NYC Fire Museum is a must see if you love these brave men and women like I do. We have come along way and have the best Fire Department on the planet to me. I thought I did a review because it's been years since I visited. I was drawn to this business page because on this morning's news they said what they called the Firefighters Museum (and they said it is on Prince Street), was closed! They said it was closed indefinitely because of structural issues in the 120 year old building where the museum is housed. I've searched the web and this is the only museum I can find related Fire Departments and the history of Firefighters in NYC. I'm finally doing my review so you will check before you visit. This museum may be temporarily closed. I'm going to look for my additional photos to post. It's definitely an overdue review! read more

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Our two-year-old Leo B. is obsessed with fire trucks, so we decided to take him to the NYC Fire Museum last month while we were visiting New York. It was less exciting than I'd hoped--I guess I'd expected to see, I don't know, like one fire truck that looks like the ones in his books--but it was still a worthwhile stop, and he enjoyed himself quite a bit. The museum is small, housed in an old fire station in Hudson Square, with exhibits spread out across a couple of floors. You enter and exit through the gift shop, which is also where you purchase tickets. The guy at the register was very nice, and we bought three adult tickets (mom, dad, grandma) at $10 apiece, all so the little one, whose ticket was "free," could enjoy fifteen minutes roaming among the firefighting artifacts. I think we were the only visitors the entire time we were there. We saw a handful of old fire engines spread out between the two floors, and these were pretty cool, and Leo recognized them as fire trucks of sorts and enjoyed looking at and discussing their big wheels. He was less interested in the smaller items, which would probably be intriguing to slightly older kids. We also kept him out of the 9/11 memorial room, which seemed less designed for boisterous toddlers than the rest of the place, but which we adults appreciated. I honestly think our kid's favorite part of the museum might have been the gift shop, where I discovered that my son understands the concept of buying things and taking them home. He wanted every fucking variant on a fire truck toy--squishy and plastic, small and large; ambulance, van, engine. We settled on a big fire truck with an extendable ladder, which is now one of his favorite toys. It was over $40 and one of the stickers started peeling off pretty immediately, but I do think it's reasonably solid quality. We bought the same one for a friend's two-year-old, as well as a soft toy for his baby sister, both of which went over well. We also got an FDNY T-shirt for Leo, so the museum made a decent amount of money off of us. I'm guessing we didn't see all there was to see, but as our two-year-old wasn't clamoring to learn about the fire department's history, I think we did things right. We had a pleasant visit at the NYC Fire Museum and would recommend it if you or your small ones are fascinated by firefighting. read more

I did appreciate the opportunity to learn about the history of firefighters in NYC and the many memorabilia. Stumbled upon it by accident, while strolling through that area. Great place to bring people who have an interest in fire fighters, fire engines etc... The interior is much larger than you would expect! Clean bathroom! read more

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As a lifelong New Yorker, I wanted to know more about my hometown's history which includes the Fire Department (FDNY) also known as New York's Bravest. I loved that the museum is housed in a former firehouse, which just adds to the authenticity and commitment to honor and preserve the legacies of all who served. It was so incredible to see the trucks and tools used to fight the blaze. Seeing the past adds context to the present. These men did not have helmets, face masks, a hose, or fire-retardant suits and boots. They often ran in with just the clothes on their backs and a basic hat. Fire grenades or fire bombs circa 1870 until 1910 were used to extinguish the flames. What?! From a volunteer to a paid department, our city has come a very long way. I am grateful to the ladies who were so gracious to my son who was able to take a photo holding the firehose and took an activity book home. I loved the dedicated space for children to learn fire safety at home. I was touched by the story of a dog who became the mascot of a Brooklyn firehouse, 9/11 artifacts and memorials, as well as the Unmasking Our Heroes exhibition. Given the cultural diversity of our city, I hoped that the contributions of immigrants, women, and New Yorkers who identify as BIPOC would also be reflected in this museum as a permanent not temporary exhibition. read more

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We didn't have an extended amount of time to listen to the self-guided audio tour. For the parts that we did listen to, the audio was very helpful. There was a group of families touring through what seemed like a birthday celebration. One lady was handing a badge to the kids in the group. The 2 rooms I really enjoyed were the room with the timeline and history of firefighting in the city and the room paying tribute to the 9/11 firefighters who lost their lives. It's worth going through and learning the history. read more

