# Museums, theater and music: every affordable way in Source: https://www.qaravan.org/resources/new-york/museums/ How to get into New York's museums, zoos, theaters and concerts for free or cheaply: IDNYC memberships, Culture Pass through the libraries, pay-what-you-wish times, entry with an EBT card, Museums on Us and free theater. ## Start here - IDNYC, the free City ID card, gives free one-year memberships at museums, zoos and theaters, such as the Bronx Zoo. - A full New York, Brooklyn or Queens Public Library card opens Culture Pass: free passes to more than 100 museums, gardens and theaters. - New York State residents pay what they wish at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. ## How to pay the least: the order to try things 1. Get IDNYC The free New York City ID card. It opens free one-year memberships at museums, zoos and theaters and serves as proof of residence at several museums. How to get it: “[311](tel:311), IDNYC and how the City works”. 2. Get a full library card With a full New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library or Queens Public Library card, from age 13, you can reserve free Culture Pass passes to more than 100 institutions. How to get the card: “[Libraries: a free card, computers and English](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/new-york/libraries/)”. 3. Claim the one-year memberships with IDNYC Enroll in person: usually you bring your IDNYC to the box office or membership desk. You can't get one if you redeemed or paid for a membership at that institution in the past 5 years. 4. Use pay-what-you-wish and free-entry times Pay what you wish means you choose the amount. Many museums ask for proof of a New York State address; the Met accepts a New York State driver's license or ID, IDNYC, a bill or statement with a New York State address, a student ID or a New York library card. 5. If you receive SNAP, ask about EBT SNAP is money for groceries on an EBT card. Several museums give free entry with it, including the Whitney, The Jewish Museum, the Morgan Library & Museum and the Studio Museum in Harlem. 6. First full weekend of the month: a Bank of America card With a Bank of America card, entry to Museums on Us museums is free on the first full weekend of each month. The next one is November 7 and 8, 2026. ## Free and pay-what-you-wish times at major museums Days and hours change with holidays and exhibitions. When you can get in free or pay what you wish | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## Free memberships with IDNYC A valid IDNYC gets you a free one-year membership at these institutions. If you redeemed or paid for a membership at the same institution in the past 5 years, you can't get it again. IDNYC says "over 35" institutions take part, so new ones appear on its list. - American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Free Ages 18 and up. There is no separate card: the membership is tied to your IDNYC, so show it at each visit. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Bronx County Historical Society Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Brooklyn Children's Museum Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Carnegie Hall Free A free one-year membership. While operations are limited, Carnegie Hall takes applications by email. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - China Institute Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Film Forum Free $6 off tickets for a year; redeem at the box office. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Flushing Town Hall Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - King Manor Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Free A free $100-level Friends membership: pre-sale for Choose-What-You-Pay tickets and Fast Track for free events. Sign up in person at the David Geffen Hall Welcome Center or Alice Tully Hall. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Free A free one-year membership for ages 18 and up, issued on site, covering The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and MoMA PS1 Free The "MoMA NYC" membership: free admission to both museums for one person, $5 for guests and free film tickets. Redeem in person; IDNYC says New York State ID holders are not eligible. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - El Museo del Barrio Free Free entry for one person for a year. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Museum at Eldridge Street Free Free entry for two people for a year. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Museum of Jewish Heritage Free Free entry for one person for a year. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Museum of the City of New York Free Free unlimited admission for one person for a year. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - New York City Ballet Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - New York City Center Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - The Public Theater Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Queens Museum Free Admission for 2 adults and 4 children. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - The Shed Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Staten Island Children's Museum Free A free one-year membership. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Staten Island Museum Free Ages 14 and up; redeem in person. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo Free Free general admission for one adult to the five zoos and aquarium of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Enroll at the Bronx Zoo, the Central Park Zoo or the New York Aquarium. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) ## Major museums: addresses, hours and terms - The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Price depends on income New York State residents and NY, NJ and CT students pay what they wish, from $0.01. Prove your New York State address with a driver's license or state ID, IDNYC, a bill or statement with a New York State address, a student ID or a New York library card. Regular prices: adults $30, seniors $22, students $17, children 12 and under free. Closed on Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1 and the first Monday of May. [metmuseum.org](https://www.metmuseum.org/plan-your-visit) 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028 Sun–Tue and Thu 10 am–5 pm, Fri–Sat 10 am–9 pm, Wed closed - American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Price depends on income New York State residents with ID pay what they wish for General Admission only; separately ticketed exhibitions and the planetarium are not included. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Prices for other visitors and accepted ID are on the museum's site. [amnh.org](https://www.amnh.org/plan-your-visit/admission) daily 10 am–5:30 pm - Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Free UNIQLO Friday Nights: free for New York State residents on Fridays from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Reserve a free ticket ahead and bring proof of a New York State address. [visit.moma.org](https://visit.moma.org/select/uniqlo) 11 West 53 Street, New York, NY daily 10:30 am–5:30 pm, Fri until 8:30 pm - MoMA PS1 Free The contemporary art museum in Long Island City is free for everyone for three years from January 1, 2026. Reserve a free ticket online. [momaps1.org](https://www.momaps1.org/en/visit) 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Queens, NY 11101 Thu–Mon 12–6 pm, Sat from 10 am, closed Tue and Wed - Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Price depends on income Pay What You Wish on Tuesdays and Sundays from 4 to 5:30 pm. Closed November 10, November 26 (Thanksgiving) and December 25. Regular admission is $30. [guggenheim.org](https://www.guggenheim.org/plan-your-visit) 1071 Fifth Avenue (at 88th Street), New York, NY daily 10:30 am–5:30 pm - Whitney Museum of American Art Free Free Friday Nights (5 to 10 pm) need free tickets, released 5 weeks ahead. Free Second Sundays are free for everyone. Anyone 25 and under is free every day; SNAP/EBT cardholders get one free admission per visit. The first-floor gallery is free to all. Regular admission $30, students and seniors $24. [whitney.org](https://whitney.org/visit/free-admission) 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY Mon and Wed–Sun 10:30 am–6 pm, Fri until 10 pm, Tue closed - Brooklyn Museum Price depends on income Pay-what-you-can general admission at the Admissions Desk; online or at a kiosk you pay the full suggested price, $20 for adults. Ages 19 and under are free. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. [brooklynmuseum.org](https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit) 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238 Wed–Sun 11 am–6 pm, Mon–Tue closed - New-York Historical Society Price depends on income Pay as you wish on Fridays from 5 to 8 pm. Takes part in Culture Pass. Closed Mondays. [nyhistory.org](https://www.nyhistory.org/visit) 170 Central Park West, New York, NY Fri 11 am–8 pm, Mon closed - Morgan Library & Museum Free Free on Fridays from 5 to 8 pm with a reservation; tickets open a week ahead. College Sundays on the first Sunday are free for college students. SNAP/EBT cardholders get free tickets at the Admissions Desk. Regular admission is $25. [themorgan.org](https://www.themorgan.org/visit) 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016 Fri 10:30 am–8 pm, Mon closed - Museum of the City of New York Price depends on income New York City residents with ID pay what they can; Wednesdays are free for everyone, tickets at the counter only. Ages 18 and under are free; regular admission is $23. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and all day Saturday, November 21. The admission sticker gets you into El Museo del Barrio for free. [mcny.org](https://www.mcny.org/visit) 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York, NY Mon–Fri 10 am–5 pm, Sat–Sun 10 am–6 pm, Wed until 9 pm - Studio Museum in Harlem Price depends on income Pay-What-You-Can: suggested $16 for adults, $9 for others. Studio Sundays are free for all. EBT/SNAP cardholders get up to 4 free tickets; children 16 and under are free. [studiomuseum.org](https://www.studiomuseum.org/visit) 144 West 125th Street, New York, NY Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun 11 am–6 pm, Fri 11 am–9 pm, Mon–Tue closed - Queens Museum Price depends on income Pay what you wish (suggested $8, $6 for seniors and students). Free for children 12 and under, IDNYC and Culture Pass cardholders, caregivers and some others; valid ID required. [queensmuseum.org](https://queensmuseum.org/visit/) New York City Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY 11368 Wed–Fri 12–5 pm, Sat–Sun 11 am–5 pm, Mon–Tue closed - The Jewish Museum Free Free every Saturday and on third Thursdays from 5 to 8 pm. SNAP/EBT cardholders and visitors with disabilities (plus a caregiver) are free. Closed November 26; closes early December 24, 25 and 31 and January 1. Regular admission is $24. Museums on Us applies on Sundays only. [thejewishmuseum.org](https://thejewishmuseum.org/visit/) 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, New York, NY Thu 11 am–8 pm, other open days 11 am–6 pm, Tue–Wed closed - The Frick Collection Price depends on income Pay what you wish on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 5:30 pm: $5 minimum online, onsite tickets can cost less but are not guaranteed. Louis Vuitton First Fridays are from 5:30 to 9 pm. [frick.org](https://www.frick.org/visit) 1 East 70th Street, New York, NY Tue closed - Neue Galerie Free Closed for construction; reopens on Thursday, November 12, 2026, with its 25th Anniversary Exhibition. First Fridays (5 to 8 pm) are free, first come, first served; regular admission is $28. [neuegalerie.org](https://www.neuegalerie.org/visit) Mon and Wed–Sun 10 am–6 pm - New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) Price depends on income On Wednesdays Grounds admission is free all day for New York City residents. On other open days the NYC Resident Grounds Access Pass costs $15 for adults, $7 for students and seniors and $4 for children, bought on site with proof of residency. [nybg.org](https://www.nybg.org/visit/admission/) 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458 Tue–Sun 10 am–6 pm - Brooklyn Children's Museum Free Free on Thursdays from 2 to 5 pm: reserve online or get tickets at the museum the same day. Group visits are limited then. Regular admission is $15, members free. [brooklynkids.org](https://www.brooklynkids.org/visit/) Thu free 2–5 pm - Bronx Museum of the Arts Free All exhibitions and events are free for everyone. While the south wing is renovated, the museum is open in the north wing. [bronxmuseum.org](https://bronxmuseum.org/visit) 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10456 Wed–Sun 11 am–6 pm ## Entry with an EBT card and Museums for All - Met Explorer Membership Free On June 2, 2026 the City and The Met announced that New Yorkers who receive in-state SNAP can enroll for free in the Met Explorer Membership: free general admission for the cardholder, one guest and children 17 and under. Enroll at the Membership Desk at The Met Fifth Avenue (82nd Street) or at The Cloisters. Source: the City's Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/about/pressrelease/PR-2026-6-2-The-Metropolitan-Museum-of-Art-with-the-City-of-New-York-Launches-Free-Membership-for-NY-SNAP-Participants.page) - Museums for All and the EBT card Free A national program in which each museum decides whether to give discounted entry with an EBT card. The Whitney, the Morgan, the Studio Museum in Harlem, The Jewish Museum and The Met (Met Explorer Membership) publish their EBT policies. The New York Transit Museum says it does not accept EBT for free or discounted admission. [nytransitmuseum.org](https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/know-before-you-visit/) ## Bank of America Museums on Us - Bank of America Museums on Us Free Bank of America credit and debit cardholders get free General Admission on the first full weekend of every month. The next one is November 7 and 8, 2026. In New York City: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the New York Botanical Garden, The Jewish Museum (Sundays only), The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters, and the Staten Island Children's Museum. Entry rules for each museum are on the program map. [about.bankofamerica.com](https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/museums-on-us-partners) ## Shakespeare in the Park: how to get free tickets (2026 rules) The 2027 season is not announced yet. This is how it worked in 2026, per The Public Theater's official ticketing guide. 1. Tickets go out at noon Free tickets to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park are given out at noon on the day of the performance, one or two per person. 