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New York City has some of the world’s greatest museums, but visiting them doesn’t always mean paying full admission. Several museums are free every day, others let visitors pay what they can, and many of the city’s most famous institutions offer free hours on specific days.
The important part is knowing the difference. Some free programs are open to everyone. Others are limited to New York City or New York State residents. A few require advance reservations, and special exhibitions may still cost extra even when general admission is free.
This guide separates those policies so you can quickly see which New York City museums are free, which are pay-what-you-wish, and when the major weekly free-admission periods take place.
Which Museums in NYC Are Always Free?
The Bronx Museum of the Arts: Admission to the Bronx Museum and its exhibitions is always free for everyone. The museum is located on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx.
The Museum at FIT: Admission to the Fashion Institute of Technology’s museum is always free. The museum specializes in fashion, textiles, costume, and design. Current note: the galleries are temporarily closed for installation and are scheduled to reopen when Doll Dressing opens on September 16, 2026.
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian: The New York branch at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at One Bowling Green is free to everyone, and tickets are not required.
MoMA PS1: General admission to MoMA PS1 in Long Island City is currently free for everyone. The museum is affiliated with the Museum of Modern Art but operates in Queens as one of the city’s most important contemporary-art spaces.
American Folk Art Museum: The museum at 2 Lincoln Square offers free admission to everyone and focuses on folk and self-taught art.
The Skyscraper Museum: The Battery Park City museum currently offers free general admission. Timed reservations are available, although walk-ins are also welcomed when space permits.
Which NYC Museums Are Pay-What-You-Wish for Everyone?
Queens Museum: The Queens Museum is not permanently free, as the original version of this article stated. It now operates on a pay-what-you-wish basis, with suggested admission of $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and students. The museum is home to the famous Panorama of the City of New York, created for the 1964 World’s Fair.
Brooklyn Museum: General admission prices are suggested contributions. Visitors who purchase online or at a kiosk pay the listed amount, but the museum says visitors can go to the Admissions Desk and pay what they can. Separately ticketed exhibitions have fixed prices.
El Museo del Barrio: El Museo describes itself as a pay-what-you-can museum. It suggests $9 for adults and $5 for students and seniors, while members and children under 12 are free.
Which Museums Let New Yorkers Pay What They Wish?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Met Cloisters: New York State residents can pay what they wish for admission. Students from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are also eligible. The Met requires visitors using this policy to pay at least one cent per ticket.
American Museum of Natural History: New York State residents with qualifying identification can pay what they wish for general admission. Ticketed exhibitions, the planetarium Space Show, and other separately ticketed attractions are not included in pay-what-you-wish general admission.
Museum of the City of New York: New York City residents can pay what they can at the ticket counter. In addition, general admission is free for everyone on Wednesdays.
Monday Free and Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Admission
Museum at Eldridge Street: Pay-what-you-wish admission is offered on both Mondays and Fridays. Regular admission applies on the museum’s other open days.
9/11 Memorial Museum: The museum offers free admission on Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Free tickets are released online each Monday beginning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tuesday Free and Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Admission
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: The Guggenheim currently offers pay-what-you-wish admission on Tuesdays and Sundays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The suggested contribution is $10, with a minimum contribution of $1.
Wednesday Free and Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Admission
The Frick Collection: The Frick offers pay-what-you-wish admission on Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Advance reservations are encouraged.
Museum of the City of New York: General admission is free for everyone on Wednesdays. During summer 2026, the museum is also staying open until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesdays through September 2.
Thursday Free Museum Admission
Museum of the Moving Image: General admission is free every Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Reservations are not required for the free general-admission period.
Museum of Jewish Heritage: Admission is free on Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Advance free tickets can be reserved through the museum’s admission calendar.
Friday Free and Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Admission
Museum of Modern Art: New York State residents receive free admission during UNIQLO Friday Nights from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets must be reserved in advance and are subject to availability and proof of residency.
Whitney Museum of American Art: Admission is free for everyone every Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are still required, and advance reservations are recommended because capacity is limited.
The Morgan Library & Museum: The Morgan offers free admission every Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Advance reservations are required, and tickets are released one week before each Friday evening.
The New York Historical: Admission is pay-as-you-wish every Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Museum at Eldridge Street: Friday is also a pay-what-you-wish day, giving visitors a second weekly opportunity in addition to Monday.
Free Museum Admission on Saturdays and Sundays
The Jewish Museum: General admission is free every Saturday and on select additional holidays. Advance reservations are recommended.
Whitney Museum of American Art: The Whitney is free for everyone all day on the second Sunday of every month. Advance tickets are recommended.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: Sunday is one of the Guggenheim’s two weekly pay-what-you-wish periods, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The other is Tuesday.
Brooklyn Museum First Saturdays: The Brooklyn Museum’s scheduled First Saturday programs are free and include general museum admission. The 2026 events run from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and registration is required or strongly recommended depending on the event.
9/11 Memorial Museum New York First Sundays: On the first Sunday of each month, the museum offers free admission from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for people who live, work, or study in New York. Identification and reservations are required.
The Whitney Is Free Every Day for Visitors 25 and Under
One of the biggest changes in New York museum admission is at the Whitney. Visitors age 25 and younger now receive free admission every day, not just during Friday nights or Second Sundays. You can reserve a timed ticket online, and the museum also offers a Free 25 and Under Anytime Pass for repeat visits.
