natural history museum free tour

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Virtual Museum: 13 ways to explore from home

Delve into the Museum from home with a virtual self-guided tour of the galleries, an interactive experience about Hope the blue whale and audio guides narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

1. Stroll around the Fantastic Beasts™: The Wonder of Nature exhibition

Although the exhibition at the Museum closed on 3 January 2022, you can still step into an online world full of fantastic real-life and magical beasts. There are highlights, stories and games galore. 

Walk around the exhibition from home with a 360° virtual tour on Google Arts & Culture.

2.  Take a deep dive into the life of a blue whale

Explore the rich history of Hope, the blue whale suspended from the ceiling in Hintze Hall. In this online interactive, see what her life was like in the ocean, find out how she got to her home in the Museum and get a behind-the-scenes peek of the Museum's collections.

Go one step further by viewing the skeleton in augmented reality (AR) with Google Arts & Culture. 

3. Hang out with scientists online

Catch up on all the Nature Live Online talks featuring topical discussions with our scientists and cutting-edge research. 

Free event recordings. 

Image:  NASA .

4.  Sound choices: listen to these podcasts

Every year the Museum attracts millions of curious visitors eager to learn about the natural world.

Bring that curiosity home, and learn more about natural history, science, and the world around you with these great podcasts. 

5.  Let Sir David Attenborough guide you around Hintze Hall

Sir David's unmistakable voice and expertise on all things nature make him the perfect person to take you on a tour of Hintze Hall's star specimens (including the blue marlin), all from the comfort of home.

6.  Go on a virtual tour of the Museum

Google Arts & Culture gives you access to 300,000 specimens within the Museum's collections, along with 35 digital exhibitions , virtual tours and an interactive gigapixel photo (so enormous you can zoom in on the tiniest detail) of Hintze Hall's gilded canopy. 

7.  Flick through Wildlife Photographer of the Year images

Explore the exhibition at your own pace in this online gallery filled with stunning nature photographs. 

8.  Watch us on the small screen

The Museum's stunning architecture has made it a popular choice as a filming location for everything from blockbuster movies to TV dramas.

Discover which films and television shows feature the Museum.

Paddington (2014)

9. Examine a 3D model of Dippy's skull

Get up close to the skull of the Museum's iconic Diplodocus cast produced by our Imaging and Analysis Centre. See more 3D models on Sketchfab , including Darwin's fossil mammals and the Crystal Palace sculptures .

10. See illustrations from HMS Endeavour

Our collection of botanical illustrations from HMS Endeavour make up some of the most scientifically significant artworks in our archive. It features works by Sydney Parkinson .

11.  Browse the Library and Archives digital collections

Dig deep into the archives, where you'll find scientifically important art, books, prints and manuscripts, including drawings by William Smith and brothers Franz and Ferdinand Bauer.

12. Uncover highlights from the collections

We've wrapped up some of the highlights from the collections on display including specimens from space , the spirit collection , Charles Darwin and the Treasures gallery .

Discover more stories from the collections  including stories from the Museum at Tring .

13. Zoom in on beetles

Open the drawers and zoom in on 16 Coleoptera collections held at the Museum including those from Thomas Broun (1838-1919), David Sharp (1840-1922) and Charles O. Waterhouse (1843-1917).

Find out more about the  Entomology collections .

Virtual expeditions with our scientists

What is it like to go on a dino dig?

Explore an interactive story about Museum experts' adventure to Wyoming, USA, when they went off-grid in search of Jurassic dinosaurs.

Explore a 360 panorama of Antarctica

Join Dr Adrian Glover as he journeys to the site of a collapsed Antarctic ice shelf. Experience the awe-inspiring view from the ship deck.

Online events

Whether you want to try your hand at crafting or join our virtual yoga - there is something for everyone. 

Find out more

Let the exploration continue.

Enjoy nature on your doorstep

Find activities and ideas to occupy yourself and family at home, in your garden or local outdoor space.

Try this at home

Discover more stories from the collections

Uncover colourful stories behind the specimens, meet collectors and curators past and present and read about their contributions to our understanding of the natural world. 

