Free Admission and Discounted Admission at New York City Museums

By Heather Cross

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These NYC Museums Are Always Free

Who doesn't love to do something free? Check out these New York City museums and cultural institutions that offer free access every day that they are open -- confirm hours/days that they're open to avoid disappointment.

American Folk Art Museum
Admission is free at the American Folk Art Museum where frequently changing exhibits focus on traditional and early American folk art including portraits, quilts, furniture and decorative arts, needle arts, weather vanes, whirligigs and more, as well as the creative expressions of self-taught artists.
Address: 2 Lincoln Square | Phone: 212-595-9533
The Bronx Museum of the Arts
The flagship cultural institution of the Bronx, the Bronx Museum collects and celebrates 20th century and contemporary art, with a particular emphasis on artists of African, Asian and Latin American ancestry and those with a connection to the Bronx.
Address: 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York | Phone: 718-681-6000
Forbes Galleries
Admission free to this interesting museum featuring collectibles such as toy soldiers, Monopoly games and more. The Forbes Galleries are open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Thursdays are reserved for groups with reservations.)
Address: 62 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street) | Phone: 212-206-5548
Goethe Institut
Weekdays you can experience German language and culture exhibits for free at the Goethe Institut.
Address: 72 Spring Street, 11th floor | Phone: 212-439-8700
Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology
Admission to the museum displaying articles from the permanent collection, as well as changing exhibits on fashion, is always free.
Address: Seventh Avenue at 27 Street | Phone: 212-217-5970
Museum of Bibical Art (MOBIA)
Admission is free at this Upper West Side museum that exhibits and interprets art related to the Bible and its cultural legacy.
Address: 1865 Broadway at 61st Street | Phone: 212-408-1500
National Museum of the American Indian
Admission to the the sixteenth museum in the Smithsonian Institution is always free. Located in the Alexander Hamilton Customs House, the museum features changing exhibitions about Native cultures in the Western Hemisphere.
Address: 1 Bowling Green, George Gustave Heye Center | Phone: 212-514-3700
Queens Botanical Garden
Off-season visits to the Queens Botanical Garden are free daily (closed Mondays) from November through March.
Address: 43-50 Main Street, Flushing, NY | Phone: 718-886-3800
Socrates Sculpture Park
With free admission everyday, year-round, Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City is a great place to enjoy an ever-changing landscape of outdoor art exhibits against the backdrop of the city.
Address: 32-01 Vernon Boulevard at Broadway, Long Island City (Queens), NY 11106 | Phone: 718-956-1819
Sony Wonder Technology Lab
Admission is always free to this entertainment and technology museum located in Midtown, but reservations are strongly encouraged.
Address: Sony Plaza Public Arcade at 56th Street and Madison Avenue | Phone: 212-833-5414
Swiss Institute of Contemporary Art
Admission to the exhibitions at the Swiss Institute is always free -- it's open Wednesday through Sunday from 12-6.
Address: 495 Broadway 3rd Floor | Phone: 212-925-2035