We attended the Sensory Friendly Hours again at Long Island Children's Museum a few nights ago and…read moreit was such a great experience for our family. My oldest son is autistic, and finding spaces that are truly set up to be inclusive can be hard to come by, but LICM does it right. During Friendly Hours, they lower the lighting and sound throughout the museum, and cap attendance so it never feels overwhelming or overstimulating. We had the full two hours to explore at our own pace without the usual crowds. The kids loved everything, the bubble room, the outdoor water play area, the garden, the vintage rotary phones where they called each other on "landlines," a pretend fish market, the big climbing obstacle course, and a mini news studio where they got to play weatherman/reporter on camera with the script right in front of them. The exhibits also rotate seasonally, so there's always something new to see. It wasn't crowded at all, we got to relax and let the kids lead the way, and even grandma was able to join us. My kids are already asking when we can go back. If you have a neurodivergent child or just want a calmer, less chaotic museum visit, I highly recommend checking out their Friendly Hours, they're typically offered once a month and tickets go live the 1st of each month. Pre-registration is required since space is limited. We'll definitely be back!

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!

I recently visited the Cradle of Aviation Museum and had an excellent experience. I thoroughly…read moreenjoyed learning about the aviation history of Long Island and seeing the exhibits that show long islands contributions to the evolution of aviation. One of the best parts of my visit was meeting a volunteer named Keenan. He was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about sharing the museum with visitors. Keenan took the time to show me around and tell me lots of interesting facts about the museum and the aircraft exhibited. I also learned that he has been volunteering at the museum for 12-13 years despite having cerebral palsy. He told me lots of his experience and how he'd like to work at the museum someday. I really did enjoy the museum and recommend it but it definitely hurt my heart knowing that being so passionate and dedicated he was just a volunteer.

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.

East Rockaway Grist Mill Museum is a historic society location, sitting behind East Rockaway…read moreVillage Hall and Memorial Park. Known mostly by the local school children, as it's a field trip location to show them what was of the East Rockaway people before what they see today. It's not a very large museum by any means in actual size, but it does indeed contain a tremendous amount of knowledge of the past/towns humble beginnings. Definitely come down to support fundraising events like the annual Huckleberry Frolic to support this local hidden gem!

I went here when I was in middle school and took my son who enjoys stacking. This museum is very…read moreinteractive for kids of all ages.

Three stars or so…read more This science museum is mainly catered to children. Most of the exhibits are interactive and hands on, which is cool but I don't think it's a museum to visit as an adult without kids. I also think they don't have many exhibits and some of them were closed. I did like the math exhibit they had. IMO, the price of entry is a little too expensive for what you get. But it's a great place for families with younger kids.

I visited the mansion for the We May be Right band concert and enjoyed the experience. Whenever you…read morego for a concert, you also have the opportunity to visit the outdoor areas such as the fountain, gardens and take some nice photos. We brought a cooler with some snacks, drinks along with our beach chairs and it was a very pleasant afternoon. They also have a vending machine selling water and some other items should you need. Every single staff member I dealt with was super friendly and the place is beautiful. It's a good opportunity to take some nice photos. And the "We may be right" Billy Joel tribute band made our experience even more pleasant. I haven't visited the Planetarium or the inside part of the mansion so I can't comment on that.

7/31/26 I haven't been to a laser show since I was a…read moreteenager. Now I'm a senior citizen. I get free tickets through AARP for the first show of the month and this month is The Grateful Dead. As we were guests of the band often (our friend was Brent Midland's assistant) we saw many a concert. My husband was blah about going, but really happy after. It blew my mind - and I don't do drugs. The sound system was amazing. The lasers were surprisingly good, although quite antiquated. My favorites were when you felt you were enveloped in the lasers. I was lost for an hour, in a good way. Luckily, hubby has a handicapped placard and we were able to park steps from the front door. I would have liked to have parked in the regular parking lot and walk, but that's no longer in the cards for us. The grounds are beautiful for as much as we could see in the dark.We would have loved to see the meteor shower, but that was not in the cards either.The show was from 9:30pm to 10:30pm (way past my bedtime) and over an hour away which was a complete bummer. In any case, this was a wonderful event. Join AARP if you're over 50 as the benefits are great.

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

Kevin was an outstanding tour guide. Being an artist and a professor, what else could you ask for…read morein a guide at the Metropolitan Museum? He tailored the tour, answered all questions, and was so insightful. I will be touring with Kevin again, and I would definitely send my friends and family here to have them take KEVIN's tour. He is a great person and a great tour guide. My mother and I had a fabulous time.

Such an amazing museum, a must visit if you're in NYC. Would highly recommend the 1 hour highlight…read moretours, the docents are knowledge and passionate, and because there are many docents and many works of art, you get different information even if you do multiple tours in one day. During my recent trip, I also enjoyed the costume art exhibition (which goes until Jan 2027), and joined a collection tour for the infinite artistry of Japanese ceramics collection.

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!