Did you know that you can visit most of the museums in NYC absolutely free?
New York is a great city but it is also gets costly. Luckily, if you like Art – there are multiple ways to enjoy absolutely free! Nevertheless, when I go to the museums, I either pay a small donation or try to buy something at the store to support the venue. I encourage everyone to do the same.
If you don’t live in NYC or Tri-State area, skip below and go here, otherwise continue reading.
Method #1
If you live in NYC
Simply apply for IDNYC card and you are automatically granted a free membership to most of the major NYC Museums If you lamented on how much taxes you pay when you live here, this where you definitely going to see tax dollars forking for you.
IDNYC is a card for all New Yorkers, from all backgrounds, and from all five boroughs. Your immigration status does not matter. You do need to prove that you live in any of the five borough in NYC. The card costs $10 and valid for five years. It can be renewed after that.
The card provides a number of benefits. Just some of them are:
- discounts for food, shopping, and entertainment, including free memberships to many NYC museums and theaters.
- access benefits in health, fitness, transportation, and education.
- US Veteran designation.
- See a full list of benefits on the IDNYC website.
Method # 2
If you just work or study in NYC
Get a library card! To qualify for a free public library card in New York City, you must be a resident of New York State OR work for a company or go to school in New York City. If you only work in the city but don’t live there, bring your latest paystub so it can verified when you go to the library to apply.
This would allow you to take advantage of Culture Pass. Culture Pass is a program for cardholding patrons 13 and older of Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library and Queens Public Library. Using their library card, New Yorkers can reserve a pass and get free admission to dozens of NYC cultural institutions, including museums, historical societies, heritage centers, public gardens and more. Let’s just say that almost all of the museums you ever heard of and wanted to see is there.
Method #3
If you live in the suburbs
If you don’t live and don’t work in NYC, but still live in Tri -State area, do not despair. Your local library has a museum pass program where passes can be borrowed. You need to reserve it online and pickup a physical pass at the library and then return it back once you are back. Please note that those passes are limited and at any given day may not be available for all of the places. There is bonus for NJ residents, your local library also offers free pass to Storm King Art Center
Free passes to Intrepid Sea, Air & Space museum are also available.
One advantage of getting your pass at the library over BOFA card method is that 4 people can use it at the same time.
Certain museums still operate on pay what you wish model
- AMNH, if you live in Tri-State area, once you confirm your residence by specifying the zip code, you can reserve your tickets for free or pay what you wish.
- Guggenheim museum is running a similar program but only on select Saturdays 4-6pm if you can grab those tickets Online
- Metropolitan Museum of Arts, while it dropped suggested donation for everyone, still offers it to all NYS residents and students at NY, NJ, CT colleges. But remember to bring your Id.