Pay-What-You-Wish & Free Admission
Your legal right as a New York State resident. Pay what you wish at the Met, AMNH, and more. No card, no coupon, no app.
How pay-what-you-wish works
The legal basis
Under New York State law and the Met's 1878 founding lease with NYC, museums on City-owned land must provide free or pay-what-you-wish admission. The 1970 Parks Department authorization formalized this as "suggested admission."
What to do
Show your NY State ID (driver's license, state ID, IDNYC, or other proof of residency) at the admissions desk. Say "I'm a New York resident, pay-what-you-wish please." They'll hand you a ticket. You can say "$0.01" per ticket, the minimum accepted at the ticket counter.
Free at specific times
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Pay-what-you-wish Sundays & Tuesdays 4-5:30pm for all visitors
Mon-Wed: 10am-5:40pm; Fri: 10am-5:40pm; Sat-Sun: 10am-5:40pm; Thu: Closed
Regular admission $30. PWYW Sundays and Tuesdays 4-5:30pm only. Very limited hours — lines form early. Minimum $1. Advance tickets released 10am day-of (limited), additional on-site.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Free for NY State residents Friday 5:30-9pm (reservations required)
Daily 10:30am-5:30pm; Sat until 7pm. Free Fri 5:30-9pm for NY residents.
Regular admission $30. Free Fridays 5:30-9pm for NY State residents only — reserve online in advance. Very crowded.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Whitney Museum of American Art
Free for all visitors Fri 5-10pm and second Sunday of each month. Free for visitors under 25 at all times.
Mon: Closed; Tue-Thu: 10:30am-6pm; Fri: 10:30am-10pm; Sat-Sun: 10:30am-6pm
Regular admission $30. Under 25 always free. Free Fri 5-10pm and second Sundays.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)New Museum
Pay-what-you-wish Thu 7-9pm. Free for visitors under 18 at all times.
Wed: Closed; Thu: 11am-9pm; Fri-Sun: 11am-6pm; Mon: 11am-6pm; Tue: Closed
Regular admission $25. PWYW Thu 7-9pm. Under 18 always free.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Pay-what-you-wish museums
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pay-what-you-wish for NY State residents and NY/NJ/CT students
Included: All permanent galleries, most exhibitions, same-day entry to both The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters
You MUST purchase PWYW tickets IN PERSON at the admissions desk — cannot buy PWYW online unless you have a NY State billing address. Out-of-state visitors pay $30. Children under 12 always free. The Met Breuer is now Frick Madison (not covered by Met PWYW). The Met Cloisters is included.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)American Museum of Natural History
Pay-what-you-wish for NY, NJ, and CT residents (General Admission only)
Included: All 45 permanent exhibition halls, including the fossil halls (dinosaurs), Hall of Ocean Life, Hall of Human Origins, Rose Center for Earth and Space, Gilder Center, and several included special exhibitions
Must reserve PWYW tickets online in advance (select NY/NJ/CT resident checkbox). Non-residents pay $28 General Admission. You can also enter free during the last hour (4:30pm-5:30pm) if slots available. Children under 3 free.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Brooklyn Museum
Pay-what-you-wish (suggested contribution) for ALL visitors — no residency requirement
Included: All permanent collection galleries including Ancient Egyptian Art, American Art, Arts of Asia, The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago, Visible Storage and Study Center
Suggested contribution is $20 adults, $14 seniors/students. You can pay less or nothing. Children under 19 always free. Also offers Museum & Garden combo pass with Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Queens Museum
Pay-what-you-wish for ALL visitors — no residency requirement
Included: All galleries and exhibitions, including the Panorama of the City of New York (9,335 sq ft scale model), and all current exhibitions
Suggested contribution: $8 adults, $6 seniors/students. Free for children 12 and under, IDNYC holders, and members. Always free (PWYW means you can pay any amount including $0).
Official museum website (opens in new tab)El Museo del Barrio
Pay-what-you-wish (Pay-What-You-Can) for ALL visitors — no residency requirement
Included: All galleries and exhibitions of Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino art
Suggested contribution: $9 adults, $5 students/seniors. Children under 12 and members free. Admission also grants entry to Museum of the City of New York on same day. Located on Museum Mile in East Harlem (El Barrio).