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I've visited this museum a few times and always enjoyed perusing the collections and photos. Its cool seeing all of the historical uniforms and products of the fire department from the past. It's a small and very intimate venue but extremely powerful especially the 9/11 memorial. Woo the memorial is deep and profoundly touching. The first time I visited there were definitely tears because the photos and letters were really emotional. The museum is kid and family friendly and can be thoroughly seen in a hour or so. read more

This museum is located within a former fire station from 1904. Although it's small, there's so much meaning contained within this museum. We brought the students here for a field trip. They started off by showing us a 15 minute video about fire safety. Then, they taught a fascinating lesson about the history of the FDNY. The bucket brigades were so interesting to learn about! After the history lesson, we went into a room that resembled a house and were taught about evacuations. Afterward, we walked into a smoke room and practiced evacuating the room in the dark. The fake smoke is not hazardous in any way and won't make you cough. There's a room dedicated to the firefighters that served on 9/11. The displays might hit some soft spots. The students were kind of upset seeing how many firefighters lost their lives, but I think it's important for us to foster knowledge and sympathy about the topic. Overall, it was a fascinating and insightful field trip for all of us. I definitely recommend this museum for educators, parents, and children. read more

NYC Fire Museum - Inside - Museums Near Me - New York, New York

This is a must see, especially if you have a kid who loves firemen/obsessed with fire safety. It's extremely inexpensive to come in and look around. Lots of old fire trucks and memorabilia. Kids can dress up as firemen and "put out a fire". There is a very somber 9/11 memorial that's sure to make you cry months later just thinking about it. You need to see it. We are very glad we came in. read more

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It's spring break, the nephews are here, got a whole week, what should we do? Time to take advantage of our Cool Culture card we got from the school and go places for free! Fourth spot this week, today we decided on the NYC Fire Museum. I caught my beloved nephews by surprise when I told them to walk into the fire house (to be honest, I was pretty excited myself). They questioned of course, "Can we really walk into a fire station? We're not firemen." Really cool place to explore, especially with my younger nephew who is in love with firefighters. A spot with two floors in an actual firehouse, which was renovated, with fascinating exhibits of fire engines made/used back in the early 1900s. I had the boys try on real helmets used by firemen, they were in fact very heavy. It almost brought me to tears when we went to watch a fire safety video, a video I did not know I was so familiar with even though it has been at least 20 years since the last time I've seen it. Does anyone remember the "Stop, drop, and roll." song? Yes, it's the video with See-more the smoke detector! Lots of cool looking patches, shiny badges new and old, heroic medals, and fancy instruments, plus others, up on the second floor. We were all so amazed at the vintage items including gears, tools, old engines, carriages....so much I can go on and on. I think we spent a good 2 hours here, still didn't cover everything (if only the kids would slow down but they were just way too excited). Make sure to also check out the 9/11 memorial on your way out, it's downstairs towards the back. A small, yet very powerful room with a couple of tissue boxes sitting around. Browse through pictures digitally/displayed of 9/11 and our fallen heroes. There were also a couple of items, on display, of items recovered after the attacks, including a dust covered helmet. P.S. There's a drawing contest going on right now, it's part of their 150th year celebration. Now, let's hope we can get that winning phone call! read more

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When your Airbnb is next door to the NYC Fire Museum, it's almost guaranteed you will visit. Even if you do not sleep around the corner, taking a trip to the museum is a fun and interesting experience for everyone. The smallish museum is located in SoHo near the Spring Street station on the C & E lines. Admission is fair and grants you access to both floors of the museum. The overall layout is a bit jumbled, but most of the exhibits are on the first floor. There are several examples of historic and modern fire fighting equipment portraying the history of the New York Fire Department as it evolved from a network of private fire companies into a city service. The term engine actually came from a physical engine that was towed to a fire to pump water! In the back is a 9/11 memorial to all the firefighters who died on that tragic day. It is a touching tribute to those who gave their all. To lighten the mood, there are some authentic fire equipment and uniforms that you can put on for pictures afterwards. Upstairs has some antique equipment and more exhibits. This can be a fun place to take the kids with lots of cool exhibits. The whole place can be seen quickly, although there is a lot of information on the walls for those who want to delve into the details. The NYC Fire Museum also has a great gift shop with lots of NYFD merchandise for souvenirs or gifts. read more

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I attended a holiday party here and liked the venue. I only visited the ground floor museum exhibits and the third floor party venue, so there may be something fabulous I missed on the second floor. There are tons of interesting things on the first floor, from old fire truck carriages, to a touching 9-11 exhibit, and my personal favorite.... a wall dedicated to the dogs of the FDNY. There are some pretty old pics on display of fire companies with their dogs, as well as a few specific stories about particularly brave firehouse dogs. There is also a taxidermy dog from a Brooklyn firehouse whom rescued cats from burning buildings although he did not like cats in normal circumstances. The third floor venue was spacious and seems like you could do pretty much anything with the space. The location of the fire museum is great and very close to public transportation. I did feel like the acoustics were a little loud, perhaps due to the high ceilings. read more