Teaching resources

A range of downloadable educational curriculum-linked resources that you can adapt for home use.

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Plan Your Visit

The Harvard Museum of Natural History is one of the four Harvard Museums of Science & Culture .

Open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Closed the following days:

• Wednesday, November 27, 2024 (day before Thanksgiving)
• Thursday, November 28, 2024(Thanksgiving Day)
• Saturday, December 21, 2024
• Sunday, December 22, 2024
• Monday, December 23, 2024
• Tuesday, December 24, 2024 (Christmas Eve)
• Wednesday, December 25, 2024 (Christmas)
• Wednesday, January 1, 2025 (New Year's Day)

Museum closes early on the following days:

• Thursday, March 7, 2024 (at 3:00 pm)
• Tuesday March 26 (at 3:30 pm)
• Tuesday, May 7, 2024 (at 3:00 pm)

General Admission

General admission gives access to all exhibits including the Glass Flowers Gallery.  The museum is connected to the Peabody Museum , and admission to one museum admits you to both during regular hours.

Special Free Admission (with valid ID)

Free to holders of a current Harvard ID;  Harvard Museums of Science & Culture  members, and  Harvard Art Museums  members.

Free to Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Proof of residency required. This offer is not available to commercial groups. 

Free to Massachusetts Teachers (K-12).

Free for Massachusetts residents who present an EBT or WIC card, and up to five guests. We are proud to participate in the Card to Culture program.

ASTC Travel Passport Program

National endowment for the arts blue star museums program.

Free to active duty military with their families in collaboration with the  National Endowment for the Arts Blue Star Museums Program. Year-round free admission is offered to the Peabody Museum and Harvard Museum of Natural History using the Blue Star Museums guidelines.

Discounted Admission (with valid ID) 

Library Passes

Library patrons can reserve discount passes through their local, Massachusetts-based, library to visit our museums! Library pass admission includes entry to the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. Please be prepared to show the physical library pass and proof of Massachusetts residency. Only one member of the party must be a MA resident.   T he pass admits up to four visitors. The passes are non-transferable and may not be combined with other offers.

Are you a library looking to offer passes to your patrons? Learn more about our Library Membership Program.

Save With CityPASS

Spend less, Experience more! Boston CityPASS® saves 45% on admission to top Boston’s top 4 attractions, including Harvard Museum of Natural History. Visit the attractions at your own pace, in any order, over 9-days. One easy purchase and mobile ticket delivery saves time and money.  Buy CityPASS® online and present your pass to the admissions desk for entry at the Harvard Museum of Natural History .

Go City: Boston All-Inclusive Pass

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American Museum of Natural History Tickets

This post covers tickets, offers, free entry, and planning tips for the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

We also provide information about the exhibits, both permanent and temporary. 

As local NYC tour guides, we know a few tips and tricks for visiting AMNH

And, in the video below, Katherine, a tour guide with us, Free Tours by Foot , explains all this to you.

In addition to our local knowledge, we also incorporated the input of members of our popular NYC Travel Tips Facebook group into this post.

Our group consists of locals, like us guides, expats, regular visitors to NYC, as well as newbies to the city.

Now, without further ado, to the post.

• Plan Your Visit
• Other Museums in Manhattan
• Things to Do in the Upper West Side

The American Museum of Natural History has a suggested admission price but only for residents of NY, CT, and NJ . Read more below in the deals section .

If you purchase your tickets online, these are the prices you can expect to pay whether you are a resident or not.

It’s important to note that purchasing your tickets ahead of time will allow you to skip the ticket line, which in the high season can take 1 hour or more.

Entry to the museum is a 'timed entry', which means you must choose a date and time slot when you purchase your tickets.

General Admission

• $22 Students (with ID)
• $22 Seniors (60+)
• $16 Children (3-12)
• Children 2 and under are free

Purchase tickets or learn more .

This standard ticket includes access to all 45 halls of the museum as well as the Rose Center for Earth and Space and the Gilder Center.

You will have to pay extra for admission to special exhibits.

