are starting to pop up. Ridgewood is also a pretty easy commute to midtown Manhattan via the M train, and abuts Brooklyn's Bushwick and Queens' Maspeth/Middle Village.

Throughout June, we'll be exploring everything Ridgewood has to offer families including the best places to play, eat and experience with kids. For the purposes of our posts, our boundaries are Flushing to Jamaica Avenues, between Cypress and Wyckoff Avenues and 69th Street, which we realize includes a bit of neighboring Glendale so we can highlight some cool family attractions there, too, like the Shops at Atlas Park and Highland Park. We kick off our series with the top 20 things to do with kids in and around Ridgewood, Queens.

Although some New York City outdoor music and culture series are created specifically with children in mind, there are lots of grown-up ones that families can enjoy, too. At these wonderful alfresco events—most of which take place in parks and plazas—families can pack a picnic, stake out a spot, lay down a blanket and soak up some culture at no cost. Don't worry if the kids aren't totally into it; sit along the perimeter and let them run around, dance and play and they'll be happy.

While many of the series including SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn! and Lincoln Center Out of Doors host dedicated family days, it's worth browsing their full schedules. There's no minimum age to enjoy jazz, classical or rock, right?

We've rounded up the city's best free outdoor music and performance series and highlighted the events we think will be of particular interest to families.