World Cup Fever Hits the American Museum of Natural History
A curated lineup of events and experiences, including watch parties and special exhibitions, examines the science and culture of athletics
As the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) sees it, the weeks-long FIFA World Cup soccer tournament is more than a sporting event—it is a cultural moment worth exploring and contemplating on a larger scale. Starting June 11, the beloved NYC institution will kick off a series of watch parties open to visitors of all ages. Select matches will be broadcast on the LeFrak Theater’s 60-by-40-foot screen, in the Cullman Hall of the Universe, as well as in the newly opened Global Sports Pavilion, a temporary exhibition space located in the Futter Gallery.
The festivities don’t stop there, however. The FIFA watch parties are part of the AMNH’s broader programming series covering artifacts and mementoes of sports history; interactive play spaces offering soccer-inspired activities; and hands-on learning opportunities that explore the science behind sports through educational labs and immersive exhibits. The series also includes a community event scheduled for July 11 that pairs the cosmic phenomenon known as “Manhattanhenge”—when the setting sun aligns with the grid of Manhattan—with a celebration of the city’s tradition of neighborhood sports (e.g., pickup soccer, double Dutch, and street dominoes).
The museum’s For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence, which opened last month and will be on view through early 2027, is a showcase of more than 70 championship trophies, medals, and jewelry across nearly 150 years of sports history. Located in the museum’s Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, visitors can expect gleaming Tiffany & Co. cups, championship rings, chains and belts, and other commemorative and personal objects belonging to sports-world luminaries.
Many of the FIFA experiences, which are free with museum admission, will be accessible to museum guests well beyond the World Cup’s final championship match, offering ample opportunities for educational enrichment throughout the summer and in some cases, into the New Year. Among them are:
Goal Zone
This all-ages interactive experience invites visitors to test their soccer skills through digital simulators, virtual shooting and goalkeeping competitions, a projection-mapped play area for younger children, and dynamic wax figures of soccer stars from Madame Tussauds New York.
Through September 13
Global Sports Pavilion
In the museum’s Futter Gallery, large-scale photography and video installations showcase iconic sports moments from around the world, while guests explore how different materials affect a ball’s motion, the geometric design of soccer balls, and the global communities that shape the game.
Through January 3
Learning Labs Sports Activations
On select days, the museum’s first floor comes alive with hands-on activities in two unique spaces. The Human Origins Lab reveals the biomechanics behind athletic performance—from muscles and bones to neural response. The Discovery room invites visitors to engage with the creativity and personal expression that are often essential to athletic achievement.
Through January 3