Even before the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation opened, the American Museum of Natural History was one of NYC's most iconic cultural institutions, so hulking in its square footage you'd be hard-pressed to see it all in one day. That statement is doubly true now that the Gilder Center is set to debut on Thursday, May 4, 2023.
A modern-looking new wing, the Gilder Center adds a whopping 230,000 square feet to AMNH and, for the first time, allows visitors to traverse the entire 10-building campus without hitting a dreaded dead end.
We got a sneak peek at the brand-new building and walked away in awe and anxious for a return visit with kids in tow. Read on for our review of the Gilder Center, which further cements AMNH's place on our list of the best museums in NYC for kids to visit, and learn about all the family-friendly attractions this brand new wing houses, including a year-round butterfly vivarium, 18 species of live insects, and an impressive, immersive exhibition backed by the science and data the American Museum of Natural History holds at the core of its mission.