What is Museum Row?
The fascinating worlds of airplanes, firefighting, and childhood learning meet on one stretch of road in Garden City, Long Island. Curious minds and experiential learners will delight at Museum Row, home to three museums beyond the ordinary. Whether you’re a Long Island local or visiting Nassau County, spend a day hopping between the Children’s Museum, the Firefighter’s Museum, and the Cradle of Aviation.
Children can dive into hands-on science experiments and art projects at the Long Island Children’s Museum. Practically next door, parents and kids alike can learn about fire safety and appreciate beautiful vintage firefighting equipment at the Nassau County Fire Firefighters Museum. And, with just a quick stroll aviation enthusiasts can indulge their passion for flight at the Cradle of Aviation’s historic exhibits. Whether you’re a curious kid, a fun-loving adult, or an aviation fan, there’s an experience waiting for you at this all-encompassing destination. And, keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming addition to Museum Row: the Long Island Museum for Science and Technology. Scheduled to open in late 2024, it promises to be an exciting hub for robotics, electronic music, and tech innovations.
Long Island Children's Museum
Come create, play, and learn in this immersive space designed for experiential learners of all ages. Long Island Children’s Museum’s fourteen exhibits and theater are spread across indoor and outdoor spaces and will keep the family captivated the whole day. Since 2002, the Long Island Children’s Museum has been designed to foster imagination and exploration, skills building, and immersive learning in science, culture, and the arts.
Young adventurers, budding artists, and aspiring scientists have the world at their hands with the museum’s diverse offerings. At the current exhibits, children can take a passport-free trip to people’s homes worldwide, step inside a giant bubble, experiment by creating beautiful patterns, and adventure across climbing sculptures, to name a few. In the upcoming months, look forward to additional exhibits where you can explore an outdoor sensory garden, climb aboard Thomas the Tank Engine, and learn about Long Island’s maritime history and culture.
The Children’s Museum also offers interactive classes and theater, ensuring each day is filled with new experiences. Little ones can dance and sing in the music and movement sessions and get their hands messy in the art classes, while teens and children alike can be immersed in the world of science and nature with the museum’s STEM programs. Be sure to make time for the theater, where you can enjoy a variety of performances, including plays, musicals, dance, and puppetry.
Seasonal Events: The Long Island Children’s Museum knows how to embrace the seasons. Throw colorful powder, dance to folk music, and eat Indian treats at the Holi festival in celebration of South Asia’s colorful spring festival. Make festive hearts from pipe cleaners for Valentine’s Day and design paper lanterns for Eid al-Fitr. The museum also features a craft theme every month, from making rainbows in March to crafting rain clouds throughout April in the spirit of April showers.
Special Events: LICM throws an annual fundraising event, “Cupcakes and Cocktails,” designed to connect adults to their inner child while raising funds. Enjoy live music, games, dancing, tasty food, and classic cocktails while bidding on experiences and auction items to support the learning of the future generation.
Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm. Closed Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
General Admission: $17
Membership: $100/year free unlimited admission for one adult and one child, $200/year free unlimited admission for four designated members, and $300/year for six designated members.
Nassau County Firefighters Museum
Come learn everything there is to know about fire safety while having fun! Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum was born from Nassau County fire marshal Andy Stienmuller’s dream to create a public education center to teach students and the general public about fire safety. The interactive space draws adults and children into the exciting world and critical work of firefighters through engaging exhibits and immersive simulations.
Explore the Museum’s interactive educational experiences on a field trip, a birthday party, or a stop on your visit to Museum Row. A retired or current firefighter will take you through the drills of what happens in the event of a real fire, from the moment the alarm is activated, to making the emergency call, to knocking down the flames at the scene of the fire. After you’ve tackled the basics of fire safety, learn about fire trucks and fire equipment, from horse-drawn steamers and hand-pulled carts to ladder trucks and tankers—all displayed within the Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. Open Mondays on school holidays and seven days a week from July through August.
General Admission: $7
Cradle of Aviation Museum
Long Island holds a revered place in the aviation world. Charles Lindbergh made history’s first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight from Roosevelt Field on Long Island to Paris. While certainly the most famous of the flights, many more successful flights were also made from Long Island. Come dive into this dynamic history at the Cradle of Aviation on Museum Row.
The museum’s eight permanent exhibits take visitors on a journey through time. Begin with the “Dream of Wings” exhibit, capturing the moment mankind’s dream of flying manifested in the late 18th century with balloon flights. Continuing through time with the Golden Age of flying, the influence of women in aviation history, the development of military planes in the WWI and WWII exhibits, the jet age, contemporary aviation, and finally, the gallery on modern space exploration.
Beyond the permanent exhibits, wander through the Cradle of Aviation’s jet gallery, where you can marvel at Long Island-related aircraft. Rotating exhibits cycle through the museum, as well. The current special is a Pan Am exhibit, showcasing the extraordinary history of the legendary airline that is no longer.
Extend your visit and catch a show at the Planetarium, where high-resolution laser projectors create a powerful and immersive virtual reality experience. Several features are shown each day. Current showings include “Touch the Stars,” “Space Odyssey,” “Cities of the Future,” and “Unseen Universe,” bringing you on a journey through ocean systems, futuristic sustainable cities, and faraway galaxies.
Aspiring future astronauts, scientists, and aerospace engineers can join Cradle of Aviation’s STEM and Space Camps, which take place over three weeks during summer (July 15, July 22, and July 29).
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm
General Admission:
- Planetarium and Museum: Adults $25; Children (2-12) and Seniors (62+) $23
- Planetarium Only: Adults $12; Children and Seniors $11
- Museum Only: Adults $18; Children and Seniors $16
Nunley’s Carousel
While not technically a museum, sandwiched between LICM and the Firefighter’s Museum is the 112-year-old Nunley’s Carousel. The glass-enclosed carousel (heated during winter!) is a perfect place to stop between museum hopping.
LICM Member ticket: $3
Non-member ticket: $4
As you enjoy Museum Row with your friends and family, be sure to share pics with @VisitNassauCountyLI, to be entered to win special prizes!
