February 17, 2012
Free museum hours in New York City for 2012
Although several of New York’s biggest museums increased admission within the past year, many operate as always free or always suggested-donation museums, (including the Met.)
Others offer free or pay-as-you-like hours on a weekly or monthly basis. Here’s the updated list for 2012 of where and when to get into NYC museums, zoos and gardens for free.
Museums with free or pay-as-you-wish hours in 2012
Mondays
Museum at Eldridge Street - free 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (normally $10)
Yeshiva University Museum - free 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $8)
Tuesdays
McKim rooms of the Morgan Library & Museum - free 3 to 5 p.m. (full museum access is $15)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - free all day (normally $10)
May and June only: Wave Hill - free 9 a.m. to noon (normally $8)
China Institute Gallery - free 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $7)
Staten Island Museum - free noon to 2 p.m. (normally $3)
Nov. 1 through March 30 only: Queens Botanical Garden - free 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (normally $4)
Wednesdays
Bronx Zoo - pay-what-you-wish all day (normally $16)
Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust - free 4 to 8 p.m. (normally $12)
NY Botanical Garden - free grounds access all day, excluding the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Rock and Native Plant gardens and tram tour (grounds-only access normally $10; a one-day all-garden pass is $20)
Staten Island Zoo - Free 2 to 4:45 p.m. (normally $8)
Yeshiva University Museum - free 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $8)
Van Cortlandt House Museum - free all day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (normally $5)
Queens Botanical Garden - free 3 to 6 p.m. (normally $4)
Nov. 8 to March 11 only: Brooklyn Botanic Garden - free all day (normally $10)
Nov. 1 through March 30 only: Queens Botanical Garden - free 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (normally $4)
Thursdays
Museum of Arts & Design - pay-what-you-wish 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $15)
New Museum - free 7 to 9 p.m. (normally $14)
Museum of Chinese in America - free all day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (normally $7)
China Institute Gallery - free 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $7)
Nov. 1 through March 30 only: Queens Botanical Garden - free 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (normally $4)
Nov. 8 to March 11 only: Brooklyn Botanic Garden - free all day (normally $10)
Fridays
Museum of Modern Art - free 4 to 8 p.m. (normally $25)
Whitney Museum of American Art - pay-what-you-wish 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $18)
Morgan Library & Museum - free 7 to 9 p.m. (normally $15)
Museum of Arts & Design - pay-as-you-wish 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $15)
New-York Historical Society - pay-as-you-wish 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $15)
New York Aquarium - pay-what-you-wish 3 to 4:30 5 p.m. (normally $14.95)
Closed for installation until May 17, and closed after 5 p.m. on May 18: International Center of Photography - voluntary contribution admission 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $12)
Museum of the Moving Image - free 4 to 8 p.m. (normally $12)
Japan Society - free 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $12)
September through June: NY Hall of Science - free 2 to 5 p.m. (normally $11)
Rubin Museum of Art - free 6 to 10 p.m. (normally $10)
Asia Society - free 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $10)
Yeshiva University Museum - free 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (normally $8)
Historic Richmond Town - free 1 to 5 p.m. (normally $8)
First Fridays only Neue Galerie - free 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $20)
First Fridays only: Children’s Museum of Manhattan - free 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $11)
First Fridays only: The Noguchi Museum - pay-what-you-wish 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (normally $10)
Nov. 1 through March 30 only: Queens Botanical Garden - free 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (normally $4)
Nov. 8 to March 11 only: Brooklyn Botanic Garden - free all day (normally $10)
Saturdays
Guggenheim - pay-what-you-wish 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. (normally $18)
Jewish Museum - free 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. (normally $12)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - free 10 a.m. to noon (normally $10)
NY Botanical Garden - free grounds access 10 to
11 a.m., excluding the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Rock and Native Plant gardens and tram tour (grounds-only access normally $10; a one-day all-garden pass is $20)
Wave Hill - free 9 a.m. to noon (normally $8)
First Saturdays only: Brooklyn Museum - Free admission and programs 5 to 11 p.m. (normally a suggested $12)
Third Saturdays only: El Museo del Barrio - free all day (normally a suggested $9)
Nov. 1 through March 30 only: Queens Botanical Garden - free 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (normally $4)
Sundays
Frick Collection - pay-what-you-wish 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (normally $18)
McKim rooms of the Morgan Library & Museum - free 4 to 6 p.m. (full museum access is $15)
September through June: NY Hall of Science - free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $11)
Studio Museum in Harlem - free noon to 6 p.m. (normally $7 recommended)
Museum of Biblical Art - free 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (normally $7 recommended)
Queens Botanical Garden - free 4 to 6 p.m. (normally $4)
Nov. 1 through March 30 only: Queens Botanical Garden - free 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (normally $4)
(Editor’s note: If you wish to republish a portion of this list, please use no more than one day and link back to this post, which NewYorkology will update as museums modify their hours, prices and policies.)
All listed prices are the regular adult admission rates. Free hours are sometimes prohibited for big tour groups; please contact the museums for their policies.
Some museums close or offer reduced admission when galleries are closed for installation of new exhibitions.
Additional free hours:
Brooklyn Children’s Museum - some Thursdays and weekends
BofA free museums deal first weekend of each month
Renoir Night at the Frick Collection - April 27, 2012
International Museum Day - May 18, 2012
Museum Mile Festival - June 12, 2012
Smithsonian Museum Day - Sept. 29, 2012
Update as of March 14: Brooklyn Botanic’s free winter weekday hours were removed from the list.
Update as of March 27: Queens Botanical Garden’s last day of winter hours was changed to March 30 from March 31.
Update as of March 29: Removed Bronx Museum’s free Friday hours as the Bronx Museum is now always-free.
Update as of April 5: Added New York Aquarium’s extended free hours for spring. Removed Queens Botanical Garden’s daily free winter hours and replaced them with Wednesday and Sunday free hours for spring and summer.
Update as of May 1: Updated Wave Hill’s shorter free hours for spring.
Picture credit: Met Museum admission desk. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
Earlier: MoMA to hike admission to $25 from $20 on Sept. 1
Metropolitan Museum of Art admission rises to $25
Free hours at NYC museums, zoos and gardens (2011)
Links to the official websites for New York City museums
February 17, 2012 1:03 PM in Cheap Stuff, Downtown, Kids, Midtown, Museums, Out of Manhattan, Upper East Side, Upper West Side
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