THE MUSEUM MILE, METROPOLITAN MUSEUM AND MORE

Metropolitan Museum Arm & Armor

Stop at the Guggenheim,  or drop into  the Neue Gallery, visit Egyptian Mummies or a room filled with Knights and Armor, try an New York City playground, in warmer months sail a remote control boat in the Conservatory Water at 72nd Street  in Central Park or visit Central Park Zoo - all the above for adults too and perhaps the Frick Collection or ice-skate at Wollman rink

Best time to visit: All year 

Length of trip: Minimum 2 hours

Distance:  Walk along 5th Avenue from 89th to 65th Street with lots of breaks and stops
Subway Stop: 86th & Lexington 

Suitable for: All age groups 

Nearby eating: See blog suggestions
Comments: With kids, Museums are stroller and scooter friendly. Lots of stops along way

Advance Planning: (also see blog on Central Park) the museums and Central Park have constant activities before you go check
check the calendar for activities. Below are useful links (in blue) that list dates, tickets etc.
Maps of Central Park, (these include running, biking and self guided walking tours.
Central Park Activities, (bike rental, boating, pedicab tours, picnic locations etc) Tons to do & read re Rent a Gondola, or rowboat (at the Loeb Boathouse)
Concerts in Central Park Lots going on in the warmer months
Central Park Zoo hours, location, ticket and feeding time details
Delacorte Musical Clock location and information about it.
Shakespeare in the Park free tickets available and how to get them, list plays and showtimes
There's also a list of movies set in Central Park. Grilling and barbecuing are prohibited in the park except for on Memorial Day, July 5th and Labor day at approved locations listed here
The Neue Gallery hours, exhibits, admissions and menu and hours for Cafe Sabarsky
The Guggenheim times, exhibits and admissions
Guggenheim Family activities
Metropolitan Museum of Art  times, exhibits and suggested donations
The Frick Collection time, exhibits and admission
Renting Model Boats in Central Park at @ 74rd and 5th Conservatory Water Central park. Rentals from March to November. Boats cannot be reserved in advance but there is never a long wait.
The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel for reservation for afternoon tea -details, menu and pricing
Wollman Ice Rink Opening hours (End of October to beginning of March)  also the Wollman Ice Rink website that also host concerts and other activities in summer 

Starting Point: The Guggenheim Museum (89th and 5th)

Nearby eating: All marked on the map.

Neue Galerie Cafe Sabarsky at 86th and 5th https://www.neuegalerie.org/cafesabarsky offers Viennese food in an elegant wood paneled room and serves breakfast (9am-11am), lunch and dinner as well a range of superb pastries and cakes.  Best time to get table 11:45am. Great for hot chocolate in Winter.

Bluestone Lane - Inside Church of the Heavenly Rest at 90th Street & 5th. No res. Simple good food.

Pick-A-Bagel Lexington & 77th. - good bagels and toppings 

Saint Ambroeus Madison between 77th & 78th. Good but fancier -sit down - great people watching.  Best cookies & ice-cream for take-out https://www.santambroeus.com/pages/locations

Serafina Pizza at 79th and Madison offers good pizza and Italian food. https://www.serafinarestaurant.com/location/serafina-fabulous-pizza/

Shake Shack - fast food to go 86th between Lexington & 3rd famous for its burgers https://www.shakeshack.com/ .  

Burger One at 79th & Lexington - sit down good burgers, good value

Le Pain Quotidien at Mineral Springs Central Park West Side @ 69th. Good cafe https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/le-pain-quotidien-at-mineral-springs

Neue Gallery's Cafe Sabarsky - Credit: Neue Gallery

START: 89th and 5th Avenue at the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum - designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1940s when he was in his 80s. The current main exhibit is all about the famous architect and the building in unforgettable.  Frank Lloyd Wright was aware of the changing structure of family life during his professional life.  He noticed that servants were becoming less of a household feature in the early 20th Century – open plan he believed, would allow a mother be in the kitchen while being able to keep an eye on the activities her family. His designs extended to furniture for his creations and he even clothing for is wife and the women who lived in the houses. (link to article)

A Frank-Lloyd Wright Dress

He was inspired by nature – the shape of the museum is based on the interior of a shell and he hated to to walk into museums and retrace his steps in order to exit – hence the elevator and the ramp. You ride to the top and walk down to the exit. The structure of the building is designed like a spring and Mr. Wright in his presentation of the plans boasted that if New York City were hit by an atomic bomb the building might be thrown in the air, but come back down, bounce and then settle. 

