Explore NYC for free: List of top no-cost activities in every borough
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NEW YORK CITY - Finding free activities in New York City feels like hitting the jackpot, as the city is quite expensive.

Two people paddle past the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of Brooklyn as the sun rises in New York City on August 15, 2022, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Here's a list of free things you can do in each borough:
Manhattan
What you can do:
New York City offers countless free activities, from walking the High Line and visiting renowned museums on free admission days to attending outdoor events and exploring vibrant neighborhoods.

Courtesy of the High Line
Here are some venues in Manhattan with free hours or days:
- 9/11 Museum: The museum is free on Mondays from 5:30-7 p.m.
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum: From 5-6 p.m. daily, the museum offers "Pay-What-You-Wish Winter Weekdays", so admission can be free.
- Guggenheim Museum: The museum also has also "Pay-What-You-Wish" on Mondays and Saturdays from 4-5:30 p.m. Reservations must be made online.
- The Jewish Museum: The museum is free on Saturdays and select Jewish holidays.
- The Neue Galerie: On the first Fridays of the month from 5-8 p.m. the galerie is free.
- The Public Theater: In the summer, Shakespeare in the Park is free for all.
- Whitney Museum of American Art: The museum is free on Fridays from 5-10 p.m. and the second Sunday of every month.
To view more free venues in Manhattan, click here.
Bronx
What you can do:
The Bronx Museum and the Longwood Art Gallery always have free admission.
Here are some venues in the Bronx with free hours or days:

A sign reads "We Are Open!" at the entrance to the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx borough of New York, U.S., on Friday, July 24, 2020. Photographer: Gabriela Bhaskar/Bloomberg via Getty Images
- Bronx Zoo: The zoo is free on Wednesdays, spots must be reserved in advance.
- New York Botanical Garden: The NY Botanical Garden is free to NYC residents all day and to all other visitors between 10 a.m.- 11 a.m. on Wednesdays.
- Wave Hill Cultural Center: The cultural center has free admission on Thursdays. Note that free admission does not apply to organized groups.
Brooklyn
What you can do:
A few places that are always free in Brooklyn include the Brooklyn Central Library, the Center for Brooklyn History and the BRIC House Exhibitions.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - APRIL 6: With the on set of Spring, people visit the blooming cherry trees at the Japanese garden in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, April 6, 2023 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
Here are some venues in Brooklyn with free hours or days:
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Now until February, the Botanic Garden has what is called "Pay-What-You-Wish Winter Weekdays", so admission can be free.
- Brooklyn Children's Museum: The museum is free on Thursdays after 2 p.m.
- New York Aquarium: The aquarium is free on Wednesdays after 3 p.m. Note, this must be reserved in advance.
Queens
What you can do:
A few places that are always free in Queens include the Queens County Farm, Queens Museum, Flushing Town Hall Gallery, and the Sculpture Center.

This undated image released by the The Museum of Modern Art shows the installation "View of Fossil Psychics for Christa" by Kerstin Brätsch in The Caroll and Milton Petrie Terrace Sixth Floor Café, part of the renovation and expansion effort at MoMA
Here are some venues in Queens with free hours or days:
- The MoMA: The MoMA is free for New York state residents.
- Museum of the Moving Image: The museum is free on Thursdays from 2-6 p.m.
- New York Hall of Science: The Hall of Science is free on Fridays from 2-5 p.m.
- The Noguchi Museum: On the first Friday of every month, the museum is free. However, reservations are recommended.
- Queens Botanical Garden: Now until March, the Botanical Garden has free admission. From April to Dec. 15, there will be free admission on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. and on Sundays from 9-11 a.m.
Staten Island
What you can do:
A few places that are always free on Staten Island include Fort Wadsworth, Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden and the Staten Island Museum.
Here are some venues on Staten Island with free hours or days:
- Historic Richmond Town: Free admission hours are offered from 2-4 p.m. on Thursdays, from May-December only. Tickets are required, and free admission does not apply to group reservations.
- Staten Island Zoo: The zoo has free admission on Wednesdays after 2 p.m.
The Source: This article contains information from NYC.gov.