Top Museums in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Westchester and the Hudson Valley have great museums that will entertain and educate your kids, whatever they’re into—be it animals, science, firefighting, nature, or art. All of the museums we’ve rounded up below offer exhibits and family programs that let kids (and their grown-ups) learn, explore, and appreciate new viewpoints. 

Read on for more about these cultural gems, each of which can be included as part of a family day trip, and be sure to check our Museum Guide for Westchester and Hudson Valley Kids for more. 

Best Kid-Friendly Museums in Westchester

1. Westchester Children’s Museum – Rye 

Overview: After undergoing an expansion a few years back, this Westchester favorite offers up even more kid-centered exhibits and activities. There are also a ton of activities on the calendar, including story times, themed weekend events, and more.

Best For: With its focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), the museum is perfect for the budding scientist or artist in your family.

Highlights: Toddler Beach, where little ones can climb and play on soft structures; Fit City, featuring interactive games that teach children about healthy choices; Play Around the World: Explore Cultures Through Play; and Build Your Own Rollercoaster.

Age Range: 3 years & up

Special Features: Under the name of each exhibit is a list of skills that kids learn and use while engaging in that activity (fine motor skills, spatial awareness, literacy, etc.) along with ideas for how to further engage kids after the museum.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Parking is free in the colder months, but when Rye Playland is open, there is a fee. Food and drinks can be brought in, and there’s a cafe space where you can eat. Nearby food options include Tiki Beach and Barley Beach House.

2. Hudson River Museum – Yonkers

Overview: Situated on the banks of the Hudson River, with a spectacular view of the Palisades beyond, the Hudson River Museum and Planetarium has been a cultural institution in Yonkers since its founding in 1919. Its galleries and exhibits offer something of interest for everyone in the family. 

Best For: Art lovers and budding artists. The Museum’s permanent collection contains artwork in multiple forms, including paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photographs, costumes, graphic design, historical objects, and more. 

Highlights: Explore The Bookstore, a life-sized, immersive sculpto-pictorama that functioned as the museum’s gift shop for many years; take a guided tour of the historic 19th-century Glenview Mansion; and visit the Andrus Planetarium, which has many shows geared toward kids. Note: Tickets for the Mansion and Planetarium are separate.

Age Range: 3 years & up

Special Features: There are frequent family events and workshops, like hands-on art projects and kid-friendly gallery tours.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: On-site free parking is always available. The museum offers “Feel Good Fridays” with free admission during the summer. A limited selection of beverages and snacks are available for purchase in the Museum Shop. However, no food or beverages are allowed in the museum.

3. Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden – North Salem

Overview: The meticulously constructed gardens at the Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden are a serene and contemplative place full of enchanting natural beauty.

Best For: Nature lovers and fans of Eastern cultures.

Highlights: Children will enjoy following the meandering path through the beautifully landscaped 3.5-acre stroll garden featuring plants, sand, water, and rocks. Inside the museum, frequently changing exhibits explore the connections between Eastern and Western cultures.

Age Range: 5 years & up

Special Features: Many family-friendly activities are scheduled throughout the season, including workshops, demonstration programs, concerts, dancing, and more special events.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Hammond is open from April through November. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

4. Hudson Valley MOCA – Peekskill

Overview: Opened in 2004, Hudson Valley MOCA has launched over 80 art exhibitions, six major art festivals, and a myriad of educational programs, showcasing all forms of contemporary art.

Best For: Lovers of contemporary art.

Highlights: MOCA’s current exhibitions include: “‘So You Think You’re Too Old To…’: A Look At How Older Artists Excel As The Years Progress” that presents the works of by 68 artists, ages 62-94; and Psychological Portraiture, which looks at how artists use photography and painting to capture the persona of an individual.

Age Range: While some of the work might be a bit heavy for smaller children, some kid- and family-specific programming is available.

Special Features: Be sure to check out the highly unique Five Elements Arches. Installed on the five arches underlying the Route 9 overpass at South and Requa streets, the collage-designed landscapes represent the five elements of nature: earth, water, fire, metal, and wood.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. On-site parking is available. Food is not available at the museum, but there are plenty of places to eat in the vicinity.

5. Katonah Museum of Art – Katonah

Overview: Nestled in scenic Katonah, this art museum features dynamic exhibits for art lovers of all ages, including an annual Young Artists exhibit spotlighting art made by area high school students.

Best For: Art lovers and budding artists; amazing works of art are featured in the museum’s galleries and also on its grounds.

Highlights: The upcoming exhibition Ali Banisadr: The Alchemist, featuring unconventional painting tools and musical mark-making. Every exhibition is complemented by self-guided art projects in The Pollack Family Learning Center, an exhibition space and drop-in activity center. Wander the serene outdoor sculpture garden. 

Age Range: Toddlers to adults

Special Feature: Every Saturday the museum holds Open Studio from 10:00am-noon where families can drop in and create their own art guided by staff.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: The Katonah Museum of Art is certified as a Neurodivergent Supportive Organization, so it is sensitive to the needs of individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.  Parking is available onsite.  

6. Neuberger Museum of Art – Purchase

Overview: Located on the campus of SUNY Purchase, this museum, which first opened in 1969, offers a variety of beautiful exhibitions along with a permanent collection centered on modern, contemporary, and African art. 