There are 2 ongoing exhibits. Other exhibits change and they last between several months up to 2 years.

There are three types of add-ons you can get, which are all explained in our exhibitions section .

• Special Exhibitions (typically two of them at the same time)
• Giant-Screen IMAX Films (topic changes every few months)
• Hayden Planetarium Space Show

If you want to enjoy any of these activities, the following ticket options are available for all add-on options.

General Admission + 1 Add-on

• $27 Students & Seniors (60+)
• $20 Children (3-12)

General Admission + All Add-ons

• $31 Students & Seniors
• $24 Children (3-12)

TICKET OFFERS

One of the best ways to save money on tickets for the American Museum of Natural History is to simply purchase admission from the ticket counter at the museum.

1 - FREE OR PAY WHAT YOU WISH

For residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who display ID, the museum has a suggested price for general admission, so you can actually pay as little as $1 when you visit.

Often this is referred to as free admission because, in theory, you can even just walk in without paying anything.

The only drawback to taking advantage of their pay-what-you-wish tickets is that this option is not available via tickets purchased online.

This means you might have to wait in an occasionally long ticket line to get it. Some visitors report waiting for 45 minutes or longer just to get into the museum this way.

We offer some tips on how to avoid this long line in our planning section below.

If you purchase tickets ahead of time, you can head straight to the will-call kiosk and save yourself the wait in line.

Be sure to read our post on other free museums in NYC .

2 - Tourist Attraction Concession Passes

You can also skip these ticket lines by using a tourist pass.

Tourist passes typically bundle several attractions and tours into one price that can save you anywhere between 15-50%, depending on the pass.

Here are just a handful of the best attractions you can visit at no extra cost with the use of a tourist pass:

• Madame Tussauds
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• New York Botanical Garden
• 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Museum of Modern Art
• Guggenheim Museum
• Empire State Building
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

The following services include tickets to the American Museum of Natural History.

• The New York Sightseeing Pass
• The New York Pass
• The Explorer Pass

While most of these tourist passes only offer general admission to AMNH, the CityPass also includes one add-on for free.

If you want to enjoy a special exhibition, a giant-screen film or a space show, consider getting this pass to save money on tickets.

3 - Ticket Websites

In addition to these options, you might also want to check Groupon or LivingSocial to see if they are offering any price cuts on tickets for the American Museum of Natural History.

4 - 10% Off at CitySights

Save 10% when you purchase with the promo code SAVE10 to save 10% on General Admission from CitySightsNY.

5 - Military Offers

Free for all active-duty members of the U.S. Military. (Be sure to confirm this with the museum as this is not a posted policy).

Additionally, the American Museum of Natural History is a Blue Star Museum, which means that all active-duty members of the military and their families can get in for free during the summer.

This program is good for the military ID holder and up to 5 family members

For more ideas on saving money in the Big Apple, be sure to read about:

• Free NYC attractions
• Our pay-what-you-wish walking tours
• Which NYC tourist pass is best?
• List of Free and Sometimes Free NYC Museums

PLAN YOUR VISIT

This section will provide several details to help you prepare for a trip to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

We will include information about how to get here, the best times to visit, how much time to devote, and more.

How to Get Here

The American Museum of Natural History is located across the street from Central Park, on Central Park West between West 77th Street and West 81st Street.

There are three entrances. One is at Central Park West (upstairs) at 79th Street.

The other two, both accessible entrances, are at the Rose Center for Earth and Space (at Central Park West/W. 81st Street) and the Gilder Center (or Columbus Ave. at 79th Street).

There are several different ways to get to the museum, but we’ll cover a couple of the easier options below.

There is a subway stop right in front of the museum at the corner of Central Park West and W 81st St. This is going to be one of the easiest ways to get here.

We have created two articles to help those unfamiliar with the NYC subway.

• Which Subway Metrocard to Buy
• How to use the NYC Subway

The M10 bus makes a stop right next to the museum.

In addition to this option, each of the hop-on-hop-off bus tours in New York City also provides a stop right next to the museum.

