With the winter months finally coming to a close, your family can hang up those ice skates and put away the gloves and look for some fun ways to appreciate the outdoors of NYC. However, because it’s still cold, you and the kids can start your Earth appreciation indoors at The American Museum of Natural History or at Ajijaak on Turtle Island, a beautiful puppet show about the effects of climate change on Earth and its animals. There are plenty of ways to get the family geared up for Spring even if the weather still says it’s winter.
Have a ‘Mice’ Time!
Angelina is way more than just a ballerina (and mouse). She can dance hip-hop, modern, and she even does an Irish jig with her friends Alice, Gracie, AZ, Viki, and their teacher Ms. Mimi. See them in the family-friendly Angelina Ballerina the Musical, the story of a group of mice who show off their dancing skills to their famous guest at the Camembert Academy. It will get the kids dancing in the aisle faster than you can say, “cheese!” Through May 19, select Saturdays and Sundays, 11am and 1pm, Age: 2 and older. $25 and up. Theater at Blessed Sacrament, 162 W. 71st St., Upper West Side. angelinamusical.com.
Love and Appreciate Our Earth
Celebrate the natural world through the visually beautiful story of Ajijaak, a young whooping crane facing her first migration south, told through the realistic puppets of artist Heather Henson and Grammy Award winner Ty Defoe’s ensemble. Ajijaak on Turtle Island features indigenous songs, languages, and dance, all combined to create a fable about the dangerous effects of climate change on Earth and its animals. On Saturday, March 2 at 7pm, Aijaak on Turtle Island will feature an autism-friendly performance. March 1-10, see website. Age: 7 and older. $17 and up. The New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St., Hell’s Kitchen. newvictory.org.
American Museum of Natural History
Explore all that this institution has to offer, from prehistoric creatures to the wonders of space. This iconic museum has been educating its visitors in the cross-disciplinary history of North America since 1869. With 45 permanent exhibition halls, including the Rose Center for Earth and Space, the Hayden Planetarium, and a variety of galleries for temporary exhibits, the educational fun will be endless.
Visit it: Central Park West at 79th Street, Upper West Side
Can’t-miss event: T. Rex: The Ultimate Predator, Opens March 11
Museum of the City of New York
This unique and educational museum tells the real story of New York City, exploring the past, present, and future. Baseball lovers will marvel at In the Dugout with Jackie Robinson, or you can gaze up at Starlight, the museum’s light installation suspended above the Rotunda. Littlest museumgoers won’t want to miss A City for Corduroy, which pays tribute to Don Freeman, the creator of the children’s classic story of a beloved bear.
Visit it: 1220 Fifth Ave., at 103rd Street, Upper East Side; mcny.org
Can’t-miss event: Germ City: Microbes and the Metropolis; through April 28; see website for schedule
Main Image: The puppets featured in “Ajijaak on Turtle Island” are from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Credit: Richard Termine
