Museums have the power to open young minds to new worlds, allowing children to physically interact with artifacts and objects from centuries past. Yet in the digital age, when limitless information is at our fingertips, museums across New York City are now looking to use technology to enhance the typical museum-going experience, in order to engage young, tech-savvy visitors. Check out these online games, digital tools, and mobile apps to complement your next family visit to iconic museums around the city.
American Museum of Natural History
Become a MicroRanger at the American Museum of Natural History! Using a recently-launched mobile game available on Android and iOS smartphones, youngsters of all ages (best for 8 and up) have the chance to explore AMNH through augmented reality—the first floor turns into a series of animated adventures! Activated by a Communicator Coin you can pick up at the museum, animated characters will guide visitors, helping them protect biodiversity, play mini-games, and solve nine MicroCrises, all while learning how microbial life impacts the health and security in nature and beyond.
Created by museum educators, museum scientists, high schoolers, and game designers, this game is sure to make your child’s visit to the AMNH both educational and unforgettable. amnh.org
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
#MetKids is an interactive digital feature made for, with, and by kids and the Metropolitan Museum of Art! Aimed at art-lovers ages 7-12, this feature on the Met’s website will include content created in collaboration with educators, curators, conservators, and researchers from different parts of the Met, all in tandem with kids themselves.
Fun aspects of #MetKids include an interactive map that lets users explore the museum’s collections, a kid-friendly video channel, a “time machine” that allows kids to select their areas of interest from 5,000 years of art, a just-for-kids blog (which will showcase kids’ artwork along with serving as a Q&A platform), and more. metmuseum.org
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The Museum of Modern Art now offers interactive mobile apps and online games to introduce children to the world of modern art.
Using the MoMA Art Lab app, children can create artistic masterpieces, experiment with paint, put together a collage, assemble a mobile, and much more! They can then can share their artwork with the world. Beyond artistic creation and exploration, children can learn about MoMA artists like Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Elizabeth Murray, and more. Intended for ages 7 and up.
Have you ever wondered what an alien would think of our modern art here on Earth? Through MoMA’s online game, An Intergalactic Journey to MoMa and MoMA PS1, children and families can travel to MoMA with an alien and explore paintings, sculptures and installations in the comfort of their own home! moma.org