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It was my 39 birthday when I went I had such a great day I got there early before my scheduled time since not a lot of people were not there I start early had a great birthday there read more

NYC Fire Museum - Museums Near Me - New York, New York

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Great place to tour. I salute to the 911 Fire Department. Very close to the 911 Memorial. Highly recommended to visit. read more

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I lucked out in a sense because it admittance is free for military as this museum is part of the "Blue Star Museums" where participating museums allow military members free entrance between Memorial day and Labor day weekend. It's a two story museum that houses a lot of NY fire department stuff since the 18th century. There are several, really old fire trucks, some were steam driven and some were horse carried. Lots of paintings dating back from the 1800s as well. Kids are encouraged to try on some firefighter gear. There's also a small memorial out in the patio with many pictures of the 343 firefighters and EMT personnel who died on 9/11. A ladder 52 sign that was destroyed during that time is out on display as well. Next to the memorial, you can see video footage from 9/11. Pretty eery and solemn stuff as you enter these exhibits. Even if you don't have a military discount, it's pretty cheap coming in anyway. $8 for regular admission, $5 for students, seniors and children. read more

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A friend and I were in the area and decided to check out the fire museum. Really unique experience in NYC. Adult entry is $8 and it can be as quick or as leisurely a visit as you would like. We spent about a half hour and saw everything we wanted to see (it's a pretty small museum overall) and moved on with our way. Lots of families with young kids here that seemed to really enjoy it as well. You enter into the gift shop with lots of FDNY trinkets, clothing, and paraphernalia. The museum itself is two stories. The first floor is the focus with lots of really interesting and neat photos, advertisements, artwork, and more. There are many fire trucks from different decades and eras that are pretty neat to examine. You can try on the actual firefighter jacket and hat and take pictures with the trucks and hose. The 9/11 room is especially powerful, with photos of every firefighter who died that day, as well as lots of other mementoes from that day. The second floor offers a few more older trucks and a lot more historical components (less kid friendly and more exhibits/reading). Still cool though! The third floor is a private space available for birthday parties, weddings, and other private functions. Would be a really unique celebration for sure! Worth it for young kids, those interested in firefighting or history, or the picture ops! read more

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This is an excellent museum that I am surprised is not more well known. They have a huge collection of items on display that showcase the history of fire fighting. It was very cool to see the different fire trucks over the years and how they have evolved. The earlier ones were just hand pulled wagons. Different fire fighter uniforms, fire hydrants, medals, photos, etc. They have it all. It was cool for me to try on the FDNY uniform too (good photo op). read more

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Had my son's 3rd birthday party here and it was a huge success! They Have a great 3rd floor party space that they set half up for lunch and the other half for running around, story time and such. They even do a scavenger hunt with the kids inside the museum and a real firefighter comes and has a talk with the kids as well. Staff is really nice and very responsive when I was coordinating all of the moving parts for the party. The party package includes pizza, drinks and a custom decorated birthday cake and party bag/ firefighter hat...the only thing that went wrong was that they screwed up the flavor of the cake we wanted because apparently there was a party before us and the kid's name was the same as my kids...go figure... read more

This is a small but historical Fire Museum that is worth visiting. It is free but takes donation. There are a lot of of fire trucks, horse carriages and tools on display. You can also try on their 30 lbs gear to see how it feels like to be a firefighter! When we visited, we got a hilarious guide and he was a retired firefighter for 20+ years. He made the tour rather interesting, educational and meaningful. There is also a 9-11 display room. read more

Small museum, but it's two stories and suggested donation. The downstairs part is fun-you get to try on the heavy firefighter outfits and pose for pictures by their trucks. This would be a great place to bring kids to as well. Not crowded at all, so you have plenty of time to walk around, play with the props, and snap photos. The second floor is dedicated to 9/11 and was very touching. So sad to read all the news and info, but a good dedication spot to honor our fellow heroes. read more

