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The Met's 81st Street Studio will provide 3,500 square feet of space for families to enjoy hands-on activities. 

The 81st Street Studio brings with it 3,500 square feet of innovative programming space where kids ages 3-11 and their caregivers can immerse themselves in hands-on activities and explore the collections at this beloved NYC institution.

Designed by KOKO Architecture and Design, the 81st Street Studio plans to offer hands-on, drop-in experiential learning activities for families, who can expect to find digital and analog opportunities to create, plus a non-circulating library stocked with titles guests can read on their own or during regularly scheduled story times.

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An on-site library promises plenty of story times at The Met's 81st Street Studio. 

The 81st Street studio is open during regular museum hours, and admission to The Met is not required to enjoy its innovative programming, which is spread across seven different interactive stations. An opening slate of activities revolves around wood—but mediums and themes will rotate, so there will always something fresh to see!

If families want to extend their learning beyond the 81st Street Studio, they can use the new play-and-learning space as a jumping-off point and pick up a Met Field Guide that enhances visits to The Met and Central Park surrounding it.

Photos courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art