Best Times to Visit

The American Museum of Natural History is almost always somewhat busy, but there are some times when crowds are a bit smaller than usual.

• 10 am - 5:45 pm
• Closed for Thanksgiving & Christmas

As with most attractions in New York City, the American Museum of Natural History is most popular during the middle of the day from about 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm (15:00).

If you want to avoid large crowds, consider coming either early in the morning at 10 am or later in the day after 3 pm.

It’s also important to note that the museum is even busier than usual during weekends.

Make sure to visit on a weekday for the quietest experience.

If you decide to purchase your tickets on-site, you could end up waiting an hour or longer just to get inside the museum.

Purchasing tickets online or through another service can get you in much faster, saving you a lot of time.

Make sure to check both our tickets and deals sections for more details.

What to Expect

At roughly 4 city blocks wide, it’s safe to say that the American Museum of Natural History is very large and there is a lot to see inside its halls.

We’ll cover some of the more significant sites in our tours and exhibits sections, but suffice it to say that it will take most people quite a bit of time to see everything they have to offer.

Most people will spend at least 3 ½ hours wandering around the museum, so you should plan on being there for a while.

If you decide to focus on a few specific exhibits or subjects, it might not take as much time.

There are a few different tour options you might want to consider. All tours are free with admission.

There are both public and self-guided tours available depending on when you arrive and how you prefer to tour the museum.

Free Public Tours

The museum offers free tours led by museum staff. Tour availability varies from day to day.

You can view the day’s schedule and sign up for a tour at the information desk in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall on the 1st Floor.

Self-Guided Tours

If you’re not interested in joining a group for a public tour, you can always guide yourself around the museum.

The following self-guided tours are free to use at any time.

This tour covers all of the major dinosaur exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History.

You’ll learn more about the following fossils:

• Tyrannosaurus Rex
• Stegosaurus
• Triceratops
• Apatosaurus

Read the self-guided Dino Tour or download the Explorer app to get even more out of this experience.

Earth and Space Tour

This tour features several notable exhibits focused on both geology and astronomy.

You’ll visit the following locations:

• Scales of the Universe
• Ecosystem Sphere
• Monitoring Earthquakes
• Banded Iron Information
• Harriet and Robert Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway

Read the self-guided Earth and Space Tour or download the Explorer app to get even more out of this experience.

Highlights Tour

This tour will take you to some of the most popular exhibits in the museum.

Rather than focusing on just one or two halls, this will take you all over AMNH to see these exhibitions:

• Giant Sequoia

Easter Island Head

Read the self-guided Highlights Tour or download the Explorer app to get even more out of this experience.

Night at the Museum Tour

As the name implies, this tour is focused on locations featured in the film Night at the Museum.

You can expect to see these exhibits:

• Capuchin Monkey
• American Bison
• Alaskan Moose
• African Elephants

Read the self-guided Night at the Museum Tour or download the Explorer app to get even more out of this experience.

If this sounds like fun, you might also want to consider taking part in their Night at the Museum sleepover event.

With 45 different halls to explore on 4 separate floors, there is a lot to see and do at the American Museum of Natural History – and that doesn’t even cover all of the add-ons you can enjoy!

Each hall contains multiple exhibits to experience.

This section will cover some of the more interesting permanent exhibits you can see at AMNH.

But, keep in mind that the information included here barely scratches the surface of everything offered at this museum with General Admission.

There are also special exhibits  (add-ons) available for visitors who want to learn more about specific subjects and experience more hands-on displays.

You can enjoy one of these special exhibits as a free add-on with the New York CityPass .

The Titanosaur

This is the fossil of one of the largest dinosaurs that ever lived.

At 122 feet in length, the Titanosaur towers over everything and everyone in the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Orientation Center.

This cast is so large that it barely fits in the hall and actually extends out toward the elevator banks, welcoming visitors to the 4th floor in style.

The Blue Whale

Located in the Irma and Paul Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, this 94-foot long, 21,000-point model of a blue whale hangs over the entire room and commands the attention of all visitors.

This model was based on a whale found in 1925, and it’s a pretty accurate representation of the actual animal – which is the largest mammal alive on the planet today!

