I wanted to take my son and perhaps offer him some inspiration only to find out that they were…read moreclosed and did not seem as if they were ever really Open in the past. Even when you google the business stating its operational hours. When I called there was no response. Looking through the glass window it seemed very underwhelming. Shame.

While exploring the new Samanea mall in Westbury, I came across the MOUA.. Museum of Urban Arts…read more Intrigued, I walked in and saw a beautiful gallery of urban art (aka graffiti style art), from a plethora of artists. There must have been over 200 paintings, of all genres, many of which were created by extremely talented women artists. If I didn't have somewhere to be that evening, I could have spent several hours, if not the entire day, observing and admiring all of the details in each piece. When it comes to graffiti and urban art, it can be easy to dismiss the genre as just some quick phrases or tags created haphazardly with a spray can.. but the truth of the matter that these works and those like it require fine precision. Judging by the details of all the pieces on display, the artists featured also employ a multitude of applications and techniques beyond spray cans, such as pen & ink, paint brushes, stencils and freehand. With that being said, creating art using a spray paint can is extremely challenging and requires many years of practice to master.. so it is nothing to scoff at! Thank you MOUA for coming to Long Island and showcasing such incredible work! I look forward to coming back soon.

Took the kids to the museum, and they had so much fun exploring all the exhibits! The bubble…read morestation is always a classic and a huge favorite. I loved that the staff was right there, constantly cleaning up the extra bubbles and adding more soap to keep the fun going. The giant blue blocks section was so cool, too--the kids built a ton of different things and had a blast destroying them afterward! The old-school phones are always a fun classic, and they absolutely loved the animal section upstairs. It was a perfect day out for the family! ¡Llevé a los niños al museo y se divirtieron muchísimo explorando todas las exhibiciones! La estación de las burbujas siempre es un clásico y una de sus favoritas. Me encantó que el personal estuviera ahí mismo, limpiando constantemente el exceso de burbujas y agregando más jabón para que no parara la diversión. La sección de los bloques azules gigantes también estuvo genial; ¡los niños construyeron muchísimas cosas y se divirtieron un mundo destruyéndolas después! Los teléfonos antiguos siempre son un clásico muy divertido, y les fascinó la sección de los animales en el piso de arriba. ¡Fue un día perfecto en familia!

One of the better children's museums we've been too. Located next to a bunch of other family…read morethings, this is on the big side and should burn a few hours for most kids. Lots of interactive exhibits, play areas and the obligatory climbing structure. Will inevitably be busy like most things on Long Island. Staff is friendly enough however mostly in the background. Good balance of different types of things to do, including a few animals upstairs. The town play set area is very cool, and I love that they have a rotating exhibit space. It was trains when we were there, themed to Thomas the train with both a ton of tracks to play with, as well as life sized Thomas train characters. Had to drag my son out of there, however luckily their gift shop is decent with legitimate toys versus just cheap crap. Would definitely come back here.

"I feel the need, the need for speed."…read more Our family including the littles always enjoyed the annual Memorial Day Airshow featuring the Blue Angels at Jones Beach. Given the Cradle of Aviation Museum's proximity, I was surprised that none of my family's grown-ups had ever visited. Located in Garden City, the lesson here at this museum is that Long Island's aviation history is deep. Who knew that the majority of inventors and explorers of aviation began right here on the Island? If you're curious about this stuff, look it up, it's quite interesting. This museum is much larger than I thought, and houses original aircraft pieces as well as large replicas. There's also a ton of hands-on features and cockpits to sit in with instruments, knobs and buttons to fiddle with. We also attended one of the Planetarium's five hour-long shows in its giant, domed screen. Once the show started it garnered a few 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the kids. It was quite tickling to hear their curiosities piqued. :-) A special note of thanks goes to all the docents, ready and eager to answer all our questions. And kudos to them for being exceptionally kind and patient with the littles. TIP: Free parking on premises

If you're looking for something to do with kids this place will definitely keep them…read moreOccupied. Plenty of stuff to look at and learn about. When we first got there we went up stairs and downstairs and too a room where there was a few planes and one you could go up into the cockpit. Then we went upstairs to some other small models and the history of Pan Am. We thought that was it but we realized we started the museum backwards and ended up into a room full of all sorts of aircraft's from military, to USPS, commercial jets and more. Then there was another area dedicated to Outer space and there was even some arcade machines scattered throughout the museum that had to do with aircraft. Probably spent an hour and a half there. Easily could have spent a whole day there if you watch some movies they have and read all the plaques etc. for each thing. We ended up getting free passes from the library which was definitely a plus but if you're looking for something to do and keep kids occupied for a while this is definitely a place to go. They also have a cafeteria there as well. We did not eat there so can't speak on the food but it looked fairly big and everything was very clean.