Official museum website (opens in new tab)The Frick Collection
Pay-what-you-wish Wednesdays 1:30-5:30pm for ALL visitors — limited availability
Included: Full access to permanent collection galleries and special exhibitions (same as regular admission)
Regular admission: $30 adults, $22 seniors, $17 students. Free for ages 10-18. PWYW Wednesdays require advance online reservation. Louis Vuitton First Fridays (first Fri of month, 5:30-9pm, excl Jan/Sep) are also free. Recently reopened after renovation at its historic 70th St mansion (no longer at Frick Madison/Breuer building).
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Pay-what-you-wish Winter Weekdays (Tuesday-Friday, December-February) for ALL visitors; free Community Tickets every day
Included: Full access to 52 acres of gardens, conservatories, and greenhouses
Regular admission: $22 adults, $16 seniors (65+)/students (12+ with ID), children under 12 free. Winter Weekdays (Dec-Feb, Tue-Fri): pay what you wish for all visitors. Community Tickets: a portion of each day's tickets available free to anyone who needs them — reserve at bbg.org/tickets, supported by JPMorgan Chase. Has Museum & Garden combo pass with Brooklyn Museum. Free for members year-round.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Staten Island Museum
Pay-what-you-wish for ALL visitors — suggested donation
Included: All exhibitions covering art, natural science, and local history of Staten Island
Suggested donation. Part of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. The grounds of Snug Harbor are free dawn to dusk.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
Pay-what-you-wish Thursdays 6-8pm for all visitors
Included: All galleries and exhibitions of contemporary craft, art, and design across all media — jewelry, ceramics, glass, fiber, wood, metal
General admission $20 adults, $16 seniors, $14 students. Under 12 free. PWYW Thursdays 6-8pm — groups must book in advance. Free docent tours at 11:30am Wed, 2:30pm Thu, 11:30am & 2:30pm Fri-Sun.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Pay-what-you-wish daily 5-6pm for all visitors
Included: All galleries and exhibitions of contemporary and historic design. The Cooper Hewitt is the only museum in the US dedicated exclusively to historic and contemporary design.
General admission $22 adults, $16 seniors, $10 students/disabled visitors. Under 18 always free. PWYW daily 5-6pm — no advance booking needed for PWYW hour. Part of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum occupies the historic Andrew Carnegie Mansion.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Always free museums
MoMA PS1
FREE for ALL visitors (as of January 1, 2026; through 2028). Previously PWYW/free for NY residents only.
MoMA PS1 went completely free for all visitors on Jan 1, 2026 for 3 years (2026-2028), funded by a $900K gift from Sonya Yu. It is now NYC's largest free museum. Previously was free for NY residents only ($10 for others). Located in Long Island City, Queens. Also free admission with MoMA main building ticket within 14 days.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Bronx Museum of the Arts
ALWAYS FREE — no admission fee ever charged
Completely free every day — no suggested donation, no pay-what-you-wish, just free. A Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) member. Located on the Grand Concourse.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian)
ALWAYS FREE — Smithsonian Institution, never charges admission
Part of the Smithsonian Institution — always free. Located in the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House building. Near Battery Park and the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology)
Free admission
Official museum website (opens in new tab)The Drawing Center
Free admission
Verification note: The institution's public visit page reviewed August 3, 2026 lists free admission and exhibitions through September 27. A Culture Pass snapshot from August 1 reported a conflicting installation closure and October 12 reopening; confirm current availability before visiting.
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art (LGBTQIA+)
Free admission
Suggested donation $10 but not required
Official museum website (opens in new tab)The Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library
Free admission
Official museum website (opens in new tab)Tips for pay-what-you-wish
Don't feel guilty
This is a legal right, not charity. These museums receive public funding and are required to offer this.
Culture Pass overlap
Some museums like the Met are also on Culture Pass. Culture Pass gives you a reservation to skip the line. Pay-what-you-wish is walk-up. Use whichever is more convenient.
Bring out-of-state friends to Culture Pass venues
They can't use pay-what-you-wish, but you get a guest with Culture Pass. Get them in free.
The Met on weekday mornings
Go on a weekday morning. Say "pay-what-you-wish" at the desk. Best free experience in the city.