Top 10 Free Museums in NYC (New York City) | Headout Blog (2024)

Free Museums in NYC

1. American Folk Art Museum

The American Folk Art Museum houses an extensive array of traditional craft-based work produced by self-taught artists. The collection includes more than 7,000 pieces of art dating from the eighteenth century to the present. The artwork medium varies from paintings and photographs, to textiles and three dimensional pieces.
(Take me American Folk Art Museum’s website)

Location:2 Lincoln Square
(Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets)
New York, NY 10023
(Take me to themap)

Public Transport
Subway:1 to 66 St/Lincoln Center

Bus:M5, M7, M11, M20, M66, M104

Hours:
Tuesday- Thursday: 11:30am- 7:00 pm
Friday: 12:00pm- 7:30pm
Saturday: 11:30am- 7:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm- 6:00pm
Monday: Closed

Bonus:On the first Saturday of most months, the museum hosts a free family tour and workshop.

Phone Number:212-595-9533

2.American Museum of Natural History

With 45 Museum halls, the Rose Center for Earth and Space, and many other exhibitions, the American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s largest and most notable scientific and cultural institutions. From everything you could ever want know about dinosaurs to Butterfly Conservatories, the museum’s interactive offerings are sure to keep you entertained for hours.
(Take me to American Museum of Natural History’s website)

Location:Central Park West and 79th Street,New York, NY 10024 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport:
Subway:
B (weekdays only) or C to 81st Street
1 to Broadway and West 79th Street

Bus:M79, M7, M10, M11, M86, M104

Hours:Monday- Sunday: 10:00am- 5:45pm

Price:The Natural History Museum entrance is free; however, there is a suggested price as follows:
Adults- $22
Children (2-12)- $12.50
Students & Seniors- $17
*During the last hour, 4:45-5:45pm, there is no suggested price and entrance is free.

Phone Number:212-769-5250

3.Bronx Museum of the Arts

The Bronx Museum is one of New York’s leading cultural and educational resources, featuring over 1,000 works of art composed by 20th- and 21st-century artists. The museum presents innovative, contemporary exhibitions and programs that promote cross-cultural dialogues to a diverse audience.
(Take me to the Bronx Museum of the Arts’ website)

Location:1040 Grand Concourse,Bronx, NY 10456 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:B, D, to the 167 St station or 4 to 161 St

Bus:Bx1 or Bx2 to 165th St. and Grand Concourse,BxM4A/ BxM4B to and from Manhattan

Hours:
Wed, Thur, Sat, & Sun: 11:00am- 6:00pm
Friday: 11:00am- 8:00pm
Monday and Tuesday: Closed

Phone Number: 718-618-6000

4.Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum

At FIT, Fashion Week is every week. The museum houses over 50,000 garments and accessories from the 18th century to the present. Designed to educate on fashion in an entertaining way, FIT is best known for it’s award winning exhibitions, such as: London Fashion, The Corset: Fashioning the Body, and Madame Grès: The Sphinx of Fashion. The culture of fashion is documented and shared with the public via galleries, a photographic studio, workshops, lectures, and panel discussions with scholars, authors, and curators from around the world.
(Take me to FIT Museum’s website)

Location:Seventh Avenue at 27 Street,New York City, 10001 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:
1, N, or R to the 28th Street Station
A, C, E, F, or M to the 23rd Street Station
*M only runs on weekdays

Bus:M20, M23, or M34

Hours:
Tuesday- Friday: 12:00pm- 8:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am- 5:00pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed

Phone Number:212-217-4558

5.The Guggenheim Museum

Designed by the brilliant architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the museum building itself is a work of art. Wright combined geometric shapes and nature to create a gallery space that presents art along a flowing, winding spiral. Guests are encouraged to first take the elevator to the top and from there, work their way down. The inverted ziggernaut design (a Babylonian step pyramid) shapes the way in which the visitor views the art and has been an inspiration to galleries around the world.
(Take me to the Guggenheim Museum’s website)

Location:1071 5th Avenue,New York, NY 10128 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:4, 5, or 6 to Madison Avenue or 5th Avenue

Bus:M1, M2, M3, or M4

Hours:
Monday- Wednesday: 10:00am- 5:45pm
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 10:00am- 5:45pm
Saturday: 10:00am- 7:45pm
Sunday: 10:00am- 5:45pm

Price:
Adults- $25
Seniors and Students- $18
Children- Free

Bonus:Admission for the Guggenheim is ‘pay what you wish’ for all visitors every Saturday from 5:45pm to 7:45pm.