A visit to Old Westbury Gardens is always a wonderful experience, but it's especially spectacular…read morein June when the roses are in full bloom. The gardens are beautifully maintained, the grounds are peaceful and relaxing, and every path seems to lead to another picture-perfect view. Based on many recent positive visitor reviews, people consistently praise the stunning landscapes, historic mansion, tranquil atmosphere, and endless photo opportunities. I'm giving it 5 stars because it's truly a beautiful place to spend a couple of hours. Whether you want to leisurely stroll through the gardens, take lots of photos, or do a little of both, about two hours feels just right. There's also plenty of free parking, which makes visiting easy. While the current admission price of $22 per adult feels a bit high, the beauty of the property and the overall experience still make it worth the visit. Throughout the year they host great special events, including classic car shows and an incredible illuminated pumpkin trail before Halloween that has become a Long Island favorite.

Had a great time at Old Westbury Gardens checking out the flowers in bloom. There were a lot of…read morepeople taking wedding and graduation photos. There was a Lego exhibit with all sorts of creations ranging from a monarch butterfly to hummingbird to snail on a mushroom. I definitely recommend checking Google maps using Google Earth view before you go because we ended up getting lost and couldn't find the entrance for 15 minutes. A lot of local libraries do offer Old Westbury Gardens passes so definitely check out your local library before purchasing tickets to see if they're available!

We got a Groupon for this place, which makes the price a lot more reasonable. They don't open until…read more1 pm on the weekends, and on Saturdays they don't even give guided tours. Instead, they give an "augmented reality" audio tour which is kind of hit or miss. The house was preserved for the historical significance of the Townsend family, one of which was a spy for George Washington. I didn't feel there was a ton of information on the family though. Pointing their phone at the different objects in a room turned on audio about them, but only a couple of rooms in the actual house were interactive. The rest didn't have signs, and one loan employee was around to answer questions at the end. The exhibit in the visitor center was nice though. I just don't think the AR experience was really up to replacing a person, both in amount of information and the uncanny valley, unnerving portraits. There is street parking and a nearby lot that are free on weekends. The gift shop is minimal. It was an okay spot to visit, but I would recommend coming on Sunday or whenever they offer actual tours to get a more thorough understanding of the house and the history of the people who lived here.

We went here on a winter weekend, and were fortunate to have the builsings to ourselves. The…read morehelpful staff took out modest admission fee and explained that they don't do tours on Saturdays but they do have tour devices using augmented reality. That means that when you walk through the buildings, you scan the cell phone device on important paintings and artifacts and they talk to you with further information about who or what they are. The small building that contains the entrance is packed with paintings, dioramas, documents and artifacts. Next you walk to the main house, built in the 1730's, and housing the Townsend family. At the time of the Revolutionary War, Samuel had to make room for a British colonel. In spite of the fact that he sympathised with the patriots, he maintained good relations with his "Guest." At the time of the war, the house had eight rooms. One of his sons was one of the leaders of the Culpepper Spy Ring, Placing the home on the National Registry of Historic Places. Each room was elegantly decorated, with the exception of the space for the enslaved housekeeper. In spite of the fact that we didn't get a formal tour, the staff member tagged along with us and kept up a spirited conversation - even giving us a bonus look at the Victorian wing which doubled the size of the structure. The house is said to be haunted, of course. Very highly recommended. The full set of photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/terryballard/albums/72177720323110655

