NYC Free Museum Days (2024 Calendar)

Staten Island Zoo offers free days on Wednesday afternoons. This neighborhood zoo is a great size for young kids and can be thoroughly explored with just a few hours.

Queens Botanical Garden offers free days from mid-December to March as well as on Wednesdays from 3pm-6pm and Sundays from 9am-11am throughout the year. QBG is a peaceful retreat in one of NYC's busiest and most diverse neighborhoods. In addition to numerous gardens, the art gallery hosts four exhibits each year. Many of the gardens, such as the Bee Garden and Cleansing Biotope teach visitors about sustainability and provide inspiration for growing plants at home.

The New York Aquarium offers free days on Wednesdays after 3pm. You will need to reserve a ticket. The Wednesday New York Aquarium Tickets Store will open Monday afternoon at 3pm for that Wednesday’s reservations.

Grounds Admission at the New York Botanical Garden is free to everyone regardless of residency on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and to NYC residents all day on Wednesdays. Grounds Access Pass includes access to outdoor gardens and collections, including seasonal children’s pop-up programming.

Brooklyn Children’s Museum offers three floors of interactive exhibits and hands-on cultural and science programs for ages 6 months to 10 years.

Thursday evenings can be free days at the New Museum, when they offer pay-what-you-wish admission (suggested minimum: $2). Timed tickets are required. The New Museum is dedicated to being a center for today’s art and ideas, and a catalyst for dialogue between contemporary artists and the public. They embrace contemporary art from around the world, diverse perspectives, and the free exchange of ideas.

The Waterfront Museum is open two days a week and always offers free open boat tours. A visit includes a look at the Captain's original living quarters, the tools used by longshoremen and stevedores and the gongs and bells of the tug and barge system. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the only vessel of its type still floating.

Wave Hill offers free days on Thursdays. Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades.

The Museum at Eldridge Street offers free days every Monday and Friday with their pay-what-you-wish admission. Exhibits housed in this ethereal 1887 synagogue teach visitors about immigration, architecture, and Jewish culture. Optional tours are included in the price of Museum admission.

Guests can enjoy free days at the Whitney Museum of American Art every Friday evening from 5–10 pm and on the second Sunday of every month. Both offerings include free access to exhibitions, special programming, and more. Tickets are limited and advance reservations are strongly recommended. The Whitney Museum focuses on 20th century and contemporary art, with a focus on works by living artists. The building itself was designed by Renzo Piano and provides stunning views of the Hudson.

The Morgan Library & Museum offers free days every Friday evening. Reservations are required. Fine art and literature are on display at the former home and library of Pierpont Morgan, which build upon his personal collections. The building is impressively well maintained with painted ceilings in the library and stone lions by the entrance.

The Jewish Museum offers free days on Saturdays. Founded in 1904, the Jewish museum was the first institution in the US to explore Jewish art and culture. Today the museum houses over 30,000 objects exploring Jewish culture and identity. To enhance your experience, check out their upcoming programs for kids and families!

The Guggenheim Museum offers pay-what-you-wish admission on Saturdays (suggested: $10, minimum: $1). Advanced reservations are strongly recommended; a limited number of tickets are available on-site during pay-what-you-wish hours. Contemporary art in one of the most unique architectural spaces in New York awaits visitors to the Guggenheim Museum. The upper levels are reached via a winding circular ramp that takes guests past some of the most well known works in 20th century art.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum offers a select number of free admission tickets on Monday afternoons. Free Admission Monday tickets will be available on the website each Monday beginning at 7 a.m. ET and are first come, first serve.

Enjoy free days at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with pay-what-you-wish winter weekdays. 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.