Hudson River Museum (Yonkers): Warburton Ave

This is a true gem in NYC.  Yes, it is a little remote (you have to take the Hudson Line Metro North to Glenwood Station and then walk about 5 to 10 minutes), but it is absolutely worth the trip (besides, Metro North offers a special if you ask the ticket agent for a "One Day Getaway" to the Hudson River Museum, which includes the roundtrip train fare and discounted museum admission for $14.50/adult).

The Hudson River Museum has something for everyone.  That is not an exaggeration.  They have historical home furnishings from the late 1800s (see period library with fireplace and ebonized bookshelves at left) in the architectural beauty, Glenview (see above, the house behind the modern facade of the museum, which was built and lived in by the John Bond Trevor family), which was built by the same architect that built the Armory on Park Avenue.  

They have modern exhibitions, like the photography work currently on display of the Hudson Valley, from Manhattan and Westchester County to the Catskills by Susan Wides.  This exhibit explores the juxtaposition of suburban and urban perspectives and the descriptions of the works in the artists own words are fantastically informative.

The museum also has a respectable collection of 19th and early 20th century scenic paintings of the Hudson Valley as well as some beautiful portraits and sculptures done in the times before mass photography.  I particularly like the intimacy and innocence of this lovely child's portrait, likely painted by her father, John George Brown (see right).

They also have modern or more contemporary artwork.  My favorite piece in the whole museum is Red Groom's "The Bookstore" (see left).  This 3D installation of an animated bookstore, complete with inflatable figures, uniquely titled 3D books, an electrified fireplace, and 2 entrances (a grand one mimicking The Pierpont Morgan Library and a modest one of a second hand bookstore, called Mendoza's Bookstore), is hyper-life-like in color and specificity  As I walked through and tried to take in all of the details, I was reminded of theater/movie sets (particularly Hagrid's hut from the Harry Potter series).  I LOVED this piece and don't think I've seen anything like it before.

The museum also has a great nature exhibit for kids (and adult-kids) called Riverama.  In it, they have live catfish, carp, seahorses (see right), and almost innumerable interactive stations educating visitors about the marshes, trees, wildlife, soil and pollution related to the Hudson River and New York City.  I think it really is fabulous (although I suppose I can't be sure about how this would be received by kids since I did not have any visiting with me).

Finally, the highlight of the museum is the planetarium.  Because it is only open on weekends I was worried it would be incredibly crowded, but actually, the whole museum was pretty sparsely attended (there were about a dozen people there at any given time during my 3 hour visit).  They have different shows 3 times each day, and it is really zen and beautiful.  The show is narrated by a live host with a very soothing voice and the background music is cosmic (ah yes, I admit I snuck a little cat nap in there -- I couldn't help it).  While I haven't yet been to the planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History (still on the list), I would say that this planetarium is wonderful, expansive, and somehow intimate too.

If you have not trekked out to the Hudson River Museum, you are missing out.  This is a fantastic place to visit and spend the day (and evenings when they have special planetarium shows or musical concerts--check their calendar of events).  You can't beat views like this (see above).  I would add this to my top 5 list of places to visit in NYC, especially for New Yorkers yearning for a hit of nature and something off the beaten path.

American Museum of Natural History: 81st St and Central Park West

I've been to the American Museum of Natural History a few times, and each time I go I get overwhelmed with all that the museum has to offer.  I mean really, they start with dinosaurs and end with outer space (at the Hayden Planetarium--catch the IMAX movie)!  So this time I decided to go with a kind of goal.  I did a scavenger hunt with Watson Adventures and it was terrific.  I saw parts of the museum that I had never seen before, and although my team came in second to last, we had a good time running around the museum discovering interesting things throughout.

Of course we saw the numerous dioramas of animals (see above and right).  And as we went through the elephant room, my 19 year old nephew (who can hardly be called a museum fan) declared that this was the best museum he'd EVER been to.  High praise, indeed!

The museum was absolutely packed (more so than I had ever experienced, although it is generally crowded on the weekends).  I think the outside temperatures over 100 degrees drove everyone to indoor attractions.  In fact, there were a few parts of the museum that could not keep the air conditioners running strongly enough to counteract the heat from all the bodies.

If you, your kids, or adults in your life are interested in dinosaurs (see T-Rex at left), outer space travel, gem stones, wild animals, forests, underwater sea life, or anything else that is of nature, this is the Mecca of natural history for you.  If, like me, you are overwhelmed by large museums, consider taking a guided tour, participating in a scavenger hunt, or signing up for a special museum event like the Night at the Museum sleepovers (Yes, you may remember that the movie "Night at the Museum" was set at this world famous museum).

This is definitely a don't miss location in NYC.