Engaging, curriculum-linked school trips and public experiences at the Museum of the City of New York in New York, NY.
Select from curriculum-linked experiences that explore Lenape history, urban planning, immigration, activism, and more.
others · New York
Turn students into curators at MCNY: a 90-minute, interactive program that uses artifacts to teach history, civic identity, and visual literacy. Perfect for school groups and youth organizations looking for curriculum-linked, hands-on learning in New York City.
Museum of the City of New York interprets and preserves the history, culture, and diversity of New York City. Located in New York, NY, the museum presents rotating exhibitions, permanent collections, and public programs that explore the city’s past and present. Visitors encounter artifacts, photographs, maps, costumes, and oral histories that illuminate neighborhoods, immigration, urban planning, activism, and Indigenous histories.
The museum offers educational experiences designed for school groups and general audiences, including curriculum-linked field trips that engage students through hands-on activities, primary sources, and guided inquiry. Sample programs listed include Lenape Legacies and Futures, The Greatest Grid, Exploring New York through Artifacts, Revolutionary New York, Immigration and Communities, and Raise Your Voice. These programs combine object-based learning, storytelling, and participatory exercises to connect learners with New York’s complex stories.
As an institution focused on city history and public education, the museum collaborates with educators, community organizations, and cultural partners to ensure programs reflect diverse perspectives and contemporary scholarship. Public programs and interpretive materials aim to be accessible and relevant to classroom learning objectives and community interests.
The museum’s collections and exhibitions serve as primary resources for research, classroom exploration, and community engagement. By centering local stories and tangible artifacts, the institution supports critical thinking about urban change, identity, and civic life. Visitors and educators can rely on its staff and programs for informed, curriculum-aligned learning experiences about New York City. The museum also documents contemporary issues and provides resources for lifelong learners, researchers, and community members across the city daily.
“Every outing is organized with local river knowledge, basic safety instruction, and equipment checks before departure.”
Programs based in the city
Experiences available in the listing
English-language versions noted
Focus of listed experiences
Open the individual experience guide to confirm current availability, pricing, policies, conditions, and inclusions before booking.
The operator provides clear meeting points, departure times, and destination coordinates for all outings.
Personal flotation devices, emergency protocols, equipment checks, and paddling orientations are provided before departure.
Recommended layering, water shoes, sunscreen, and dry bags are detailed in each experience guide.
Guides share rich knowledge of regional flora, fauna, scenic landmarks, and river navigation.
A glimpse into the experiences, natural landscapes, and adventures waiting on your next trip.
Images supplied on the current Museum of the City of New York listing.
Museum of the City of New York offers a variety of guided outdoor excursions, scenic routes, rentals, and custom itineraries tailored for families, couples, and adventure enthusiasts.
Yes. Most trips feature comprehensive safety orientations, equipment fittings, and calm routes suited for first-time adventurers. Check the details on individual experience guides for specific age and skill requirements.
Standard safety equipment (such as certified life vests and essential gear) is supplied for each booking. Detailed checklists regarding weather-appropriate attire and personal items are provided prior to departure.
Reserve curriculum-linked school trips, book educator-led tours, or explore public programs to bring New York City history to life.
others · New York
An engaging, 60-minute program for K-3 students that brings Lenape language, art, and contemporary voices into the classroom setting in New York City. Perfect for teachers and families wanting a place-based introduction to Indigenous history and living culture.
others · New York
Turn students into urban planners for an hour: The Greatest Grid (English) combines museum artifacts with hands-on design exercises to teach civic decision-making. Ideal for K–6 school groups, this 60-minute program makes New York’s streets and skyline the lesson.
land-adventures · New York
Bring history to life with a 90-minute, artifact-driven program in New York that connects Chinatown, Little Haiti, and other neighborhoods to the lived experience of immigration. Designed for grades 4–12 and capped at 35 students, this session turns primary sources into classroom-ready inquiry.
others · New York
A 90-minute museum program that brings contemporary Lenape voices into focus through artifacts, language practice, and oral histories. Ideal for grades 4–12, this session reframes New York City as Lŭnaapeewáhkiing — a place with living Indigenous stories.
others · New York
Turn a field trip into a hands-on exercise in civic storytelling: students become curators at MCNY, using objects to build exhibitions and argue for whose histories belong in a gallery. This 90-minute, curriculum-linked program teaches critical observation, museum literacy, and collaborative design.
Museumothers · New York
Turn a museum visit into an urban design lab with Big City Builders—an energetic, one-hour program where elementary students sketch, build, and defend their own miniature New York City. Perfect for school groups and curious families.
others · New York
Turn a museum visit into a hands-on urban design studio: The Greatest Grid invites K-6 students to explore artifacts, test land-use choices, and present their own plans for the city. Ideal for teachers looking for a civic, tactile curriculum in New York.
others · New York
A focused, 90-minute school program that turns Revolutionary-era documents and reenactment into active learning. Students handle artifacts, reenact protest, and investigate how New York’s divided loyalties shaped the war and its legacy.
Museumothers · New York
Turn a museum visit into a skills workshop: students analyze artifacts, documents, and images to connect New York’s past with today. This 90-minute program at the Museum of the City of New York teaches sourcing, corroboration, and inference through hands-on gallery work.
Museumwildlife-nature · New York
A one-hour, hands-on museum program designed for K–2 students that animates New York's early port history. Kids handle artifacts, compare then-and-now images, and learn how animals like beavers and horses helped shape the city.
others · New York
A 90-minute, hands-on program in New York that uses artifacts and primary sources to teach students about immigrant communities from Chinatown to Little Haiti. Ideal for grades 4–12 and organized for groups up to 35.
Museumothers · New York
A 90-minute, hands-on school program in New York City that places students amid the British occupation of Manhattan. Using artifacts and role-based learning, the visit highlights figures like Joseph Brant and Gershom Mendes Seixas to explore local loyalties and civic dilemmas.
land-adventures · New York
A 90-minute, object-focused program at the Museum of the City of New York that brings contemporary Lenape voices—language, textiles, photos, and oral histories—into conversation. Ideal for school groups and curious visitors who want a grounded, present-day perspective on Indigenous life in the city.
others · New York
A focused, 60-minute program for Grades K-3 that introduces students to living Lenape culture through paintings, clothing, interviews and language practice. Book early for groups—the session accommodates up to 35 students and centers contemporary Lenape voices alongside historical context.
others · New York
Bring New York’s activist past to life with a 90-minute, artifact-driven session that asks students to handle flyers, buttons and t-shirts and decide how movements make choices. Designed for grades 4–12, the program trains civic thinking with role-play and close-looking exercises.
land-adventures · New York
Bring history off the page: Raise Your Voice uses real flyers, buttons and banners to teach students how movements are built and how civic action happens. Ideal for grades 4–12, this 90-minute, hands-on program turns artifacts into practical lessons in organizing.
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