You could visit the MoMA and take in the museum’s world-class modern art; or you could enjoy the medieval armor and Egyptian artifacts of The Met. But, you can also see 5 offbeat museums in NYC!
So, how about skipping those rudimentary Lonely Planet recommendations altogether and really jumping off the beaten path?
If you’re looking for a more unconventional approach to museum-hopping – or are simply fed up with long lines and $25-plus admission fees – Diane Pham, from 6sqft, has rounded up five unexpected experiences that only New York City insiders are keen to.
See below the 5 offbeat museums in NYC!
Harry Houdini Museum
This tiny treasure hidden on the third floor of a Midtown building celebrates the world’s most important and influential magician, Harry Houdini.
In addition to housing a collection of several hundred of Houdini’s most important implements, including his straight jacket, a collection of handcuffs, and his escape coffin, the museum also hosts magic lectures and shows for the public.
When visiting, don’t be surprised if you run into your favorite magician or celebrity, according to the museum’s site, “famous magicians hang out here every day.”
Admission: Free
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm
Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Location: 421 7th Avenue, 3rd floor, Midtown
New York Transit Museum
Most don’t think of the NYC subway as much more that a means to get from point A to point B, but the city’s mass transit history is both rich and fascinating.
Housed in an authentic 1936 subway station beneath Downtown Brooklyn, this underground treasure covers every bit of NYC transit history – from the men who dug the subway tunnels more than 100 years ago to the technology that keeps trains running today.
Here, you can also jump behind the wheel of a city bus, sit in a vintage subway car, or take in the turnstiles of yore.
Admission:
Adults – $10
Children (2-17) – $5
Seniors 62+ – $5, Seniors are free on Wednesdays (excludes senior group visits)
Museum Members free
Hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 10am – 4pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am – 5pm
Closed Mondays and major holidays
Location: Boerum Place & Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn
Mmuseumm
Located in a freight elevator just a few blocks south of Canal Street is a museum specializing in the “overlooked, dismissed, or ignored.”
Open every Saturday and Sunday, Mmuseumm introduces curious onlookers to everyday, unexpected, and unusual objects from around the world; recent exhibitions have included “ISIS Currency,” “Embalming Accessories,” and “The Fake U.S Fast Food Franchises of Iran.”
Permanent pieces meanwhile include a shoe thrown at George W. Bush at the Minister’s Palace in Baghdad. Just note: only three can squeeze into the museum at once.
Admission: Pay as you wish with a $5 suggested donation for regular admission.
Hours:
Saturdays & Sundays: 12pm – 6pm
Mmuseumm is visible 24/7 through the viewing windows and by calling into the audio guide 1(888) 763 8839 from your mobile phone.
Location: 4 Cortlandt Alley
Museum of the American Gangster
This diminutive, two-room museum dedicated to the history of the American gangster is very appropriately situated upstairs from a former speakeasy found along the St. Mark’s Place, in the East Village.
Beyond “newspapers, photographs and other original documents from the Prohibition Era,” the museum also keeps some incredible mob relics including John Dillinger’s death masks and bullets from the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre investigation.
And still, one of the bullets that brought down bank robber Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd.
This museum is not for the faint of heart!
Admission: *Includes guided tour.*
Adult – $20
Students & Seniors – $12
Groups of 10 and over should contact museum.
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 1pm – 6pm
Location: 80 St. Marks Place
http://museumoftheamericangangster.org
Explorer’s Club
In theme with this list, we’d be remiss not to mention the Explorer’s Club Headquarters of New York.
Founded in 1904, the Explorers Club was created as a gathering place and a means to promote the work of those involved in the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space. The club is today housed in an 1910 Jacobean revival mansion on the Upper East Side.
It features a spectacular collection of 13,000 books, 1,000 museum objects, 5,000 maps, and 500 films. You’ll also find a trove of taxidermied animals on the top floor of the storied structure, most of which date back to the early days of the Club when taxidermy was used to preserve animals for study and education.
Back then, traveling anywhere required incredible effort, and the use of photography had not yet spread.
Admission: Free
Hours:
September through June: The Club is open to members and their guests from 9am-9pm Monday – Friday. Certain designated rooms of the Club are open to the general public from 9am-6pm.
Summer Hours (July and August): Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm
The Club is closed on Saturdays & Sundays
Location: 46 East 70th Street
We have no doubt that you enjoyed these 5 offbeat museums in NYC. So, if you want to organize a private tour or experience for you and your family, or you want a specific type of tour catered to you, contact our experts. We are able to cater any type of tour in New York.
Plus, we’ve worked with big Corporate groups, so if you are looking for assistance for your team, or your clients, we can assist you all the way.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of the Museusms and Black Paw Photo
*Last Update on March/2020.*
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