NYC Free or Pay-what-you-wish Museums

New York City is home to some of the world’s most remarkable museums, many of which may have considerable admission fees.
Fortunately, most of them offer free admission or pay-what-you-wish entry during specific days and hours.
Below is a list of New York City museums offering these options.

Admission to the Museum and all of our exhibitions and events is always FREE FOR EVERYONE.
📍Location:1040 Grand Concourse, The Bronx, NY 10456
🌐Website: https://bronxmuseum.org/

Free and discounted admission
-Admission to the Whitney is now free every day for visitors aged 25 and under.
-Free from 5–10 p.m., every Friday evening.
-Free on the second Sunday of every month.
Though admission is free, tickets are required, and capacity is limited. Advance tickets are recommended.
📍Location: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
🌐Website: https://transact.whitney.org/

Free admission for New York State residents on Friday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., is made possible by UNIQLO. (Free tickets must be reserved in advance.)
📍Location: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
🌐Website: https://www.moma.org/

Every Monday and Saturday, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., you can pay what you wish for admission (minimum $1).
📍Location: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
🌐Website: https://www.guggenheim.org/

New York State Residents
The amount you pay for General Admission only is up to you.
1.Pay-What-You-Wish -The amount you pay is up to you. Includes permanent exhibitions only.
2.Resident Pricing – Includes permanent exhibitions PLUS the option to add any Ticketed Exhibitions.*
📍Location: 200 Central Prk W, New York, NY 10024
🌐Website: https://www.amnh.org/

Pay What You Wish’ admission is offered Mondays & Fridays.*Please note groups 10 people and over must book in advance and pay admission.
📍Location: 12 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
🌐Website: http://www.eldridgestreet.org/

Wednesday Afternoon Admission (free)
Note: Advance tickets are required for Wednesday afternoon reduced admission and are made available at 3:00pm the Monday before. There’s a maximum of 4 tickets per order.
📍Location: 602 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11224
🌐Website: https://nyaquarium.com/

Wednesday Tickets (free)
Note: Advance tickets are required for Wednesday reduced admission and are made available at 5:00pm the Monday before. There’s a maximum of 4 tickets per order.
📍Location:2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, New York 10460
🌐Website: https://bronxzoo.com/

On select Fridays from April through September, the Intrepid Museum extends its hours and offers free admission from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
These evenings often feature special programming, including movie nights on the flight deck, educational talks, and more.
📍Location: Pier 86, Twelfth Ave. at 46th St., Manhattan, NY 10036
🌐Website: https://intrepidmuseum.org/

Admission: Pay-what-you-wish for general admission.
📍Location: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238
🌐Website: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/ 

Winter Weekdays (December–February) Pay what you wish.
📍Location: Brooklyn, NY 11238
🌐Website.: https://www.bbg.org/

Admission to the Museum is free every Thursday from 2 pm–5 pm, courtesy of Amazon.
Tickets can be reserved in advance online, as well as at BCM on the day-of. Group visits are restricted during this time.

📍Location: 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213
🌐Website: https://www.brooklynkids.org/

All New York City residents receive free Grounds Admission all day on Wednesdays.
Non-NYC residents can also enjoy free admission on Wednesdays, but only between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM.
Proof of NYC residency is required for the all-day access.

📍Location:2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458
🌐Website: https://www.nybg.org/