10 Exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Kids Will Love

One of the most famous museums in the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is located on Fifth Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, part of the famed “Museum Mile”. Founded in 1870, the museum’s collection includes over one and half million pieces of art in forms ranging from paintings, sculptures, photographs and drawings to costumes, decorative arts, and musical instruments that span over 5,000 years. There are 17 different departments and hundreds of galleries on display throughout the over two million square feet of space.

There is WAY too much to see at the Met in a singular visit (there were over five million visitors in 2023), so this week we’re sharing a focused list of exhibits that will be of special interest to children. Do keep a close eye on little ones as much of the art is within the reach of even the littlest children and they may be tempted to touch the artwork.

Travel Tips:

10 Exhibits Children Will Especially Enjoy:

1. Check the daily schedule for family friendly events like Family Afternoons and Children’s Classes. Be sure to pick up Family Guides, located at the Information Desk at the main entrance, which includes booklets of activities and tear apart postcards for the British Galleries, Islamic Art, Asian Art, Egyptian Art, Arms and Armor, and a coloring activity guide. 
2. The Lauder Galleries of Arms and Armor: Check out the court of horses decked out in armor, and the collections of swords, shields, and armor.
3. Engelhard Court with various sculptures, water features, and stained glass displays to capture the eye of little visitors. The American Wing Café is located in Engelhard Court and offers drinks and snacks, as well plenty of tables and chairs to take a break).
4. Aitken Galleries of British Art: Children will love choosing a favorite “gift” and teapot from the collection of porcelain trinkets given as gift exchanges in the 16th-19th centuries. 
5. Hellenistic and Roman Galleries: While you’re exploring the sculptures and art work, throw a penny in the water feature and make a wish.

6. The Temple of Dendur: A gift from the Egyptian Government to the United States in 1965, the temple of Dendur is the only Egyptian temple in the United States. Look for hieroglyphic inscriptions, drawings of pharaohs, and plant carvings throughout the temple. Be sure to hold the hands of little ones so they don’t fall into the water features of the exhibit. 
7. The Annie Laurie Aitken Galleries: Check out the ceiling of the completely recreated Dining Room (250 sections of the walls of the room were shipped from England to New York City in 1955), which has paintings of Roman Gods representing the four seasons.
8. Wrightsman Galleries: Several recreated rooms of French furniture, decorative arts, and paintings are on display; be sure to check out the card game in the parlor.
9. Merten Galleries for Musical Instruments: Check out some of the 800+ musical instruments, including trumpets, bugles, trombones, violins, cellos, pianos, and harpsichords. Be sure to look up at the pipe organ (it’s 15 feet tall with over 800 pipes), the oldest organ from Thomas Appleton still in existence. 
10. The Weber Galleries: Home to the largest collection of Chinese Buddhist sculpture art in the West, The Art of Ancient China has a collection of Zodiac animals “Earthwaves” that children will enjoy. 

Looking for more art in New York City? Check out our post featuring the nearby Met Cloisters and The Guggenheim. See our full index of New York City posts here. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and X.