How NYC Culture Pass Can Get You Into Museums for Free
One of the best programs for New Yorkers is Culture Pass. Cardholders age 13 and older from the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, or Queens Public Library can reserve free passes to more than 100 participating cultural institutions across New York City.
Participating locations include museums, historic sites, performing-arts organizations, botanical gardens, and other attractions. Current museum participants include institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Museum of the Moving Image, the Intrepid Museum, Cooper Hewitt, and The New York Historical.
Culture Pass requires an eligible full-service library card. E-cards and certain limited library-card types do not qualify. Passes are released in limited quantities and popular institutions can book quickly, so it is worth checking availability at the beginning of each month.
What Does Pay-What-You-Wish Actually Mean?
Pay-what-you-wish does not necessarily mean free. At some museums you must contribute at least a small amount, while others simply ask visitors to choose what they can reasonably afford. The rules also vary depending on whether the ticket is purchased online or at the museum.
That distinction matters at the Brooklyn Museum, for example, because purchasing online or through a kiosk means paying the listed suggested price, while pay-what-you-can general admission is available at the Admissions Desk. The Met also requires eligible pay-what-you-wish visitors to pay at least one cent per ticket.
Free General Admission Does Not Always Include Special Exhibitions
A free or pay-what-you-wish ticket usually refers to general museum admission. Special exhibitions, films, planetarium shows, performances, or other ticketed experiences can still carry an additional charge.
The American Museum of Natural History is a good example. New York State residents can pay what they wish for general admission, but the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium, the Hayden Planetarium Space Show, and other ticketed exhibitions require a different ticket.
Museum policies also change. Free nights can move, sponsored programs can end, and hours can change for holidays or installation periods. Before making a special trip, check the museum’s official admission page for the date you plan to visit.
More New York City Museum History
Readers who want to explore the stories behind these institutions can continue with our History of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, History of the Museum of Modern Art, History of New York’s American Museum of Natural History, Guggenheim Museum History and Tour, History of New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art, History of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and our first-hand visit to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens.
Sources
The Bronx Museum, Visitor Guide and Free Admission Policy
The Museum at FIT, Plan Your Visit
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, New York Visitor Information
MoMA PS1, Visitor Information and Free Admission
American Folk Art Museum, Visitor Guidelines
The Skyscraper Museum, Hours and Admission
Queens Museum, Pay-What-You-Wish Admission
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Admission and Pay-What-You-Wish Policy
American Museum of Natural History, New York State Resident Pricing
Brooklyn Museum, Tickets and Pay-What-You-Can General Admission
Museum of the City of New York, Admission and Free Wednesdays
El Museo del Barrio, Pay-What-You-Can Admission
Museum at Eldridge Street, Admission and Pay-What-You-Wish Days
9/11 Memorial & Museum, Free Admission Mondays
9/11 Memorial & Museum, New York First Sundays
The Frick Collection, Pay-What-You-Wish Admission
Museum of the Moving Image, Free Thursday Admission
Museum of Jewish Heritage, Free Thursday Hours
Museum of Modern Art, UNIQLO Friday Nights
Whitney Museum of American Art, Free and Discounted Admission
The Morgan Library & Museum, Visitor Information
The New York Historical, Friday Pay-As-You-Wish Admission
The Jewish Museum, Free Saturday Admission
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Pay-What-You-Wish Hours
Brooklyn Museum, First Saturdays
Culture Pass NYC, Free Cultural Admission With a Library Card
Free and Pay-What-You-Wish NYC Museums at a Glance
| Museum | Free or Discounted Admission | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Bronx Museum | Always free | Everyone |
| Museum at FIT | Always free when galleries are open | Everyone |
| National Museum of the American Indian | Always free | Everyone |
| MoMA PS1 | Free general admission | Everyone |
| American Folk Art Museum | Always free | Everyone |
| Skyscraper Museum | Currently free | Everyone |
| Queens Museum | Pay what you wish | Everyone |
| Brooklyn Museum | Pay what you can for general admission at Admissions Desk | Everyone |
| El Museo del Barrio | Pay what you can | Everyone |
| The Met and Met Cloisters | Pay what you wish | NY State residents and NY/NJ/CT students |
| American Museum of Natural History | Pay what you wish for general admission | NY State residents |
| Museum of the City of New York | Pay what you can; free Wednesdays | NYC residents for pay-what-you-can; everyone on Wednesdays |
| 9/11 Memorial Museum | Free Mondays, 5:30–7 p.m. | Everyone with reserved free ticket |
| Frick Collection | Pay what you wish Wednesdays, 1:30–5:30 p.m. | Everyone |
| Museum of the Moving Image | Free Thursdays, 2–6 p.m. | Everyone |
| Museum of Jewish Heritage | Free Thursdays, 4–8 p.m. | Everyone |
| MoMA | Free Fridays, 5:30–8:30 p.m. | New York State residents |
| Whitney Museum | Free Fridays, Second Sundays, and daily for age 25 and under | Everyone during free periods; age 25 and under every day |
| Morgan Library & Museum | Free Fridays, 5–8 p.m. | Everyone with advance reservation |
| The New York Historical | Pay as you wish Fridays, 5–8 p.m. | Everyone |
| The Jewish Museum | Free Saturdays | Everyone |
| Guggenheim Museum | Pay what you wish Tuesdays and Sundays, 4–5:30 p.m. | Everyone |
Published August 14, 2026.
Which Museums in NYC Are Free? A Local Guide to Free and Pay-What-You-Wish Admission article published on ClassicNewYorkHistory.com © 2026
