Museums
Book 1-2 Days Ahead
Museum - Upper East Side, Manhattan
Tickets can be purchased in advance; these tickets are valid for entry at any time during the day of the ticket.
Same-day tickets can be purchased at the on-site ticket office, but queues may be long and entry is not guaranteed especially during peak visiting times.
Book 1 Week Ahead
Museum - Financial District, Lower Manhattan
It is required to pre-book a timed-entry ticket to the 9/11 Museum. Note that visiting the outdoor memorial does not require a booking and is free of charge.
It is recommended to book about a 1 week in advance for wide timeslot availability, especially during peak season.
No Booking Needed
Museum - Midtown Manhattan
Tickets can be purchased in advance; these tickets are valid for entry at any time during the day of the ticket.
Same-day tickets can be purchased at the on-site ticket office. There are many ticket kiosks which make purchasing tickets very quick even during heavily visited times.
No Booking Needed
Museum - Upper East Side, Manhattan
Tickets can be purchased in advance; these tickets are valid for entry at any time during the day of the ticket.
Same-day tickets can be purchased at the on-site ticket office, but queues may be long during peak visiting times.
American Museum of Natural History
No Booking Needed
Museum - Upper West Side, Manhattan
Timed entry tickets are not required at the American Museum of Natural History.
Visitors may book an online ticket to allow them to skip the queue, or purchase a ticket at the on-site ticket office.
The Tenement Museum
Book 1 Month Ahead
Museum - Lower East Side, Manhattan
The Tenement Museum is only accessible via guided tours which must be pre-booked in advance.
Tours are small and it is recommended to book at least 1 month ahead if traveling during peak season. Visitors may find availability up until a few days ahead during the off-season.
Book 1 Week Ahead
Museum - Upper East Side, Manhattan
It is required to pre-book a timed-entry ticket to the Frick Collection.
It is recommended to book about a 1 week in advance for wide timeslot availability, especially during peak season.
The Whitney Museum of American Art
Book 1 Week Ahead
Museum - West Village, Manhattan
It is recommended to pre-book a timed-entry ticket in advance to guarantee entry.
Same-day tickets can be purchased at the on-site ticket office, but queues may be long during peak visiting times.
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
Book 1-2 Days Ahead
Museum - Hell's Kitchen, West Manhattan
Booking a timed-entry ticket is recommended during popular times, especially summer where waiting in a queue in the heat can be uncomfortable. Time-slots usually remain available until the day of visit.
Visitors may also purchase a ticket at the on-site ticket office.
Special exhibits and experiences may require booking further in advance.
New York Transit Museum
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Museum - Downtown Brooklyn
It is recommended to book a timed-entry ticket online, as the museum has a relatively small capacity and there occasionally is no availability during peak times of the year, especially weekends.
Visitors may also purchase a ticket at the on-site ticket office if capacity allows.
Museum of the City of New York
No Booking Needed
Museum - Upper East Side, Manhattan
Timed-entry tickets are not required at the Museum of the City of New York.
Visitors may book an online ticket to allow them to skip the queue, or purchase a ticket at the on-site ticket office.
The Met Cloisters
No Booking Needed
Museum - Washington Heights, Upper Manhattan
Timed-entry tickets are not required at the Met Cloisters.
Visitors may book an online ticket to allow them to skip the queue, or purchase a ticket at the on-site ticket office.
The Morgan Library & Museum
No Booking Needed
Museum - Midtown Manhattan
Timed-entry tickets are not required at the Morgan Library & Museum.
Visitors may book a timed-entry ticket online to allow them to skip the queue, or purchase a ticket at the on-site ticket office.
Landmarks
Book 2-3 Weeks Ahead
Landmark - Liberty Island
Timed-entry reservations are required for a visit to the Statue of Liberty Pedestal. Tickets include the ferry service from either Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
It is recommended to book at least a couple weeks in advance during peak seasons.
Same-day pedestal reservations occasionally are available at the ticket office located in Battery Park, as space allows.
Book 2-3 Months Ahead
Landmark - Liberty Island
Timed-entry reservations are required for a visit up to the Statue of Liberty Crown. Tickets include the ferry service from either Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
It is recommended to book at least 2 months in advance, especially during peak seasons. Only about 150 tickets are made available to the public each hour.
