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.

84 verified listings right now. Updated automatically.

Starts in 2h 44m

Daily · 5 PM–6 PM

57°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 2h

Every Sun, Tue · 4 PM–5:30 PM

61°F · 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 3d 20h

Every Wed · 10 AM–9 PM

63°F · Partly 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 3d 21h

WED, NOV 4 · 11 AM–12:30 PM

65°F · Partly 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 4d 3h

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 5d 21h

Every Fri · 11 AM–9 PM

64°F · Rain Showers 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 6d 3h

FRI, NOV 6 · 5 PM–8 PM

64°F · Chance Rain Showers

✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026

Why this place: Free · at Hudson River Museum, Hudson Room, Westchester · official listing on hrm.org · checked Oct 26

Arts & culture

Free First Friday: America in Motion

📍 Hudson River Museum, Hudson Room · Yonkers, Westchester

Free admission · optional cash bar

Starts in 6d 3h

Every Fri · 5 PM–10 PM

67°F · Chance Rain Showers

✓ 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 6d 4h

FRI, NOV 6 · 5:30 PM–7:30 PM

64°F · Chance Rain Showers

✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026

Why this place: Free · at Hudson River Museum lobby, Westchester · official listing on hrm.org · checked Oct 26

Arts & culture

Stop In and Sketch at the Hudson River Museum

📍 Hudson River Museum lobby · Yonkers, Westchester

Free · drop-in workshop

Starts in 6d 20h

SAT, NOV 7 · 10 AM–2 PM

✓ Verified Oct 26, 2026

Why this place: Free · registration required · at Hudson River Museum, Greene Education Center, Westchester · official listing on hrm.org · checked Oct 26

Arts & culture

Teen sculpture workshop: Arts and Activism

📍 Hudson River Museum, Greene Education Center · Yonkers, Westchester

Free for Westchester teens · registration via WYA

Starts in 1w 6d

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 6d

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 4d

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 5d

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?

84 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.