Butterfly of Peace

In the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, be dazzled by a suite of 240 diamonds displayed in the shape of a butterfly.

The gems weigh a total of 167 carats and are arranged in this symmetrical pattern organized by similar cuts and colors.

The Mammoth

If you head to the Hall of Advanced Mammals, make sure to check out their incredible Mammoth fossil.

At the base of this exhibit, you will find the mummified remains of a baby woolly mammoth that was found in an Alaskan gold mine in 1948.

Despite dying over 21,000 years ago, its remains were preserved in the frozen ground.

The Willamette Meteorite

Be sure to visit the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Hall of the Universe on the lower level of the Rose Center for Earth and Space.

Here you will see the largest meteorite that has been discovered in the United States, and it’s the sixth largest ever found in the world.

Most meteorites are very small because they break up while entering the Earth’s atmosphere, but this is a rare example of one that remained quite large even after hitting the surface of the planet.

This is also one of only 600 or so iron meteorites that have been found on Earth. Oh, and for those who might be wondering, it’s pronounced will-am-ette .

Check out the Hall of Pacific Peoples to get a look at one of the famous statues of Easter Island.

Although this isn’t one of the actual mysterious sculptures, it is a model taken from a mold that was created during a museum expedition in 1934-1935.

As if that weren’t enough of a reason to check it out, this is also the same Easter Island head featured in the movie Night at the Museum !

Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation

On May 4, 2023, the highly anticipated Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation opened.

The 230,000-square-foot, six-story center cost $465 million to build and is a stunning and expansive addition to the museum. 

It houses almost 4 million scientific specimens and artifacts, which is about 12% of the museum’s entire collection.

The center's atrium is made from concrete that seemingly flows like designs found only in nature, like coral reefs or desert canyons.

Exhibits include the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium, where museum guests can walk among hundreds of free-flying butterflies amidst a tropical setting. 

Also, there’s an insectarium with an 8,000-pound resin model of a beehive and more.

The Invisible Worlds exhibit is an amazing immersive video experience that focuses on natural processes that are too fast, too slow, or too small for the human eye to see.

The American Museum of Natural History hosts a lot of special events throughout the year.

Most of these activities are workshops or other programs designed to give visitors an even better learning experience.

However, there are also seasonal events that only happen during certain holidays.

This section will provide a few examples of the more interesting activities you can enjoy at AMNH when you come to visit.

Museum Sleepovers

*Currently suspended until further notice*

Before we get into the seasonal events, we should mention this especially popular activity that is available throughout the year.

In response to the popularity of the film series with the same name, the American Museum of Natural History has begun to offer a sleepover program for families to come and spend the night!

Spaces are limited and the price of admission is much higher than a regular ticket, but that’s to be expected with an opportunity this incredible.

This event can sell out for months at a time, so we recommend purchasing your ticket at least 90 days before you plan to visit.

• $150/General Admission | $140/Members
• $130/Groups of 15+
• Hours: 6 pm - 9 am
• Includes evening snack and light breakfast
• Includes fossil fact-finding mission by flashlight
• Includes one free movie in the LeFrak Theater
• Includes access to special exhibitions
• Includes cots for all guests to sleep on
• Purchase tickets or learn more

If you’re looking for even more family-friendly fun, read our post about Things to Do with Kids in NYC for dozens of different ideas.

Visitors who are looking for alternative activities after dark should read our post about Things to Do at Night in NYC .

Romance Under the Stars (February)

If you’re looking for something fun to do with your significant other on Valentine’s Day, it’s hard to beat a visit to the Hayden Planetarium.

This event includes an open bar, hors-d'oeuvres, chocolates, and music.

After you’ve had your fill, head in, and enjoy an incredible view of the stars while your host describes some of the more interesting romantic tales tied to the night sky.

For more romantic ideas, make sure to check our post about Things to Do in NYC in February .

Experience Manhattanhenge (July)

Every July, an incredible event, known colloquially as Manhattanhenge, takes place as the sun sets in perfect alignment with the east-west numbered streets.