Phone Number:212-423-3500

6.The Hispanic Society of America Museum and Library

With a more than extensive collection of Spanish masterpieces, a trip here will make you feel as though you’ve stepped into Spain. The museum contains the largest collection of 19th century Spanish art and manuscripts outside of Spain. The library houses over 600,000 publications relating to history, art, and culture of Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines.
(Take me to their website)

Location:Audubon Terrace,613 W 155th Street,New York, NY 10032 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:
1 to Broadway and 157th Street
C to 155th Street

Bus:M4 or M5 to Broadway and 155th Street

Hours:
Tuesday- Sunday: 10:30am- 4:30pm
Monday: Closed

Phone Number:212-926-2234

7.Leslie- Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art

The Leslie-Lohman Museum strives to exhibit and preserve art that speaks directly to the LGBTQ experience. It also gives the artists of such work a platform to foster their creativity and express themselves. The museum itself cultivates a safe place for works that might otherwise be rejected from mainstream venues due to subject matter of institutional bias.
(Take me to their website)

Location:26 Wooster Street
(Between Grand and Canal)
New York, NY 10013
(Take me to themap)

Public Transport
Subway:
F transfer to N or Q- stop at Canal Street
4 transfer to 6- stop at Canal
Q or A to Canal Street

Bus:M15, M103

Hours:
Tuesday- Sunday: 12:00pm- 6:00pm
Thursday: 12:00pm- 8:00pm
Monday: Closed

Phone Number:212-431-2609

8.Museum of Modern Art- MoMA

With the opportunity to gaze at Van Gogh’s Starry Night or catch a glimpse of Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignonthe, it’s no wonder thousands of people flock to the MoMA. The museum contains an impressive 200,000 works of modern and contemporary art by over 18,000 artists. There are also dozens of interactive exhibits and lectures open to the public.
(Take me to MoMA’s website)

Location:11 West 53 Street,New York, NY 10019 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:
6 to 51st Street- transfer to E or M to 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue
B, D, or F to 47-50 Street Rockefeller Center

Bus:
M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 to 53rd Street
M50 to 50th Street

Hours:
Saturday- Wednesday: 10:30am- 5:30pm
Thursday: 10:30am- 8:30pm
Friday: 10:30am- 8:00pm

Price:
Adults- $25
Seniors- $18
Students- $14
Children- Free

Bonus:MoMA free Friday!
Admission for MoMA is free for all visitors every Friday evening from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

Phone Number:212-708-9400

9.National Museum of American Indian

One of the country’s most grand collections of Native American art, the museum offers an extraordinary glimpse into the culture and lifestyle of American Indians. Around 825,000 items are housed in the building, representing over 12,000 years of history and more than 1,200 indigenous cultures from all across the Americas.

(Take to National Museum of American Indian’s website)

Location:One Bowling Green,New York, NY 10004 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:
4 & 5 to Bowling Green
1 to Rector Street or South Ferry
R to Whitehall Street
J & Z to Broad Street
2 & 3 to Wall Street

Bus:M5, M15, or M20

Hours:
Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun: 10:00am- 5:00pm
Thursday: 10:00am- 7:00pm

Phone Number:212-514-3794

10.Queens County Farm Museum

The Queens County Farm Museum occupies the largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland in New York City. The farm is spread over 47 acres and includes historical farm buildings, livestock, an orchard, a greenhouse complex, and an herb garden. The land has been used as a place for developing sustainable farming methods. Guided tours are offered daily to educate people on sustainable agricultural and horticultural practices.
(Take me to Queens County Farm Museum’s website)

Location:73- 50 Little Neck Parkway,Floral Park, Queens,New York, NY 11004 (Take me to the map)

Public Transport
Subway:E or F to Kew Gardens/ Union Turnpike Station then transfer to bus

Bus:Q46 Bus to Little Neck Parkway stop

Hours:Monday- Sunday: 10:00am- 5:00pm

Phone Number:718-347-3276