When To Visit NYC's Museums, Zoos, and Gardens Admission Free

Updated August 2019: Museums provide a day of educational fun, but who says you always need to pay full price or anything at all? Whether you’re looking for indoor family outing ideas in the winter or a way to escape the sweltering New York City heat in the summer, a trip to the museum is something kids (and adults) of all ages can enjoy. Consult our list below to find museums, zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens offering pay-what-you-wish or free admission throughout all five boroughs of New York City in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island and plan your next family outing for free.

Museums in Manhattan

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum - Free Fridays Aug. 16, Sept. 27, and Oct. 25, 5-9pm. 

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – Free on Fridays, 4-8pm; always free for children younger than 16.

Whitney Museum of American Art - Pay-what-you-wish on Fridays, available at the admissions desk, 7-9:30pm

Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling – Admission for children 8 and younger is always free, and playdates are free every third Sunday of the month. 

Children’s Museum of the Arts – Pay-what-you-wish on Thursdays, 4-6pm.

New-York Historical Society – Pay-what-you-wish on Fridays, 6-8pm, which includes the DiMenna Children’s History Museum. 

Museums in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Botanic Garden – Free on Fridays from 8am-12pm from March-November.