# American Museum of Natural History vs Museum of Modern Art

> American Museum of Natural History and Museum of Modern Art are two of New York City's essential museums — one an art museum, the other a modern & contemporary art museum. Here is how they compare on admission, highlights, and time needed.

## Choose American Museum of Natural History if…
Choose American Museum of Natural History for Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton and Blue Whale Model — admission is $28 suggested admission for NY residents. Allow 3–4 hours.

## Choose Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) if…
Choose Museum of Modern Art for The Starry Night and Les Demoiselles d'Avignon — admission is $25 standard admission. Allow 2–4 hours.

## Visiting both
Both are in New York City. With 3–4 hours suggested for one and 2–4 hours for the other, combining both in a single day is ambitious — two days is more comfortable.

- American Museum of Natural History: https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/american-museum-of-natural-history/
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/moma/

Updated 2026-07-18. Source: https://worldmuseumguide.org/compare/american-museum-of-natural-history-vs-moma/ — World Museum Guide.