Glamorous shopping is found one block over on Madison Avenue for those who want a break. As an incentive for reluctant museum goers – try E.A.T. gifts at 1062 Madison Avenue at 80th Street – its jammed with a selection of cheap eye catching items that kids would love to own. Another wonderful place to visit is Lady M Cake Boutique at 41 East 78th Street (try a slice of the Mille Crepes).The Ancient Playground next door going south has lots of climbing frames and a sprinkler.

Woman in Gold originally named
after its subject: "Adele Bloch Bauer"

The Neue Gallery houses a collection of Austrian and German art dating from 1890 to 1940 and holds some of Gustav Klimt's best know works familiar to everyone.  Teenagers will enjoy this small museum and I highly recommend Cafe Sabarsky at the museum for breakfast, lunch or to sample some Viennese pastries.  This special cafe has become very popular - so make sure to get there early for breakfast (check out the opening hours on the website listed under "Advance Planning".

This link to the story behind the "Woman in Gold" and Klimt. 

Next stop is the Metropolitan Museum at 5th Avenue and 84th Street, Strollers are allowed during regular museum hours, except Sundays, unless otherwise noted at Museum entrances. Some exhibitions cannot accommodate strollers.

Pick up a map and leaflets about the current exhibits or else make your way to the second floor to explore the museum collection.  With kids we limit our visit to an hour or less.  Though the size can be daunting the Met has some very accessible exhibits.  Most popular are the Arms and Armor, the Egyptian Rooms, the Temple of Dendur and the fashion exhibits.  One of the smallest museums in Manhattan - the size of a closet - was recently relocated here from Cortlandt Street and  You can visit it - before you go watch the video below and charming immigrant tale and now an exhibit at the Met. Everyone will enjoy.

The Frick Collection is housed in a mansion at 71st and 5th (Temporarily at 74th & Madison during construction).  The collection includes many famous paintings  can be enjoyed and covered in a short visit.  The audio tour is excellent and the museum is very manageable for reticent teenagers. Admits ages 12 and over.  The bowling alley in the basement of the Frick, constructed as part of the original mansion - is listed as one of the hidden places of New York and is not accessible to the public.  

The Model Boat Pond Central Park

Remote control boats are available to rent between May and October - head south for Conservatory Water Model Boat Pond – enter Central Park on the south side of 79th Street and walk downtown to the equivalent of 74th street.

Or make your way to Central Park Zoo at 65th and 5th to catch the half hour strike of the Delacorte Musical Clock between the Children's Zoo and the Central Park zoo.  The mechanical clock chimes out nursery rhyme favorites on the half hour as a brass hippo, monkeys and a range of other animal spin in a circle underneath.

The Delacorte Musical Clock
at Central Park Zoo

The zoo is small but popular with kids or save money and watch the seals swim as you pass by.  Check out the feeding times on the Zoo website - link in the "Advance Planning" section. Another alternative is to head for afternoon tea in the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel - make reservations ahead of time if you plan to do this.  See link at the top of the blog. It's expensive but afternoon tea fans it give it high marks.

And the wild birds and pigeons - how do they manage to live in the city and what happens when they are injured? Watch the video below and discover the work done by the Wild Bird Fund at 565 Columbus Avenue between 87th and 88th Street.

The Wollman rink in Central Park at 63rd Street is open during Winter between the end of October and the beginning of March.  

Map of Souther section of Central Park

The Palm Court at
The Plaza Hotel