Always wanted to take the kids to explore New York City? You’ve got to put a sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History on your list of things to do when you visit!
We’ve been all sorts of lucky to work with Animal Jam planning events for kids and families all over the country! You can check out where we’ve been and what we’ve been up to on the #ajroadshow hashtag on Instagram. Our last stop was a Night at the Museum sleepover in NYC!
Animal Jam is a safe and exciting online playground for kids who love animals and the outdoors. Players create and customize their own animal characters and dens, chat with friends, adopt pets, team up for adventures, and feed their curiosity about animals and the natural world around them.
They are passionate about kids and education and have been providing some pretty cool experiences for kids focused on science and technology. You can check out the game HERE.
Sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History (The “Night at the Museum” Museum!)
The after-hours sleepover begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 a.m. for kids ages 6 to 13 and their parents. Admission, $145 regular priced and discounted for Scouts and members, includes a live animal exhibition, fossil fact-finding mission by flashlight, and either an LeFrak Theatre or space show, as well as an evening snack and light breakfast. Cots are provided, but kids need sleeping bags, pillows and flashlights of their own. Sleepovers are held on random Friday and Saturday nights.
Plan your visit HERE!
Going to be in NYC kid free? They even have sleepovers just for grown ups – you can check those out HERE.
Want to make sure you hit all of the movie highlights? Check out the Night at the Museum Self-Guided Tour!
Tips for Planning Your Night at the Museum Sleepover
- Plan on grabbing dinner before you show up to the museum. The sleepover officially starts at 6 and there are limited snacks available from vending machines throughout the evening.
- Bring slippers or comfortable shoes! Running around in your socks or barefoot is maybe not the most hygenic idea. (I made the mistake of wearing fancy boots, not comfy)
- Remember, the museum doesn’t look exactly like the movie. You’ve got to look around to find all of the things that were included.
- Worried about security? Don’t be. They have real live security guards all over the museum watching over every sleeping area all night long. I didn’t worry for a minute.
- Will it be noisy? You’ll be amazed at how things quiet down at lights out. My daughter and I slept through the entire night with no problem. You might want to bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper.
- What about the morning after the museum? You are right across the street from Central Park! Look at everything that you are close to!
- Go in the winter time! Cheaper EVERYTHING. We used the Hotel Tonight app and found a room at a 5 star hotel for $150 a night.
Our Highlights
Catching this gorgeous sunset on our way from dinner to the museum!
Just walking up the front steps of this old beautiful building!
Our first time using a selfie stick . . . with Teddy Roosevelt! (With Jen from TatertotsandJello.com and Cindy from SkiptoMyLou.org!)
Finding the Dumb Dumb Gum Gum statue!
We had an extensive debate on who Dexter really is. The monkey on the left or the monkey on the right?
Rexy!!! (in the dark!)
A billion kids under the big blue whale!
Our bedtime view from the hall of North American Mammals!
Have you been? What was your favorite part?
More About Animal Jam
Animal Jam is a safe and exciting online playground for kids who love animals and the outdoors. Players create and customize their own animal characters and dens, chat with friends, adopt pets, team up for adventures, and feed their curiosity about animals and the natural world around them.
Created in partnership with National Geographic, Animal Jam features classic playground role playing infused with the life sciences. Players can collect fun facts in their Journey Books, learn about Animal Conservation in Kimbara Outback, and ask real scientists questions, like herpetologist Dr. Brady Barr and marine biologist Tierney Thys.
All educational content is accessible to players for free, including Animal Jam Academy (http://academy.animaljam.com), a premier online resource center where kids can download exciting activities to complete when they’re not online. Animal Jam memberships are available for players who want access to additional animals, accessories, dens, and den items. Membership details are located here: (https://animaljam.com/membership).
We also offer robust safety options which are constantly being optimized based on parent feedback. Parents can control their child’s chat settings, plus their ability to gift or trade items. Parents can also view their child’s discipline history and their login history. Animal Jam also regularly produces educational content for players and their parents about digital citizenship and online safety, ensuring our players are aware of how to be safe online.
Our goal is to inspire children to explore and protect the natural world outside their own doors, making science accessible and fun!
More to do in NYC with the kids!
Check out our New York Mama Pinterest board for more great ideas!
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