A mainstay of the New York theatre scene and a cultural institution for theatrical works is at a new location with new owners (and Hamilton creators) Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Designed by “Hamilton” scenic designer David Korins and his team, the new store pays homage to twentieth century European cafes and reading rooms with…

FAO SCHWARZ (10am – 9pm)

Salute the live toy soldier as you enter this iconic three-story toy store with high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, giant Transformers, lots of demos and crazy candy. Dance on the giant piano made famous in the movie Big.

AMERICAN GIRL (11am – 7pm)
Explore immersive environments for historical and contemporary high-end dolls including a 1970s pod chair, 1980s arcade and a surfboard on waves. Shop tons of dolls and accessories, design you own doll or visit the salon for girl & doll hair styling, manicures & ear piercings.

NINTENDO (11am- 6pm)
Explore two-levels of everything Nintendo. Say hi to life-size Mario, Luigi and Bowser, see the newest Switch games, shop games, accessories, apparel, and other items featuring everyone’s favorite Nintendo characters and see historical items including original systems and game boys and cute figurines.

Take photos with taxis, subway stations, the Statue of Liberty and other NYC icons built out of LEGOS and the recently relocated, multi-floor LEGO Store (630 Fifth Avenue at 51st Street). Engage in hands-on, minds-on play. Make mosaics, create a custom Minifigure, look for hidden treasures in the enormous Tree of Discovery and shop for exclusive sets, hard-to-find bricks and elements that you can select by hand at the rainbow Pick A Brick wall.

Go on a 20-minute interactive, immersive journey into the LEGO Brick Lab with innovative technology that brings walls, floors and ceilings to life with light, sound and music. Build a creation with an exclusive set of bricks, scan and watch it become a living part of the Brick Lab ($15, includes brick set, reserve online). Choose from outer space or NYC themes in a trippy digital experience with signature LEGO wit.

Dog-lovers can explore canine-related artwork with cutting-edge technology and interpretation, plus items from the library, archives and collection of the American Kennel Club headquarters.

HIGHLIGHTS:
🐶 See canine-related paintings, ceramics and other fine art & artifacts
🐕‍🦺 Explore AKC registered breeds at an interactive table
🐩 Discover which dog breed looks most…

Take a spectacular soaring ride for a unique bird’s-eye view tour of the Big Apple. Hang suspended 30 feet in the air and glide over NYC’s iconic skyline and landmarks while inside a 180-degree, 40-foot projection dome featuring 8K aerial footage that creates the sensation of flight.

Also see a film by award-winning documentarians Ric…

Find lots of fast-casual food options at the concourse level of 30 Rockefeller Plaza include lots of outposts of popular NYC shops. Choose from middle-eastern Samesa, Black Seed Bagels, global rice bowls at FIELDTRIP, Dough Doughnuts, Van Leeuwen ice cream and many more. S

Bring food to tables and chairs around the disco roller rink and watch skaters while you eat. For indoor table service, try kid-friendly Bill’s Bar & Burgers.

Pick up cupcakes and banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery and delicious chocolates at floral explosion Tuescher or classy La Maison du Chocolate.

Experiential toy store Camp’s new floor features interactive and immersive art experiences. Free to enter – no tickets necessary – just pay as you go for art projects.

A $40 CAMP Craft Pass ticket includes 2 craft activities or 1 Splatter Room experience go full Jackson Pollock (smocks provided) and take home a 16-inch canvas…

Learn a variety of spy skills in an interactive museum and experience for all ages.

* Test code-making and code-breaking skills in digital Encryption Challenge, lying and lie-detection skills in a Deception Challenge, observation skills in 360° degree Surveillance Challenge and  strategy and agility in a cool laser tunnel Special Ops Challenge. Scores are recorded in an online spy profile, resulting in an assignment to a spy role like Hacker or Special Ops.

* Also explore the history of spying with artifacts like Edward Snowden’s telepresence robot, a U2 spy plane camera and flight suit, micro bugging devices and lots more. Learn about the FBI Double Agent who sold secrets to the Russians for 22 years, and the young Spycatcher who brought him down. Encounter an original Enigma from WWII and tap out messages on a replica. Learn about the fascinating world of hacking (including a deceptively cute rainbow kitty).

* Several rooms are dedicated to James Bond with close looks at gadgets and filming secrets.

