14 Outer Borough Museums To Definitely Visit This Summer

Ditch Museum Row for these outer borough mainstays.

1. Brooklyn Museum

Via eastbrooklyn.com

Brooklyn, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $12

The Brooklyn Museum is steps away from the 2 and 3 stop at Eastern Parkway. It's one of the largest institutions dedicated to art in the country, ranging from folk art from cultures around the world, to local modern art.

Parks and the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library are nearby, so pack a blanket, check out a book, and enjoy some time to yourself at the end of your trip.

2. Edgar Allen Poe Cottage

Via walksofnewyork.com

The Bronx, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $5

Edgar Allen Poe spent the last years of his life at this cottage in the Bronx. The cottage has recently undergone a year-long renovation and staff has gone through great measures to preserve the authenticity of the poet's home.

3. The New York Hall of Science

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Queens, N.Y.

Price of Admission: $11

This Queens institution had gone through a small expansion in recent years, broadening a few exhibits and broadening their interactive programs. Great for children and adults alike, it even boasts an outdoor science playground that teaches you about principals of physics. It's located on the grounds of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

4. Snug Harbor

Via guestofaguest.com

Staten Island, NY

Price of Admission: Free, except for the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden

Snug Harbor is Staten Island's cultural center and includes the borough's botanical garden and performing arts center. Hop the ferry and a short bus ride, the grounds are perfect for picnicking and a leisurely stroll. Not bad for the price of a Metrocard swipe!

5. Museum of the Moving Image

Via queensoncue.wordpress.com

Queens, NY

Price of Admission: $12

The Museum of the Moving Image is one of the only museums in the nation dedicated to film, TV, videogames, and other moving visual art. You'll find old cameras, projectors, animation workshops for kids. Screenings are ongoing at the museum, and generally open to the public. You can catch classics, arthouse, Q&A screenings for about the same price at your local movie theater.

6. Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Via myfantasyart.com

Brooklyn, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $10

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden boasts several gardens within each garden, and hundreds of different plants. You can find a dedicated area to desert cacti, and plants that Shakespeare mentions in his works in the Shakespearean Garden, to name a few.

7. The Bronx Museum of the Arts

Via arquitectonica.com

The Bronx, NY

Price of Admission: Free to all!

The Bronx Museum of the Arts is completely free to the public, which makes this museum pretty special. Their mission is to make art accessible to everyone. You'll find a permanent collection, and exhibits on rotation from artists around the world. Events and education programs are available year-round as well!

8. Louis Armstrong House Museum

Via guestofaguest.com

Queens, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $10

Like the Poe Cottage, The Louis Armstrong House Museum allows you to step into the former home of a legend. Pops' house in Corona, Queens, is both a National and New York City landmark. Guided tours allow you to step through the house pretty much the way it was when the jazz legend lived there himself.

9. Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art

Via silive.com

Staten Island, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $6

This Tibetan art museum is tucked away in almost the middle of Staten Island, but is well worth the trip. The museum's website states that the museum is designed to resemble a small Himalayan monastery, giving the art a contextual setting. Visitors can join in on Tai Chi classes, watch screenings and take part in ongoing tours and demonstrations.

10. Queens Museum

Via nyexp-svargas.blogspot.com

Queens, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $8 suggested donation

The Queens Museum recently underwent a huge renovation and expansion. Visitors can look at artifacts from both the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs, which took place in the park where the museum is located, other permanent displays, and rotating exhibits.

One of the most popular pieces is the Panorama, which is one of the largest scale models in the world. It includes EVERY single building in the ENTIRE city of New York. It's a breathtaking sight and you feel like a giant.

11. New York Transit Museum

Via ttmg.org

Brooklyn, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $7

The New York Transit Museum is one of the coolest museums about the history of New York, and the entrance looks just like your regular subway entrance with the green orbs. Once you make it underground, you're met with tons of artifacts, like entire train cars that are preserved with the train car interiors (including the advertisements!).

You'll find fascinating subway information and even interactive pieces for the kids that'll show them how the infrastructure was built. Definitely bring your out-of-towner friends and relatives here for a truly immersive New York experience.

12. Noguchi Museum

Via pinkpagodastudio.blogspot.com

Queens, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $10

This museum located in Long Island City is definitely the place for design and architecture buffs. It's dedicated to preserving the art and vision of artist and architect Isamu Noguchi, and includes a sculpture garden and several of his sculptures, drawings, and furniture designs.

13. Staten Island Children's Museum

Via panoramio.com

Staten Island, NY

Price of Admission: $6 for people 1 year and up!

The Staten Island Children's Museum is a cultural institution for kids that captures their imaginations on things that kids will always love -- bugs, building blocks, a model fire truck, but also introduces them to things like art, theater, and even housing construction. Your kids will want to stay all day, and so will you.

14. MoMA P.S. 1

Via blog.archpaper.com

Queens, NY

Price of Admission: Adults $10

This MoMA annex is right over on the water from Manhattan, and lives in an restored public school. The contemporary art museum has both permanent and rotating exhibits of experimental on display. Also, it's home to M. Well's Dinette.

Keep an eye out if you don't feel like going to Governor's Ball -- P.S. 1 is home to summer outdoor concert series P.S. 1 Warmup.

Summer, here we come!

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