2. Choose a way In 2026 the options were: the line at the Delacorte (official line from 6:00 am, Public Theater Patron ID needed); an in-person lottery at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (arrive between 11:00 and 11:58 am, exchange the voucher at the Delacorte from 5:30 to 7:30 pm); Borough Distribution; the TodayTix digital lottery (midnight to noon, accept by 3 pm); a standby line; a line for ages 65 and up; and an accessibility line (10 am). 3. Theater entrances Enter the Delacorte Theater from 81st Street and Central Park West or from 79th Street and Fifth Avenue. ## Free and low-cost theater and music - Shakespeare in the Park (The Public Theater) Free Free tickets to summer performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The Public Theater has not announced how the 2027 season will work. [publictheater.org](https://publictheater.org/media/svpd2erk/ticketing-guide-to-the-delacorte-2026.pdf) - Lincoln Center: Summer for the City Free Hundreds of free and Choose-What-You-Pay events. The 2026 summer season has ended; there is a free Fast Track option, Social Dance nights and the year-round Lincoln Center Presents program. The 2027 summer program is not announced yet. [lincolncenter.org](https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city) - SummerStage (City Parks Foundation) Free A free outdoor festival: in 2026, its 40th season, it held more than 60 shows in 13 parks. The season has ended; the next schedule [on the site](https://cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/) starts in May 2027. [cityparksfoundation.org](https://cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/) - TDF Membership Low cost A not-for-profit (since 1968) that sells a $42-a-year membership: Broadway tickets for $53.50 to $62.50, shows beyond Broadway from $11. Full-time students of any age, freelancers and the self-employed, workers eligible for overtime and union members qualify; you upload proof. [tdf.org](https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tdf-membership/) - TKTS Discount Booths Low cost Same-day theater tickets at up to 50% off; no TDF membership needed. The Times Square booth (Broadway at West 47th Street) is open until 8:00 PM. The Lincoln Center booth is closed. [tdf.org](https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tkts-by-tdf/tkts-live/) Broadway at West 47th Street, Manhattan ## Glossary: definitions of special terms and abbreviations - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice. [All pages: Life in New York](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/new-york/) **Sources, checked November 2026** - [nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.…](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/museums-and-cultural-institutions.page) - [metmuseum.org/plan-your-visit](https://www.metmuseum.org/plan-your-visit) - [nyc.gov/site/dcla/about/pressrelease/PR-2026-6-2-The-Metropoli…](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/about/pressrelease/PR-2026-6-2-The-Metropolitan-Museum-of-Art-with-the-City-of-New-York-Launches-Free-Membership-for-NY-SNAP-Participants.page) - [amnh.org/plan-your-visit/admission](https://www.amnh.org/plan-your-visit/admission) - [visit.moma.org/select/uniqlo](https://visit.moma.org/select/uniqlo) - [momaps1.org/en/visit](https://www.momaps1.org/en/visit) - [guggenheim.org/plan-your-visit](https://www.guggenheim.org/plan-your-visit) - [whitney.org/visit/free-admission](https://whitney.org/visit/free-admission) - [whitney.org/visit](https://whitney.org/visit) - [brooklynmuseum.org/visit](https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit) - [nyhistory.org/visit](https://www.nyhistory.org/visit) - [themorgan.org/visit](https://www.themorgan.org/visit) - [mcny.org/visit](https://www.mcny.org/visit) - [studiomuseum.org/visit](https://www.studiomuseum.org/visit) - [queensmuseum.org/visit](https://queensmuseum.org/visit/) - [thejewishmuseum.org/visit](https://thejewishmuseum.org/visit/) - [frick.org/visit](https://www.frick.org/visit) - [neuegalerie.org/visit](https://www.neuegalerie.org/visit) - [nybg.org/visit/admission](https://www.nybg.org/visit/admission/) - [brooklynkids.org/visit](https://www.brooklynkids.org/visit/) - [bronxmuseum.org/visit](https://bronxmuseum.org/visit) - [about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/museums-on-us-part…](https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/museums-on-us-partners) - [nytransitmuseum.org/know-before-you-visit](https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/know-before-you-visit/) - [publictheater.org/media/svpd2erk/ticketing-guide-to-the-delaco…](https://publictheater.org/media/svpd2erk/ticketing-guide-to-the-delacorte-2026.pdf) - [lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city](https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city) - [cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage](https://cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage/) - [tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tdf-membership](https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tdf-membership/) - [tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tkts-by-tdf/tkts-live](https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tkts-by-tdf/tkts-live/)