Master Storytellers – the Bronx
On view through Saturday, May 30
Poe Park Visitors Center, Poe Park, 2640 Grand Concourse
FREE
This modest gallery at Poe Park displays drawings made just for kids by 19 children's book artists, who were inspired by the stories of legendary authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm.

Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks – Crown Heights
On view through Sunday, August 23
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway near Washington Avenue
Free with suggested admission: $16 for adults, free under age 20
160 pages of poetry, word play and sketches from the personal notebooks of legendary NYC street artist Jean-Michel Basquiat will be on display for the first time ever at the Brooklyn Museum. These books offer an insightful peek into the artist' creative process. The notebook pages are displayed with related works and large scale paintings. While not specifically geared towards kids, Basquiat's colorful, thought-provoking work should certainly interest them.

Hip-Hop Revolution – East Harlem
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street
On view through Sunday, September 13
Free with suggested admission: $14 for adults, free under age 20
Learn about the history of hip-hop at the Museum of the City of New York's new exhibit featuring more than 80 photographs from the scene's early NYC days. Check out kinetic pics of deejays, emcees, rappers and break-dancers in action in the '70s and '80s. As always, the museum is offering a rich lineup of free-with-admission family programs in conjunction with the exhibition (make your own album covers, photo collages) to give young visitors a more interactive experience.

Life at the Limits – Upper West Side
American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street at Central Park West
On view through Sunday, January 3, 2016
Free with General Admission Plus One: $27 for adults, $16 for children ages 2-12
Get up close and personal with creatures that survive in truly extreme situations (i.e. temperatures above 300° and below -458˚ Fahrenheit) at the American Museum of Natural History's new installation. In addition to videos, hands-on education stations and models, there will be live exotic specimens on view, including a mantis shrimp, a nautilus, an axolotl and an aquatic salamander.

Whitney Museum of American Art Reopening – Meatpacking District
Opening Friday, May 1
99 Gansevoort Street at the southern end of the High Line
Free with admission: $22 for adults, free under age 18
The Whitney opens the doors to its impressive new digs on May 1. Visitors familiar with the museum's former Upper East Side location can expect double the gallery space, plus a theater, an education center and outdoor exhibits—all firsts for the institution. The new spot boasts 50,000 square feet of indoor gallery space, with two floors dedicated to its permanent collection. America is Hard to See, its inaugural exhibit, is the museum's most extensive to date, showcasing the work of 400 artists and spanning 1900 to the present. On Saturday, May 2, the Whitney will celebrate with a giant outdoor party that includes large-scale performances, a slew of artist-led activities plus free admission to the museum. Tickets can be reserved online beginning Monday, April 13; reservations recommended.

Far, Far Away... – Hudson Square
Children’s Museum of the Arts, 103 Charlton Street between Hudson and Greenwich Streets
On view Thursday, May 14-Sunday, September 6
Free with admission: $11
CMA's exhibit tells fantastical stories without any words. Far, Far Away... features beautifully crafted visions of make-believe landscapes in a variety of mediums. As always, CMA is offering related art workshops in conjunction with the exhibition, so check the calendar for details.

Pattern Wizardry – Crown Heights
Tuesday, May 19-Sunday, August 30
Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue at St. Marks Avenue
Free with admission: $9, free for children under age 1
Interactive STEM learning for grade-schoolers at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. The hands on exhibit Pattern Wizardry gives kids a chance to explore the patterns they come across every day in nature, science and culture through interactive play.

Want more? All of the exhibits we highlighted in our best winter installations post are still on view! Looking to save money? Check out our list of FREE museum hours to find out when you can visit some of these institutions at no cost.

You can also find out about other great kid-friendly exhibits in our Museum Guide.