I walked by this place by mistake, so glad I decided to stop in! I spent almost two hours in here checking out all of the exhibits. The older vehicles are beautiful! the pictures and painting depicting the history of NYCFD are a treasure. The location itself is charming and nicely maintained. My favorite things- - uniforms you can try on - Young attractive European men love fire trucks and I ran into at least 5 while here Best of the exhibits- - The 9/11 memorial, there is a film that shows the city immediately after the attacks. I must have watched for a half hour. Being a native NYer it is amazing to be reminded of what we have overcome and how thankful we should be. Def a must do! good for kids but probably for kids above 8. Some things are detailed and no climbing on trucks is allowed, I checked. read more

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Read about the museum on the History Here app. The building is in a fire house, of course. Loved it! You walk straight into small gift shop where you buy your tickets to walk through the museum. First Floor: They have a couple different "movie/documentary" videos playing on monitors around an old fire engine. And dummy dressed in uniform hanging as if off the side of the building. Also a beautiful 9/11 memorial room Second Floor: is all vintage fire emblems, helmets, old fire pump wagons. And some beautiful paintings. Definitely check out the whole place. read more

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A cool little gem. Kinda small and didn't have a real modern fire truck to play in. Lotsa great historical pieces but just felt wanting.

We came for an Easter egg hunt and got the added benefit of touring the museum afterwards. The museum is 2 floors of an old fire station and has a lot of artifacts from the past with firefighter gear and old fire truck models. The staff is very friendly and kids will enjoy a visit to the museum. read more

This is a nice, inexpensive, uncrowded museum to visit. As an adult, I very much enjoyed the historical information and the representation of different fire fighting vehicles through the years. The 9-11 Memorial room was very powerful as well. I took my 2.5 year old son and he enjoyed putting on the fire fighting gear and playing with the hose on one of the fire trucks. However, that was it for hands-on, which was disappointing to us. It was just too tempting for him to touch all the different trucks, and I spent most of the visit telling him "no" since there were signs everywhere not to touch or climb on anything. For a museum that is clearly geared toward children (everyone there had kids), I think it would really benefit to have more hands-on exhibits. read more

We accidentally stumbled upon the NYC Fire Museum after brunching in the Village, and were pleasantly surprised at this delightly little museum. There's a suggested donation of $8, and you can visit the whole museum in about 60-90 minutes. There are lots of neat interactive exhibits, including old carriage-style firetrucks, horse-drawn firetrucks, and old steam firetrucks. Both adults and children can try on real fire equipment to have that "real fireman experience" which is neat. I especially enjoyed the photos and stories of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in the Garment District. It really makes you appreciate all the fire escapes we have in place nowadays (at least, hopefully). The special exhibit commemorating 911 is very moving, especially if you have ties to New York. Make sure you emotionally prepare yourself prior to entering. read more

I was in the city with my kids. A frequent for us during the warmer weather bc there's so much to do, especially if you use resources like Yelp. I found this place listed as a good place for kids. Ok, it's great for kids if they're on a school trip & are being tested the next day on the history of the NYC Fire Dept. it is not for children otherwise. Although I found the history interesting & the 9-11 tribute rooms were great, my 4 year old was not amused. They don't allow the kids to touch or get on the Fire Trucks. There is nothing interactive in the museum besides some Fireman Jackets & helmets the kids can try on and take pics with. The Museum is great nostalgia but really geared for touristy adults. read more

Before visiting the museum, I was worried that visiting as a solo adult I might stand out a bit, however now I have been, the museum seems very much aimed at adults. There are costumes and hats for children, but nothing else was particularly interactive. It was interesting to learn the history of the FDNY and see the old fire engines and equipment. There are lots of things to read. The 9/11 memorial is large, with photographs of all the firefighters that lost their lives and is placed in a nice light filled atrium. The museum was a lot smaller than I expected and I was in the museum about an hour. It is inexpensive to visit at $8, so I didn't mind. The museum shop is large, with lots of FDNY branded goods for sale. read more

Cool former firehouse with former firefighters giving tours of the history of NYC firefighting. All sorts of paraphernalia related to the art. Great for kids' parties. http://www.nycfiremuseum.org/index.php read more

A diamond in the rough. This place is definitely not easy to find. It's in the tip of TriBeCa and SoHo, near-ish to the Holland tunnel and theres almost nothing surrounding it except office buildings and small shops. But a definite must see if you're in the area. They've got almost everything you want to see about the fireman's history. From water carriages to modern equipment. There's also an area about the 9/11 incident and a place where you can pay homage to the people who's lives were lost. Very inspirational. It's worth the visit. read more

Very nice, great location next to radio city... Fire truck right inside the door that kids can get up into and play around... Some great history and demonstrations... And nicely put together. Not huge, pleasant staff (I would be volunteers who are retired firefighters or just retired firefighters)... Free but donations appreciated... Very nice read more

