Back before the kids started school, I would take them once a week on an adventure to someplace new we hadn’t been before. On this day, we visited the Museum at Eldridge Street, which is actually a restored synagogue. It was built in the late 19th century and is a great place to learn about the Jewish immigrants who settled in the Lower East Side.
Visiting the Museum at Eldridge Street with Kids
First and foremost, the building is gorgeous. The synagogue was built in 1887 by Eastern European Jewish immigrants, and is completely restored. Just look at that stained glass!
My kids were happy just walking around looking at all the decor and stained glass.
Even better, the museum gave us a little scavenger hunt! We had a paper with a list of things to find. This definitely helped to keep them engaged as we were going up to the different floors! It’s these kind of touches I really appreciate as a parent.
The pictures definitely speak for themselves. After a short visit, we were in the middle of Chinatown, so we had some Chinese food and bubble tea for lunch!
Hester Street Playground
We always incorporate play time when expecting good museum behavior.
The Hester Street playground is just a couple blocks away to run around before or after. It is one of the largest playground in this part of Manhattan and definitely has something for everyone. There are play structures for younger and older kids, musical blocks to stomp on, swings and more.
Alternatively, you could go to Seward Park which is a couple of blocks in the opposite direction. I would base it on your next destination, or which subway line you plan on taking!
To Visit the Museum at Eldridge Street:
Museum at Eldridge Street– The museum is open Sun-Friday; Pay what you wish on Mondays. Combine it with a visit to the Museum of Chinese in America.
Since you’re already downtown, keep exploring! Continue with the Financial District and Battery Park City. Here’s more of all the best things to do in NYC with kids.
