Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Free or Pay-What-You-Wish Museum Hours in NYC

This is the newly renovated EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO New York, one of the museums that offer free or pay-what-you-wish admission in the city. Currently on exhibit is "Nueva York (1613-1945)",  which documents the powerful role of Latinos and Spanish-speaking people across four centuries in helping shape New York City into the most culturally diverse and vibrant city in the world. The exhibit features art works, documents, books, artifacts and art installation by Puerto Rican artist Antonio Martorell. The museum offers free admission every third Saturday of the month. The museum is located at 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street.


Here is a day-by-day listing of the museums that offer free or pay-what-you-wish admission (updated summer 2010) from NewYorkology.com:

Free museum hours day-by-day list for spring/summer

Every day of the week you can find a New York City museum, park or zoo with free or pay-as-you wish hours. That’s in addition to the museums that are always free or operate under a suggested-donation policy.

Several museums also offer free days on special occasions.

Museums with free or pay-what-you-wish hours

(All listed prices are the regular adult admission rates.)

Mondays
Museum at Eldridge Street - Free tours every half hour from 10 a.m. to noon extended to 5 p.m. (normally $10)
Yeshiva University Museum - Free 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $8)

Tuesdays
Staten Island Museum - free from 2 to 4 p.m. (normally $2)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free all day (normally $8)
Museum of American Finance - Free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $8)
Closed until Sept. 15China Institute Gallery* - Free 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $7)
May, June, September and October Wave Hill - Free 9 a.m. to noon (normally $8)
Off-peak months: July & August Wave Hill - Free all day (normally $8)
Morgan Library & Museum - Free access to the McKim rooms (Mr. Morgan’s library and study) from 3 to 5 p.m. (full museum access $12)

Wednesdays
Bronx Zoo - Admission by pay-what-you-wish donation all day (normally $15)
Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust- Free 4 to 8 p.m. (normally $12)
Staten Island Zoo - Free 2 to 4:45 p.m. (normally $8)
Museum of American Finance - Free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $8)
Van Cortlandt House Museum - Free all day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (normally $5)
Yeshiva University Museum - Free 5 to 8 p.m. (Normally $8)
NY Botanical Garden - Free grounds access all day, but “This does NOT include admission to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Rock and Native Plant Gardens (April–October), or Tram Tour” (grounds-only access normally $6)
Queens Botanical Garden - Free admission from 3 to 6 p.m. (normally $4)

Thursdays
Museum of American Finance - Free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $8)
Closed until Sept. 15China Institute Gallery* - Free 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $7)
Museum of Arts & Design - Pay-what-you-wish 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $15)
New Museum - Free 7 to 9 p.m. (normally $12)
Museum of Chinese in America - Free all day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (normally $7)

Fridays
Museum of Modern Art - Free 4 to 8 p.m. (normally $20)
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 $12)
New York Aquarium - Pay-what-you-wish 3 p.m. until closing (normally $13)
International Center of Photography - Voluntary contribution admission 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $12)
Folk Art Museum - Free 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (normally $12)
September through June onlyNY Hall of Science - Free 2 to 5 p.m. (normally $11)
Rubin Museum of Art - Free 7 to 10 p.m. (normally $10)
Suspended July 4 through Labor DayAsia Society - Free 6 to 9 p.m. (normally $10)
Museum of American Finance - Free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $8)
Yeshiva University Museum - Free 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (normally $8)
Bronx Museum - Free 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (normally $5 suggested)
First Fridays only Neue Galerie - Free from 6 to 8 p.m. (normally $15)
First Fridays only: The Noguchi Museum - Pay-what-you-wish on the first Friday of each month, all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (normally $10)
First Fridays only: Children’s Museum of Manhattan - Free the first Friday of each month 5 to 8 p.m. (normally $10)
Third Fridays only: South Street Seaport Museum - Free admission from 5 to 9 p.m. but only on the third Friday of each month, sometimes with free harbor sails (museum admission normally $10)

Saturdays
Guggenheim - Pay-what-you-wish 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. (normally $18)
Jewish Museum - Free all day, from 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. (normally $12)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free 10 a.m. to noon (normally $8)
Museum of American Finance - Free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $8)
Wave Hill - Free 9 a.m. to noon (normally $8)
NY Botanical Garden - Free grounds access from 10 a.m. to noon, but “This does NOT include admission to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Rock and Native Plant Gardens (April–October), or Tram Tour” (grounds-only access normally $6)
First Saturdays onlyBrooklyn Museum - Free admission and programs from 5 to 11 p.m. on the first Saturday of most months (normally a suggested $10)
Third Saturdays onlyEl Museo del Barrio - Free 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (normally a suggested $6)

Sundays
Frick Collection - Pay-what-you-wish 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (normally $18)
Studio Museum in Harlem - Free noon to 6 p.m. (normally $7 recommended)
Queens Botanical Garden - Free admission from 4 to 6 p.m. (normally $4)
Morgan Library & Museum - Free access to the McKim rooms (Mr. Morgan’s library and study) from 4 to 6 p.m. (full museum access $12)
September through June onlyNY Hall of Science - Free 10 to 11 a.m. (normally $11)

* Please note the China Institute Gallery is often closed for long stretches between exhibitions.

Since NewYorkology’s last survey of free museum hours inNYC, in September 2009, only a few museums or gardens raised their base entry fee and none cut free hours.

The New York City Fire Museum raised its suggested admission to $7 from $5.

Wave Hill gardens raised admission to $8 from $6.

The Folk Art Museum raised admission to $12 from $9.

Update as of June 16: The China Institute Gallery is closed through Sept. 15, 2010. The Staten Island Museum’s free Tuesday hours were added to the list.
Update as of Aug. 23: The Museum of Eldridge Street has extended it’s free hours to 5 p.m.

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