New York City
Free & Pay-What-You-Wish
Museum Admission in NYC
16 New York museums offer free or pay-what-you-wish admission on set days and hours. The schedule for each one lives on that museum’s own site — this page collects all 16 in one calendar.
Starting Today
Full CalendarNYBG · MCNY · The Frick Collection +6 more
NYBG · The Met · The Met Cloisters +5 more
The Frick Collection · Neue Galerie · Noguchi Museum +11 more
Brooklyn Museum · NYBG · The Met +5 more
9/11 Memorial · NYBG · Guggenheim Museum +7 more
Types of Free Admission
Museums use the word “free” for a few different policies. Here is what each one means in practice.
Free admission
No ticket cost during a set window, usually a weekday evening. Timed entry can still apply, and popular time slots are often released online a few days ahead.
Pay what you wish
Visitors choose the amount they pay, including a token amount. Any “suggested” price on signage is a suggestion, not a required fee.
Residents & students only
Some free-admission windows require NY state ID or a student card. 11 of the 16 museums listed here are open to all visitors — the calendar notes which is which.
Featured Museums
Free and pay-what-you-wish hours, and any residency restrictions, for each museum.
MoMA The Museum of Modern Art
Discover MoMA, New York's Museum of Modern Art, home to over 200,000 groundbreaking works of modern and contemporary art. Explore masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Warhol, and more across diverse departments including design, film, and sculpture. A must-visit cultural destination in Midtown Manhattan.
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is one of the world's largest and most comprehensive art museums, showcasing 5,000 years of global art and culture. A must-visit destination in New York City, The Met houses iconic masterpieces—from the ancient Egyptian Temple of Dendur to works by Rembrandt, Botticelli, Degas, Van Gogh, Monet's Water Lilies series, and sculptures by Rodin. (One Met ticket covers both The Met and The Met Cloisters)
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Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Experience the Guggenheim Museum, a modern art icon in NYC designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Featuring works by Kandinsky, Picasso, and other modern masters, this spiral-shaped museum showcases a rich collection of Cubism, Surrealism, and contemporary art in an architectural landmark on Fifth Avenue.
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Whitney Museum of American Art
Visit the Whitney Museum of American Art in NYC to discover bold and innovative works by 20th and 21st-century American artists. Known for its collection of Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keeffe, the Whitney champions contemporary art in a stunning Meatpacking District setting.
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The Frick Collection
The Frick Collection (The Frick Gallery) is a hidden gem of Old Master paintings, European sculptures, and decorative arts in a historic mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side. View masterpieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Goya in an intimate, elegant setting unlike any other museum in NYC.
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American Museum of Natural History
Visit the American Museum of Natural History in NYC for an unforgettable exploration of dinosaurs, space, human cultures, and science. With interactive exhibits and world-famous fossils, it's one of the most visited natural history museums in the world.
View Details & AdmissionMuseum Guides
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