*All ages are welcome and there is lots to touch and explore, though younger kids won’t understand much of it. Lots of sanitizing going on throughout the museum, space for social distancing and new disposable touch pens make it a safer indoor option.

Explore spacious galleries and engaging exhibits in a modern, kid-friendly building.

HIGHLIGHTS:

🖼 Van Gogh’s Starry Night  & other modern masterpieces by Picasso, Warhol, Pollock,  Basquiat, Faith Ringgold and many more
⛲️ Serene Sculpture Garden
🎨 Interactive, all-ages Family Art Lab: Line, Shape, Color

CURRENT EXHIBITS

🎮 Play Pac-Man & Minecraft…

Experience incredible views from 70 floors up. Three indoor and outdoor viewing decks offer breathtaking 360-degree views of the city – you start on the lowest deck, then head up to the better, higher views so plan your photos accordingly.

One of the best places to take in Central Park.

Learn about the fascinating history of Rockefeller Center  in the lobby and take a green screen photo on a constriction beam (optional $27 to purchase).

The decks are mostly glass enclosed so visit toward dawn or dusk for better photos with less glare.

Explore interactive exhibits, examine original artifacts, view historic video footage and more aboard an actual 1943 aircraft carrier. Lots of indoor and outdoor space to roam with tons to explore. A must for plane lovers and history/military buffs.

HIGHLIGHTS:

🚁 Hands-on, interactive Exploreum
🚀 Go inside a real submarine and see a space shuttle

Explore contemporary and historic innovation in craft, art, and design in a lovely setting overlooking Central Park.

HIGHLIGHTS:

🎨 Peek in resident artists’ and designers’ studios.

CURRENT EXHIBITS

🎤 See famous ensembles from music videos, concert attire, props, jewelry, ephemera, and projections of music videos in Taylor Swift: Storyteller ($25 timed tickets include museum…

Enter the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland through whimsical painted art installations that play with perspectives of art and reality. Fall down the rabbit-hole into a world of giant playing cards, secret rose gardens, and multicolored mushrooms. Sit on the Queen of Hearts’ throne. Ride a rocking horse in a golden field as giant…

This cozy pink corner of the swanky hotel celebrates spunky Eloise the Plaza’s most famous fictional resident. Dress up and play a mini-piano on a pink stage, lounge in the comfy reading/media room in the back, browse the delightful books and explore the selection of perfectly marvelous toys.

Wed – Sun 10 am…

Explore Broadway’s rich history, the behind-the-scenes and its game changers at a new interactive and experiential museum.

🎭 Travel through the timeline of Broadway from its birth to present day with costumes, props and memorabilia
🎭 Pose in recreated sets from favorite Broadway shows
🎭 Get a behind-the-scenes look at all the jobs that…

Visit the highest viewing point in midtown Manhattan at am immersive observatory experience featuring multiple unique experiences.

Experience a trippy mix of transparency and reflectivity in mirrored observatory ‘Air,’  an immersive art experience designed by Kenzo Digital. Sort of like an infinity room with cityscapes. See yourself above the clouds – literally and figuratively in…

* Read books, newspapers, and magazines for all ages in the Reading Room open-air library among pretty flowers.

* Borrow chess, Connect Four, Sorry and other board games on the Fifth Avenue Terrace and play on ping pong tables, pétanque courts and putting greens.

* Get inspired by the urban life, flowers, and monuments of…

Rent single and tandem kayak and paddle boards for boat rides with magnificent midtown views (and maybe some dead fish). Kid sized equipment available for easier maneuvering. Life jackets and Ziplock baggie for face covers and phones provided. BYO water bottle and lock for lockers.

All rentals stay in the supervised cove. To go into…

Create a beautiful and comforting stone keepsake with Artist Studios resident Melissa Joseph. Joseph will demonstrate the craft of wet felting and share its significance in her own creative practice. Participants will use wool, water, and dish soap to create the stone’s felted encasement. Bring a stone that holds personal meaning or choose from a…

Kids and adults work together to uncover the secrets of this amazing train station.

Go nuts in the Whispering Gallery, spot surprises in the stars in the “sky,” find TV celebs in the fabulous food court, stand on fish under an upside-down tree in the Grand Central Market, learn the arrival time of a “ghost”…