Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation

The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation opened in 2023 as the American Museum of Natural History's most ambitious expansion in decades — and immediately became one of New York City's most extraordinary spaces for curious children of all ages. Designed by architect Jeanne Gang, the Gilder Center connects to the original AMNH building via a seven-story undulating atrium that resembles the interior of a nautilus shell, setting the tone for a museum experience that is itself a scientific wonder.

The Gilder Center houses several distinct institutions within its soaring walls. The Susan and Peter Solomon Insectarium presents living insects from around the world in naturalistic habitat displays — a queen leafcutter ant colony with its highways of tiny workers, a Madagascar hissing cockroach exhibit children can observe at eye level, and a beehive enclosure with glass walls revealing the full hive interior. Children who arrive skeptical of insects routinely leave enchanted.

The Butterfly Vivarium creates a cloud-forest microclimate where tropical butterflies from Central and South America flutter freely around visitors. Children stand still and wait for a butterfly to land on their shoulder — and it often does. The 30-minute timed experience is among the most magical 30 minutes available to families in New York City.

Invisible Worlds, the Gilder Center's signature theater experience, uses IMAX-scale projection technology to shrink visitors down to the scale of cells, dust mites, and bacteria — showing children the extraordinary structures that exist at scales invisible to the naked eye. The 15-minute presentation runs on a regular schedule and is appropriate for children as young as 4.

The Gilder Center connects seamlessly to the broader AMNH collection, allowing families to move between the dinosaur halls, the Ocean Hall, the planetarium, and the new Center in a single visit. AMNH membership is the single best value investment for New York City families who visit science and natural history museums regularly.