NYC Free Museum Days (2025 Calendar)

Enjoy pay-what-you-wish winter weekdays at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. BBG is a welcome respite from the city, focused on understanding and conserving regional plants. Multiple themed gardens and indoor conservatories leave plenty to discover all year round.

Pay-what-you-wish weekdays December-February

Always free for visitors under 12

The Museum of Natural History always offers pay-what-you-wish general admission for New York residents. This is probably one of the most iconic and kid-friendly museums in NYC. Whether you're racing through the museum to see the dinosaurs or searching for information for a school research project, the well-curated exhibits here won't disappoint. Highlights include Lucy, one of the world's oldest humans. In the Discovery Room, you can explore science in a hands-on, interactive environment.

Always free admission for NY residents

The American Folk Art Museum is New York City’s only museum dedicated to folk and self-taught artists. Its collection includes more than seven thousand works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent. Admission is always free. 

Always free admission

Every day can be a (nearly) free day at the Met Cloisters with their pay-what-you-wish admission offer for NY residents as well as NY, NJ and CT students. Enjoy art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe.

Pay-what-you-wish admission for NY residents & NY, NJ & CT students

Always free for visitors under 12

MOCA always offers free admission. MOCA celebrates the living history of the Chinese experience in America by preserving and presenting the 200-year history, heritage, culture, and diverse experiences of American communities of Chinese descent.

Always free admission

Queens County Farm Museum is always free to the public, except for special ticketed admission days. You can visit NYC's largest remaining undisturbed farmland at the Queens County Farm Museum. This farm truly makes you feel like you've left the city and have stepped back in time! Kids can learn about farm life at the farmhouse, meet and feed the adorable farm animals or catch one of the special events the museum regularly hosts!

Always free admission, except during ticketed events

Admission to Green-Wood is always free. You might balk at the idea of visiting a cemetery for fun, but you might also be surprised to learn that in the 1800's cemeteries were designed as places of natural beauty long before the creation of the first public park. Green-Wood includes 478 acres of impressive landscapes as well as the final resting places of many of New York's greats.

A self guided walking tour (available online or as an app) can help you find famous sports players, artists, generals and more, as well as noteworthy sculptures and ancient trees. Maps are also available at the gate.

Always free admission

MoMA PS1 always offers free admission for New York residents. This former public school now houses one of New York City's largest collections of contemporary art. It has become a world-renowned place for artistic experimentation and creativity.

Always free for NY residents

Always free for visitors 16 & under

Admission to SculptureCenter is always free of charge. The SculptureCenter displays innovative and experimental contemporary sculpture by emerging and established artists.

Always free admission

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers pay-what-you-wish admission for NY residents as well as NY, NJ, and CT students. This New York institution has a bit of everything. Its endless permanent collection and rotating exhibits keep even the most frequent visitors busy. Kids love the Egyptian exhibit, which includes an entire temple transported from Egypt.

Pay-what-you-wish admission for NY residents & NY, NJ & CT students

Always free for visitors under 12

Admission to The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology is always free. This fashion museum has a permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the eighteenth century to the present.

Always free admission

Open every day, Socrates Park is a waterfront outdoor museum founded to support artists in the creation of public art. The open-air venue presents contemporary art & community programming. 

Always free admission

Yeshiva University Museum always offers free admission to its general exhibits. YUM’s collection of more than 10,000 artifacts, exhibitions, installations, and programs provides a window into Jewish culture worldwide and throughout history.

Always free admission

Everyone can enjoy free admission to El Museo del Barrio with their pay-what-you-wish admission, and can also choose to support the museum with a $9 suggested donation per adult. They strongly recommend all visitors reserve tickets in advance. El Museo celebrates works that encompass Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American culture. If you are visiting with toddlers, check out the Coquí Club, a monthly, bilingual program for young children, ages 3-5, to learn, play and explore El Museo.

Always pay-what-you-wish admission

The National Museum of the American Indian always offers free admission. This is a fantastic place to learn about Native American customs and see their artifacts. The museum features several family-friendly programs that help children understand the culture and legacy of Indigenous people.

Always free admission