Free Museums & Cultural Spots in NYC050

Many local New York City-area museums, zoos, gardens, and other cultural hotspots offer free or reduced admission on certain days throughout the year.

Manhattan
Pay what you wish hours are in effect at the Children's Museum of the Arts on Thursdays, 4pm-6pm (homeschool families get 20% off every Friday, 12n-2pm).

The Children's Museum of Manhattan offers Free Fridays on the first Friday of each month, 5pm-8pm.

The Guggenheim Museum's pay what you wish hours are on Fridays from 5:45pm-8pm (last ticket issued at 7:15pm).

At the Museum of Modern Art, admission is free for all visitors during Target Free Friday Nights, every Friday evening, 4pm-8pm. The museum also hosts a score of great activities for kids, on a first come, first served basis, on Saturday mornings. Check our calendar for event details.

The American Folk Art Museum offers free admission on Fridays from 5:30pm-7:30pm.

Admission is free at the Studio Museum in Harlem on Sundays from 12n-6pm.

Free admission is available at the Museum of the City of New York on Sundays from 10am-12n. If you live or work in East Harlem, simply walk in the entrance, say "I'm a neighbor," and the suggested admission charge will be waived.

The Jewish Museum invites families to visit for free on Saturdays from 11am-5:45pm.

Pay what you wish is in effect at the Whitney Museum on Fridays from 6pm-9pm.

The Metropolitan Museum, and the American Museum of Natural History receive tax dollars and are "suggested donation" museums - meaning that you're not bound to pay the admission price in full.

The National Museum of the American Indian, the Sony Wonder Tech Labs, and the Forbes Galleries are always free!

Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Children's Museum admits early bird families free before 11am every Saturday and Sunday, and often hosts free Friday evening admission. Check our calendar for dates.

The first Saturday of the month, from 5pm-11pm, the Brooklyn Museum hosts a free evening of music and activities.

Admission to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is free on Tuesdays, Saturdays (10am-12n), and weekdays (November 20-February 29).

The Bronx
The Bronx Museum of the Arts offers free admission on Fridays, and children are always admitted free.

The Bronx Zoo offers free admission to all on Wednesdays.

The New York Botanical Garden offers free admission on Wednesdays, and on Saturdays from 10am-12n, too.

Queens The New York Hall of Science offers free admission September through June, on Fridays from 2pm-5pm and Sundays from 10am-11am.

Admission to the Queens Botanical Garden is always free; donations are gladly accepted.

The Museum of the Moving Image now offers free admission ($5 donation requested), and has expanded its hours to include weekends.

Staten Island The Staten Island Museum offers free admission on Tuesdays from 12n-2pm.

Note: Our editors make every attempt to keep this list as current as possible, but changes to these programs do happen. We recommend that you visit the venue websites for exceptions, other qualifying details, and any updates before visiting the venues themselves.

Know of more free stuff, events, and activities for kids and families around NYC? Add a comment below and we'll get right on it!