Best For: Art lovers and budding artists.

Highlights: Explore Then and Now, the Museum’s ongoing exhibition that includes a rotation of works from more than 6,000 objects, including works by such renowned artists as Alexander Calder, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Jackson Pollock, alongside objects by living artists.

Age Range: Kindergarten age and up

Special Features: Before your visit, prepare your kids with some of the museum’s virtual “NEU To Do for Kids” programming, which includes videos, projects, worksheets, and more.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Museum visitors should park in the West 1 Visitor Parking Lot of SUNY.  Free admission is offered to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families.

Top Family-Friendly Museums in the Hudson Valley

7. FASNY Museum of Firefighting – Hudson

Overview: The FASNY Museum of Firefighting is a great place for the entire family to learn all about firefighting. The museum combines the best features of a classic history museum with a children’s museum to become a modern hybrid, offering many “hands-on” activities and interactive areas.  

Best For: Kids who want to be firefighters when they grow up as well as history buffs; the museum chronicles firefighting back to Ancient Rome.

Highlights: Explore more than 50,000 square feet of fire equipment, gear, artwork and memorabilia from the past to the present; tour a replica of a firehouse from the 1800s; and kids can test their firefighting skills in an interactive Junior Firefighter Challenge Course.

Age Range: 2 years & up

Special Features: Free Super Saturdays are held once a month, featuring various fun events for kids. You can meet Molly the Museum dog on certain days (check the website).

Tips for Planning Your Visit: The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00am to 4:30pm. Food is not available, nor can it be brought into the Museum. 

8. Dia: Beacon – Beacon

Overview: Housed in a sprawling former Nabisco box factory, DIA: Beacon is an art museum and exhibition space that showcases imposing, large-scale artworks from world-renowned artists and installations on the banks of the Hudson River. 

Best For: Lovers of post-contemporary art.

Highlights: Kids will be fascinated by Crouching Spider, an imposing bronze and stainless steel sculpture. Filmmaker Steve McQueen presents Bass, a new work which comprises 60 ceiling-mounted lightboxes that journey through the complete spectrum of visible light, in concert with a sonic component.

Age Range: 5 years & up

Special Features: For the elementary school and older set, the Saturday Studio is a free family workshop on the second Saturday of the month. Families who participate get free admission to the museum for the day. 

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Hudson Valley residents receive FREE admission on the last Sunday of each month. Free admission is also offered for military families and veterans (plus one). On-site parking is available but limited. There is a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.

9. Hudson Highlands Nature Museum – Cornwall

Overview: Located about an hour from central Westchester, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum makes for a great weekend day trip. It consists of two locations: the Wildlife Education Center (WEC) and the Outdoor Discovery Center (ODC), which are about 10 minutes apart. 

Best For: Nature lovers, explorers, and scientists will all have a field day at Hudson Highlands.

Highlights: The indoor WEC is home to many native animals, including rabbits, turtles, fish, owls, and crowd-favorite Edgar the crow. Meet-the-animals sessions are held on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 and 2:30pm. At the ODC you’ll find the visitors center and gift shop, hiking trails, and the Grasshopper Grove nature-themed playground. 

Age Range: All ages.

Special Features: There are various special events held in both locations throughout the year. Additional fees apply.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Free parking is available on site. Hiking trails are free and open every day. No pets are allowed.

10. Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum – Poughkeepsie

Overview: The Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum is the ideal destination for families and their children. Its dynamic galleries feature an array of rotating, hands-on exhibits.  

Best For: With its focus on STEM, the museum is perfect for the budding scientist in your family.

Highlights: The Science Center, with exhibits on flight, magnetism, rockets, and building; Children’s Garden, featuring raised beds, a potting shed, compost area and an outdoor classroom; and the Early Learning Junction, a mega-playscape with exhibits designed to encourage the development of critical school readiness skills for babies and toddlers.

Age Range: Children up to 12 years old.

Special Features: The museum offers numerous special programs, interactive activities, live demonstrations, and more throughout the year. Check the Museum’s calendar for details.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: Visit the Museum on Family Free Night, which is held from 5:30-7:30pm on the third Sunday of each month. Free admission is offered for active-duty military personnel and their families. On-site parking is available. Parental supervision is required at all times.

11. Storm King Art Center – New Windsor

Overview: This massive outdoor museum is home to large-scale sculptures and site-specific pieces that are located throughout its wide-open green space. It’s also a great spot for little ones since they can roam the expansive grounds and burn off steam—as long as they don’t get too close to the sculptures. 

Best for: Lovers of contemporary art, sculpture, and the great outdoors.

Highlights: Walk the 500 acres of Storm King Art Center and take in the more than 100 sculptures on its grounds, some of which have been there since the 1960s. If you don’t feel like hiking the grounds, you can rent a bike. There is also an indoor art gallery.

Age range: All ages, although some of the artwork will be more appealing to older children.

Special Features: Storm King offers specific programming geared towards kids and families at various points throughout the season, with a focus on nature and art.

Tips for Planning Your Visit: You’ll find a great outdoor cafe that’s open every day, and on weekends there’s a food truck and cart as well—all of which offer kid-friendly options. On-site parking is available.

Unless noted, photos courtesy of the venues.

This post was originally published in 2013 and has since been updated. Sonia Gonzalez provided additional reporting.