Tickets are released about 6 months in advance.
Ellis Island and Liberty Island
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Landmark
Ferry tickets should be pre-booked in advance, especially during Spring and Summer months when ticketing queues can reach 2+ hours long.
Ferry service for Ellis and Liberty Islands should be booked in advance. Ferries leave from both Liberty State Park in New Jersey, and Battery Park in New York / Manhattan, and all ferries visit both Ellis Island and Liberty Island.
The National Park Service (NPS) does not charge an admission cost, however, ferry service must be booked through Statue City Cruises at a cost of $26.
Empire State Building Observation Deck
Book 1-2 Days Ahead
Landmark - Midtown Manhattan
It is required to have a timed-entry ticket to both of the Empire State Building Observation Decks. Timed-entry tickets can be booked either online in advance, or same-day at the ticket office.
Most time-slots are available up until the day of the visit.
Top of the Rock General Admission
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Landmark - Midtown Manhattan
Pre-booking a timed-entry ticket is recommended to avoid long queues. Same-day tickets can also be purchased on site, especially during off-peak hours.
If aiming for a sunset timeslot, it's recommended to book at least 1 week ahead, as these times sell out first.
An "Express Pass" ticket can be purchased for $115 which allows flexible and priority access at any time during the selected day.
Radio City Music Hall Tour
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Landmark - Midtown Manhattan
60-minute long tours are usually given several times each day, depending on other activity at the venue.
It is recommended to book a tour a few days in advance; tours usually do not sell out more than a few days ahead.
The Vessel
Book 1-2 Days Ahead
Landmark - Hudson Yards, West Manhattan
It is recommended to book a timed-entry ticket 1-2 days ahead to guarantee entry, especially during the busiest times such as weekends and sunset hour.
Same day tickets are often available at the on-site ticket kiosks, especially during less-busy times.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt General Admission
Book 3-4 Weeks Ahead
Landmark - Midtown Manhattan
It is recommended to book a timed-entry ticket at least a week in advance.
Time slots begin selling out 3-4 weeks in advance, especially for mid-afternoon and sunset slots. Tickets are released at least 1 month ahead, sometimes up to 6 months ahead.
Walk-up tickets are also sometimes available at the on-site ticket desk, however, certain timeslots may sell out due to high demand.
Edge NYC Observation Deck General Admission
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Landmark - Hudson Yards, West Manhattan
Pre-booking a timed-entry ticket is recommended to avoid long queues. Same-day tickets can also be purchased on site as availability allows, especially during off-peak hours.
If aiming for a sunset timeslot, it's recommended to book at least 1 week ahead, as these time slots will sell out first.
A "Flex Admission" ticket can be purchased for $64 which allows flexible and priority access at any time during the selected day.
One World Observatory General Admission
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Landmark - Financial District, Lower Manhattan
Pre-booking a timed-entry ticket is recommended to avoid long queues. Same-day tickets can also be purchased on site as availability allows, especially during off-peak hours.
If aiming for a sunset timeslot, it's recommended to book about 1 week ahead, as these time slots will sell out first.
A "Flex Admission" ticket can be purchased for $59 which allows flexible and priority access at any time during the selected day.
Bronx Zoo
Book 2-3 Days Ahead
Landmark - Bronx
It is currently required to purchase a timed-entry ticket online in advance; the ticket office does not sell same-day tickets.
Most time slots remain available up until a few days before the date of visit.
New York Botanical Garden
Book 1-2 Days Ahead
Landmark - Bronx
Pre-booking a timed-entry ticket is recommended to avoid queues. Same-day tickets can also be purchased on site as availability allows, especially during off-peak hours.
Most time-slots for general entry will remain available online until a few days before the date of visit.
Seasonal botanical events will sell out quicker and should be booked further in advance.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
No Booking Needed
Landmark - Central Brooklyn
Pre-booking a timed-entry ticket is sometimes recommended during peak times of the year to avoid long queues, however, same-day tickets can also be purchased at the on-site ticket office.
Excursions
Storm King Art Center
Reopens April 2026
Excursion - New Windsor, New York
The Storm King Art Center is open from April through mid-November.
Tickets for the 2026 season go on sale March 15, 2026.