The big museums get all the love, but there are so many smaller museums in NYC that just kick ass, and the FDNY Museum is one of them. With two floors, it has enough content for those that like old-timey things (such as fire engines from the 1800s) and for those that are looking for more modern history or to try on some authentic firefighting outfits. If you feel a trip to the museum isn't complete without shedding a few tears, the 9/11 tribute room is very well done without being over the top or cloying. We were in a bit of a rush so were only there for an hour. This is enough time to get a good "value" from the experience and to survey everything there is to offer, but I think you need about 2 hours to see and absorb everything. Well worth the trip! P.S. I visited the NYC Fire Museum as part of Smithsonian's Museum Day Live!, so in full disclosure, I didn't have to pay an admission fee. read more

Excellent museum. 1) The museum is two floors. 2) The 9/11 exhibit is excellent. 3) I liked seeing the evolution from early fire fighting days to now. read more

I brought two people from a group home and I thought it would be good for them but one of them can't read so it wasn't good for him. I personally thought it would've been better for them. I thought it had more things they could touch but it was mostly stuff you needed to read read more

Excellent!! It used to be a functional firehouse in the early 1900's. It takes about 90 minutes to go through the 2 floors. The volunteers who used to be firemen were very informative; shared their stories. You can rent out the empty 3rd floor for meetings, weddings. Original staircase, walls, floors. One of the hundreds of items displayed was a real stuffed dog. He was a mascot many years ago. 9/11 exhibit - excellent. Relics found from Ground Zero. They had helmets and firemen jackets you can put on and take a photo. Wow! Heavy! I have a new respect for them. read more

Great collection. Friendly staff. Worth the time to see it. I learned a lot and can spread irate the beauty of the artifacts. The 9-11 Room is quite moving. I had no idea so many firefighters lost their lives that day. read more

This is a really a good place for kids although I have had bad experiences with the management. I had cheerful permission to videotape interviews with their volunteers, which I spent a lot of time and effort on, and then at the last minute they changed their minds and said I couldn't post them on the internet., I am NOT happy about this. The Museum itself is OK and worth a visit but the people who run it are not my favorites, obviously. read more

A great museum for all children especially boys. This museum is good especially for New Yorkers. I have been here as a chaperon on a class trip. All children seem to love it. The energy of the tour guides makes it exciting and fun. The museum also offers fire safety simulations where visitors experience a simulation of a real fire in a NYC apartment complete with theatrical smoke, lasers and black lights to make it seem very real, but these education tours must be reserved for groups of at least 20. But, anyone can visit the museum though and see the collection of historical fire fighting equipment including pre-civil war hand-pump fire engines, horse-drawn engines through early motorized engines. A series of mannequins display fire fighting uniforms. Like most museums in NYC they have events and birthday party's for children. The firefighter volunteers who staff the museum are as excited about talking to the children as the children are to see the fire trucks and try on the firefighter hats. They have coloring books and literature for you and your children. This is another reason why NYC is a great city to raise children in! read more

I have lived here for almost three years and have never heard of this place.. just randomly came across it and decided to go. Student fare is $5 with proper ID, and the museum is well worth more! Two levels of exhibits, including a lovely 9/11 tribute memorial. There's lots to see for adults, and lots of excitement for kids, including a place to try on fire jackets and helmets for a cute photo op. The staff was nice and friendly, the museum was clean, and all around this was a fun way to spend an hour or so! read more

** Caveat: This review is not an assessment of the museum itself and its exhibits ** I came here for a charity benefit and from the outside of it, I was skeptical of how this place could actually accommodate this event. But upon entering it, going through the ground floor and seeing the various artifacts and displays, and inadvertently stopping by the second floor (to get to the 3rd, which was where the event was held), I was surprised that there was a museum in NYC dedicated to firemen. What global cosmopolitan city caters to this niche? Seriously, welcome to NYC - it has nearly everything! The third floor was nicely done up for rather casual affair, which was the intention. This was not the glitzy Met Museum Gala btw, but it served its purpose. The third floor has brick walls and could be nice venue space, not to mention holding events here would be another way to support this tiny institution. One way for families to spend a beautiful Saturday with the kids is to stop by here, get lunch afterwards in SoHo, and head to Central Park. read more

Quirky informative tour guide. The antique trucks are a beautiful thing to see. Great photo ops. You aren't allowed to touch anything but they do have an area where you can try on the actual fire hat and uniform. There is a separate room dedicated to 9/11 which is very nicely done. read more