We had an amazing time at the Nassau County Firefighters Museum. There are a number of old and…read morerefurbished firefighter trucks and engines to see around the small museum from towns around Nassau County. There are currently five fire trucks that you are allowed to climb into explore. For the young kids they have four jackets and helmets for them to dress up in to pretend they are junior firefighters. In the education section there are more jackets and helmets for all ages to dress into. There is also a memorial in the first room dedicated to those who lost their lives from 9/11. The second room is the education center that teaches all about fire safety. There is also a small kids area sponsored by Capital One with toys on the wall. That room also is access to the museum's party room where the museum offers to host a child's birthday party. They have information about that by the cashier where you pay for tickets. Tickets are $7 for ages 3 and older. Kids 2 years old and younger are free. Most libraries in the area will have a museum pass available to rent for free for their patrons. You will need to check the terms with your library to see how many can be admitted with the pass. Last admission to the museum is 4:15pm. Our daughter enjoyed going to museum a lot. It's very educational, informative and fun. We would return again in the future. All the staff we interacted with was very nice. After we purchased our souvenirs at the gift shop, they also gave my daughter a free sticker that says "Junior Firefighter" and the name of the museum. There are bathrooms if needed. It is in the back by the connection with the Cradle of Aviation Museum next door. There is plenty of parking in the shared lot as well.

Overall, this museum was a great activity to take the kids to. I will say though that although it…read morehad very interactive elements, it was a very small space and not nearly enough to do because it's more so picturesque. The things that were suppose to work didn't. Even with all of that, I wasn't so put off until this employee there interacted with us. This man was so rude to not only us, adults, but the children. First he said they were closing in 30 minutes even though there was still an hour left before closing. Then when we were in the gift shop at 4:15 this same employee was coming in telling us they are closing which is fine, but the way he asked if we were done was so distasteful. When my 4 year old niece went back in to return something while everyone was out and paying he yelled at her "WE'RE CLOSED. " Very ridiculous behavior for an older man.

This Van Gogh digital art exhibition has been on my to do list for a while now..but I was unable to…read moreattend before the show was discontinued in my city. I recently found out that it was back so I jumped on getting a ticket quick fast! I enjoyed his Art work and loved the way the pieces were projected and displayed..it was quite an "Immersive Experience!!" I deducted 2 stars due to the fact that there is no seating available and one must stand throughout the entire exhibit which is about an hour long. There also wasn't much cool air circulating throughout the facility. I do recommend this exhibition to all Artsy folks. It's a must see!

I came here for an event, so my experience might slightly differ. The staff was fantastic and so…read morefriendly. They took a few moments to let us know what we would be experiencing. We walked in and made our way through the screens explaining his life. Allowing you to have a better understanding of the man. Before you enter the immersive experience, you stand in a room to get yourself set. Then you are surrounded by him. His work. His words. Moving and flowing around you. If you are a fan of his work or a lover of art, I would recommend it.

I've lived on Long Island for most of my life and this was my first visit. It was a very inspiring,…read moreeducational, and deeply moving. From the moment we stepped in, it felt like the stories weren't just displayed; they were brought to life. What made the visit stand out most was our tour guide Monet Green. She was knowledgeable and passionate. Monet didn't simply recite facts; she connected the exhibits to the broader history, explained the significance behind each artifacts and timelines, and helped you understand how the past shapes what we experience today. Even complex moments were presented clearly and thoughtfully, without making it feel like a lecture. I also appreciated the pacing and tone. The guide created space for reflection while keeping the tour engaging--asking questions, encouraging curiosity, and making sure everyone felt included. By the end, I didn't just "learn about" history; I felt like I had a deeper understanding of the voices, struggles, achievements, and cultural impact represented throughout the museum. 10/10 recommend!

This place is widely celebrated for its extensive African Atlantic Genealogical Society research…read morecenter, local historical archives, and captivating rotating exhibits detailing Black excellence and heritage. I praise the hospitable and knowledgeable staff. I noted it is a uniquely welcoming, family-friendly environment that proudly highlights overlooked local and global Black history. Guests highlight the eclectic art displays and permanent artifacts--such as the restored 1915 piano of ragtime legend Eubie Blake--as well as its striking collection of traditional African masks. Uniquely, it hosts the first museum-based genealogy department in the US, allowing visitors to deeply research their ancestral roots.