In a city as large as New York, parents are never at a loss for finding fun stuff to do with their children. As a mom of two, I’ve definitely done my fair share of cool kid outings in the Big Apple. From Broadway shows to historic sites to sporting events, we’ve attended and visited countless interesting, entertaining and culturally-rich places the city has to offer. But nothing compares to our epic “Night at the Museum,” this past weekend.

To say it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience would be an understatement. Our excitement and anticipation of having a sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History, the largest natural history museum in the world, was palpable leading up to the big night.

The adventure got underway as soon as we packed our slumber bags, hopped on the subway and made our way to the iconic museum for an unforgettable evening. In case you’re unfamiliar with the concept of sleeping in a nature-filled museum, the idea stems from the hit movie franchise, “Night at the Museum,” starring Ben Stiller. In the original movie, the animals and historical artifacts come to life at night. Thankfully, that didn’t happen during our visit.

Upon our arrival, we participated in the informative orientation, which detailed the night’s order of events. I was pleasantly surprised that the itinerary wasn’t overwhelming and allotted for a lot of free exploration. As we walked through the halls to our sleeping quarters, my 9-year-old daughter was a bit apprehensive, but quickly got used to her surroundings. I mean, I can’t blame her. Being surrounded by stuffed lions, tigers and bears can be a bit frightening at first. Luckily, after the initial fear and shock wore off, she was fine.

A whale of a time
As we proceeded to the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life (our home for the night), our enthusiasm hit the roof once we saw the massive, 94-foot-long, 21,000-pound blue whale model suspended from the ceiling. The majestic room was filled with ocean creatures like polar bears, walruses and beautiful coral reefs lining the walls. We unpacked our sleeping bags and made our space comfortable with the cots provided.  The realization that we’d be sleeping in one of the most revered rooms in the museum started to sink in, causing  our elation to escalate. After we happily unloaded, we were off to snack time where we were treated to cookies, chips, fresh fruit and drinks. Fueling up on healthy bites was a smart move because we needed sustenance to fully enjoy our fun-filled night.

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!
Next, we made our way to the live animal show. My son was super excited to see living creatures up close and personal. And the 45-minute show’s main attractions didn’t disappoint. Kids were able to learn fun and interesting facts about several animals including an owl, snake, eagle and a crocodile. At one point the eagle spread its wings to the audience’s amazement and delight. After feeding our live critter curiosity, we were off to explore some much older elements.

Finding fossil facts
I didn’t tell my kids much about our sleepover prior to our visit, but I did tell them that we had to bring flashlights! For kids, there’s something about turning on a flashlight that instantly sparks joy and lights up excitement. They were so thrilled when we whipped out our flashlights in hopes of finding some hidden fossil facts. While not exactly a scavenger hunt, the kids were able to learn some pretty awesome tidbits about prehistoric creatures like which dinosaur groups have duckbills and more. Armed with flashlights and scurrying around in search of uncovering dino facts was a huge highlight of the night. My daughter was obsessed with answering all the questions on her fossil-finding quest.

Movie magic
Following our prehistoric creature lesson, we were invited to watch the museum’s latest 3D feature film, Backyard Wilderness in the LeFrak Theater. Decked out in 3D glasses, we settled into our seats and enjoyed the super entertaining, awe-inspiring and highly-educational film about the beauty of nature and the importance of respecting it at all costs. I especially enjoyed the modern twist that was woven throughout the narrative via a social media lens. The 45-minute movie provided kids and adults alike with fascinating facts about the cycle of life and how we all play a role in our environment and ecosystem.

A story for the books
After being fully engrossed in an exhilarating film that heightened our senses, it was time to wind down. Dressed in their pajamas, the kids convened on the lower level of the Milstein Hall to hear a bedtime story that inspired the entire event, “The Night at the Museum.” Since my kids had never seen the movie, they were intrigued and enjoyed every minute of the book. Plus, it was the perfect substitute for their nightly bedtime story that they have at home. It was a great way to mellow the kids out so they’d be ready to turn in at midnight.

An enchanted experience
After a surprisingly restful yet chilly night (be sure to pack warm blankets), we woke up to a healthy continental breakfast. Later, we finally made our way to the gift shop for a private shopping experience. My son was over-the-moon walking up and down the aisles on the hunt for a new stuffed toy to join his cherished animal kingdom.

Even though we’d spent the night in the museum, there was still so much more to see. With more than 30 million specimen on display, we knew we hadn’t even scratched the surface. At any rate, we proceeded to venture into the Hall of the Universe where the kids learned about the solar system, volcanoes and other planet-centric stuff.

Before the museum re-opened for the public at 10:00 a.m., we made our last rounds and took in everything we could before we headed home. We had a fantastic time that my kids, husband and I won’t soon forget. My expectations were high, but the experience exceeded them. If you ever get the opportunity to participate in the American Museum of Natural History sleepover program, do it. It’s an incredible, wild adventure!

Here are the remaining sleepover dates:

• May 3, 2019
• May 10, 2019
• May 17, 2019
• June 7, 2019
• June 14, 2019
• June 21, 2019

For tickets and more information, please click here.

**Disclosure: My family and I were comped four tickets to visit the museum for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Have you ever visited the American Museum of Natural History? If so, what’s your favorite hall and/or exhibit?