Join an astrophysicist at the Hayden Planetarium to learn more about this phenomenon and discover why it happens. The program ends just in time for you to experience the sunset.

If you’re looking for even more summertime fun, read our post on things to do in NYC in July .

Halloween Celebration (October)

Take the kids on a special trick-or-treating adventure at AMNH!

More than 30 of the 45 halls are open for this special event, and you can expect a lot of familiar faces such as Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Franny K. Stein, Little Critters, and more to show up as well.

There will also be stilt walkers and balloon artists on hand to make things even more fun, as well as performances from local artists and magicians.

Are you looking for even more spooky fun? You’ll find plenty of ideas in our post about things to do in NYC in October .

Kwanzaa Festival (December)

This annual event celebrates African-American heritage in a variety of different ways.

Among other activities, there will be live performances by local musicians and dancers depicting Afro-Cuban traditions.

You can also visit a local artisan marketplace to get an even better sense of this fantastic culture.

Visitors who want to enjoy even more festivities during the holiday season should check our post about things to do in NYC in December .

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS

In this section, we will provide a list of several popular activities you can enjoy with your children in New York City.

Each of these attractions is included on all three major NYC tourist passes .

• Top of the Rock
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Radio City Music Hall Tour
• Luna Park at Coney Island
• Madison Square Garden Tour
• Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour
• Circle Line Landmarks Cruise

Every pass also offers admission to several additional attractions that are great for kids. The following locations are included with specific tourist passes.

• National Geographic Ocean Odyssey
• Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
• Yankee Stadium Tour
• New York Aquarium
• Gulliver’s Gate
• Central Park Zoo

If you want even more ideas for family-friendly activities, make sure to read our extensive post, Things to Do with Kids in New York City .

This post includes several free attractions and things you can do with your children after dark, as well as a full list of kid-friendly museums.

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Virtual tour of dino hall - english.

A virtual visit to the Age of Dinosaurs

Missing the Museum? Virtually step inside NHM’s award-winning Dinosaur Hall and discover the Age of Dinosaurs from the comfort of your home. Learn how Museum scientists study our ancient past through a variety of fossils and get an up-close look at a one-of-a-kind  T. rex  growth series. 

You can also discover dinosaur and fossil activities that complement the tours — suitable for families, school-age children, and learners of all ages! See below. 

Activities for School Children and Families

Early learners.

Dino Hall Scavenger Hunt

Dyeing Dino Eggs: Dye Your Own Eggs, Dinosaur style! (with parent help)

Color Me Wonderful: Dinosaur Coloring Sheets

Elementary School

Make Your Own Trace Fossil (with parent help)

Make Your Own Dinosaur Shadow Puppet and Screen   (with parent help)

Lesson Plan: Adaptation Sensation (meets Grade 1 NGSS & Common Core ELA Standards)

Lesson Plan: The Dino Diner (meets Grade 4 NGSS & Common Core Mathematics Standards)

Middle School

Make Your Own Trace Fossil

Make Your Own Dinosaur Shadow Puppet and Screen

Lesson Plan: Shaping Dinosaurs (meets Grade 7 Common Core Mathematics Standards)

High School

Lesson Plan: Amazing Adaptations (meets High School NGSS and Common Core ELA Standards)

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• Current: May Tours at NMI - Decorative Arts & History

5th - 26th May

May Tours at NMI - Decorative Arts & History

As the weather warms, get your weekly dose of history down at collins barracks this may discover something new on our diverse range of free public tours. .

May Tours at NMI - Decorative Arts & History is located at: Collins Barracks , Benburb St, Dublin 7 D07 XKV4

This May, join us at Collins Barracks on a variety of free public tours exploring the Museum's collections!

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Announcements

We regret that the Asgard exhibition will be temporarily closed on Tuesday 23rd & to Wednesday 24th April

We regret that some of our Military History galleries at the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7, are temporarily closed for repairs

Our current restoration work means the first floor of our museum is closed. This limits our capacity so visitors should be prepared to wait in line outside for up to 1 hour

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission