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Free Museums in NYC

Free museum days, free nights and always-free galleries

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New York City56Manhattan30📍 BrooklynQueens12📍 Bronx📍 Staten IslandLower New York17Long Island11Westchester & Rockland4Lower Connecticut2New Jersey13

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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 12h 17m
Every Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 10 AM–3:30 PM
48°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 5, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn · official listing on bbg.org · checked Nov 5
Outdoors

Brooklyn Botanic Garden daytime pay-what-you-wish (through Jan 15)

📍 Brooklyn Botanic Garden · Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Suggested donation · pay what you wish · Daytime admission pay-what-you-wish through January 15 while Lightscape is installed; evenings are separate paid Lightscape tickets
Starts in 12h 17m
Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun · 10 AM–5 PM
48°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free to enter · kid-friendly · repeats, so you can go another time · at Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn · official listing on brooklynkids.org · checked Nov 10
Family & kids

Brooklyn Children's Museum

📍 Brooklyn Children's Museum · Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Paid. Official free admission Thursdays 2–5 PM. Last entry 4:50 PM.
Starts in 13h 17m
Every Sun, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat · 11 AM–6 PM
49°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Oct 31, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx · official listing on bronxmuseum.org · checked Oct 31
Arts & culture

Bronx Museum of the Arts (Always Free)

📍 Bronx Museum of the Arts · Bronx
Free
Starts in 13h 17m
Every Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun · 11 AM–5 PM
50°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Staten Island Museum, Staten Island · official listing on statenislandmuseum.org · checked Nov 10
Arts & culture

Staten Island Museum (suggested donation)

📍 Staten Island Museum · Livingston, Staten Island
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; members free. Last entry 4:45 PM.
Starts in 15h 17m
Every Sun, Sat · 1 PM–4 PM
51°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · repeats, so you can go another time · at Museum of Bronx History, Bronx · official listing on bronxhistoricalsociety.org · checked Nov 11
Arts & culture

Museum of Bronx History

📍 Museum of Bronx History · Norwood, Bronx
Suggested donation; pay what you wish; members free. No one is turned away.
Starts in 2d 12h
Every Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri · 10 AM–4 PM
49°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free · repeats, so you can go another time · at Harbor Defense Museum, Brooklyn · official listing on harbordefensemuseum.com · checked Nov 10
Arts & culture

Harbor Defense Museum at Fort Hamilton

📍 Harbor Defense Museum · Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Free
Sold out
TUE, NOV 17 · 2 PM–5 PM
56°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 10, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at The Bronx Museum, Bronx · official listing on bronxmuseum.org · checked Nov 10
Arts & culture

Lifelong Studio Printmaking: First Session for Adults 55+

📍 The Bronx Museum · Concourse, Bronx
Free for adults 55+. Registration is full. Email education@bronxmuseum.org to request a waitlist spot.
Starts in 3d 16h
Every Wed · 2 PM–4 PM
61°F · Sunny
✓ Verified Nov 11, 2026
Why this place: Free · kid-friendly · repeats, so you can go another time · at Staten Island Zoo, Staten Island · official listing on statenislandzoo.org · checked Nov 11
Family & kids

Staten Island Zoo free Wednesday afternoons

📍 Staten Island Zoo · West Brighton, Staten Island
Free at the listed days and hours.
Starts in 4d 20h
THU, NOV 19 · 6 PM–9 PM
58°F · Mostly Clear
✓ Verified Oct 27, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Brooklyn Museum Lobby, 1st Floor, Brooklyn · official listing on brooklynmuseum.org · checked Oct 27
Music & nightlife

Salsa Party at the Brooklyn Museum

📍 Brooklyn Museum Lobby, 1st Floor · Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Free; registration encouraged
Starts in 6d 13h
Every Sat · 11 AM–2 PM
✓ Verified Nov 1, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · kid-friendly · repeats, so you can go another time · at Wyckoff House Museum, Brooklyn · official listing on wyckoffmuseum.org · checked Nov 1
Family & kids

Saturday house tours at the Wyckoff House Museum

📍 Wyckoff House Museum · Brooklyn
Suggested donation · pay what you wish · Guided house tours by donation
Starts in 6d 15h
SAT, NOV 21 · 1 PM–3 PM
✓ Verified Nov 2, 2026
Why this place: Free · pay what you wish · at Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor, Staten Island · official listing on statenislandmuseum.org · checked Nov 2
Community resources

Family History Month: Transcribe-a-thon at the Staten Island Museum

📍 Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor · Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Suggested donation; pay what you wish
Starts in 1w 4d
THU, NOV 26 · 2 PM–5 PM
✓ Verified Nov 6, 2026
Why this place: Free · registration required · at Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn · official listing on brooklynkids.org · checked Nov 6
Family & kids

Community Access Thursdays at Brooklyn Children's Museum (Thanksgiving)

📍 Brooklyn Children's Museum · Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Free · registration required · Free museum admission 2–5 PM Thursdays; reserve tickets in advance online
Starts in 2w 5d
FRI, DEC 4 · 6 PM–9 PM
✓ Verified Nov 8, 2026
Why this place: Free · at The Bronx Museum, Bronx · official listing on bronxmuseum.org · checked Nov 8
Music & nightlife

Bronx Museum First Friday: Winter Holiday Market

📍 The Bronx Museum · Concourse, Bronx
Free admission; optional RSVP; vendor purchases cost extra
Starts in 2w 6d
SAT, DEC 5 · 11 AM–4 PM
✓ Verified Nov 8, 2026
Why this place: Free · at Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor, Building A, Staten Island · official listing on statenislandmuseum.org · checked Nov 8
Food & giveaways

Edible Island Food Fair at the Staten Island Museum

📍 Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor, Building A · Randall Manor, Staten Island
Free admission; donations and vendor purchases optional

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.

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