Free museum days, pay-what-you-wish nights and always-free galleries in New York City, from the big Manhattan institutions to borough favorites. Every listing below is checked against the museum’s own page, and the list refreshes on its own as new free days are announced.

86 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Starts in 17h 32m

Daily · 5 PM–6 PM

64°F · Sunny

✓ Verified Oct 27, 2026

Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Manhattan · official listing on cooperhewitt.org · checked Oct 27

Arts & culture

Cooper Hewitt Pay What You Wish hour

📍 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum · Upper East Side, Manhattan

Pay what you wish 5–6 PM daily; 18 & under free anytime

Starts in 1d 16h

Every Sun, Tue · 4 PM–5:30 PM

67°F · Mostly Sunny

✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026

Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Manhattan · official listing on guggenheim.org · checked Oct 31

Arts & culture

Guggenheim Pay What You Wish hours

📍 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum · Manhattan

Suggested donation; pay what you wish; Pay what you wish Tuesdays and Sundays 4–5:30 pm

Starts in 2d 10h

Every Wed · 10 AM–9 PM

65°F · Mostly Sunny

✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026

Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan · official listing on mcny.org · checked Oct 31

Arts & culture

Free Wednesdays at the Museum of the City of New York

📍 Museum of the City of New York · East Harlem, Manhattan

Free at the listed days and hours · Free for everyone on Wednesdays (tickets at the counter only; not for groups of 10+).

Starts in 2d 11h

WED, NOV 4 · 11 AM–12:30 PM

68°F · Mostly Sunny

✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026

Why this place: Free · registration required · at The Long Island Museum, Art Museum, Long Island · official listing on longislandmuseum.org · checked Oct 25

Arts & culture

Mornings@LIM: Enduring Hearts gallery visit

📍 The Long Island Museum, Art Museum · Stony Brook, Long Island

Free program for individuals living with dementia and care partners · registration required

Starts in 2d 11h

Every Wed · 11 AM–8 PM

67°F · Mostly Sunny

✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026

Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Grey Art Museum, New York University, Manhattan · official listing on greyartmuseum.nyu.edu · checked Nov 1

Arts & culture

Grey Art Museum Late Wednesdays (NYU)

📍 Grey Art Museum, New York University · Manhattan

Suggested donation; pay what you wish; free for all visitors

Starts in 2d 12h

Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–6 PM

69°F · Mostly Sunny

✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026

Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, Manhattan · official listing on leslielohman.org · checked Nov 1

Arts & culture

Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art (Suggested Donation)

📍 Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art · Manhattan

Suggested donation; pay what you wish

Starts in 2d 17h

WED, NOV 4 · 5 PM–8 PM

68°F · Mostly Sunny

✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026

Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · at Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), Manhattan · official listing on madmuseum.org · checked Oct 31

Arts & culture

Pay What You Wish evening at the Museum of Arts and Design

📍 Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) · Columbus Circle, Manhattan

Suggested donation; pay what you wish; Pay what you wish 5-8 PM

Starts in 3d 12h

Every Sun, Thu, Fri, Sat · 12 PM–5 PM

70°F · Chance Light Rain

✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026

Why this place: Free · registration required · repeats, so you can go another time · at Hispanic Society Museum & Library, Manhattan · official listing on hispanicsociety.org · checked Nov 1

Arts & culture

Hispanic Society Museum & Library (Free Admission)

📍 Hispanic Society Museum & Library · Manhattan

Free; registration required; Free with a reserved ticket

Starts in 4d 11h

Every Fri · 11 AM–9 PM

68°F · Light Rain Likely

✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026

Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at The Studio Museum in Harlem, Manhattan · official listing on studiomuseum.org · checked Oct 31

Arts & culture

Friday late hours at the Studio Museum in Harlem

📍 The Studio Museum in Harlem · Harlem, Manhattan

Suggested donation; pay what you wish; Pay what you can

Starts in 4d 17h

Every Fri · 5 PM–10 PM

68°F · Light Rain Likely

✓ Verified Oct 27, 2026

Why this place: Free · registration required · repeats, so you can go another time · at Whitney Museum of American Art, Manhattan · official listing on whitney.org · checked Oct 27

Arts & culture

Whitney Free Friday Nights

📍 Whitney Museum of American Art · Meatpacking, Manhattan

Free; timed tickets required

Starts in 4d 18h

FRI, NOV 6 · 5:30 PM–9 PM

68°F · Light Rain Likely

✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026

Why this place: Free · at The Frick Collection, Manhattan · official listing on frick.org · checked Oct 31

Music & nightlife

Louis Vuitton First Friday at The Frick Collection

📍 The Frick Collection · Manhattan

Free

Starts in 1w 4d

FRI, NOV 13 · 2 PM–3:30 PM

✓ Verified Oct 25, 2026

Why this place: Free · at The Long Island Museum Studio, Long Island · official listing on longislandmuseum.org · checked Oct 25

Arts & culture

Stitch & Chit-Ch(at) at the Long Island Museum

📍 The Long Island Museum Studio · Stony Brook, Long Island

Free program · no registration required · ages 12+

Starts in 1w 5d

SAT, NOV 14 · 12:30 PM–4 PM

✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026

Why this place: Free · registration required · at Fairfield University Art Museum, Lower Connecticut · official listing on events.fairfield.edu · checked Oct 26

Painting & crafts

Fairfield University Art Museum Family Day

📍 Fairfield University Art Museum · Fairfield, CT

Free

Starts in 2w 2d

WED, NOV 18 · 6 PM–8 PM

✓ Verified Oct 30, 2026

Why this place: Free · at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Manhattan · official listing on dyckmanfarmhouse.org · checked Oct 30

Arts & culture

Comfy Classical at Dyckman Farmhouse

📍 Dyckman Farmhouse Museum · Inwood, Manhattan

Free; advance registration required because space is limited

Starts in 2w 3d

THU, NOV 19 · 5 PM–8 PM

✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026

Why this place: Free · at The Jewish Museum, Manhattan · official listing on thejewishmuseum.org · checked Oct 31

Arts & culture

Free Third Thursday Evening at the Jewish Museum

📍 The Jewish Museum · Manhattan

Free at the listed days and hours; Free on Third Thursdays 5-8 PM

Starts in 2w 3d

THU, NOV 19 · 7 PM–9 PM

✓ Verified Oct 30, 2026

Why this place: Free · seasonal special · at South Street Seaport Museum, Manhattan · official listing on theseaport.nyc · checked Oct 30

Arts & culture

Wayzgoose Holiday Kick Off at the Seaport Museum

📍 South Street Seaport Museum · Seaport, Manhattan

Paid

Questions

How many listings are in this guide?

86 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

How are these listings checked?

Every listing links to the organizer's own page: the venue, the city agency or park, or the official ticket or RSVP page. We don't copy listings from other event sites.