New York City's Best Free Museums and Galleries

2/6/2024

I love frugal travel and the Big Apple has some amazing bargains. These are New York City's Best Free Museums and Galleries.

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You know how much I love a bargain but New York City doesn’t exactly come across as the most frugal of destinations, does it? However, New York City is full of bargains if you know where to go. There are no-cost public events, like festivals and fairs. Bargain hunters know which markets have the best deals on certain days, and savvy foodies maintain an ever-growing list of cheap eats. There are expensive museums and art galleries which occasionally open their doors for free programming. But sometimes, it’s best to keep things simple.

These remarkable museums, memorials, monuments, and galleries are always free, all of the time. And they’re all well worth checking out.

American Folk Art Museum

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

The American Folk Art Museum houses the world's largest and most prestigious collection of American folk art. Its collection dates from the 18th century to the present day and is dedicated to appreciating all aspects of folk art, from weathervanes to sculpture to sewing.

The American Folk Art Museum is not just about its collection. It's about the experience. From children’s projects to Free Music Fridays to docent-led tours, they offer a wealth of free events that bring the art to life. Just remember, they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Federal Hall National Memorial

Step into American history at Federal Hall National Memorial,the first U.S. Capitol Building and the site where George Washington took the oath of office. This is where the Bill of Rights was officially passed, and the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive branch of government operated. The current building, a former customs house built in 1842, played a key role in the US Sub-Treasury.

If all this semi-forgotten history makes your head spin, you’ll want to participate in one of the site’s many free tours. Note they are closed on Sundays.

General Grant National Memorial

It seems especially fitting that the final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is a national memorial administered under the National Park Service. Grant himself famously established the first National Park in the United States, signing the act establishing Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Of course, Grant is also remembered for ending the Civil War as the Commanding General of the Union Army and for his presidency focused on reconciliation. A visit here is a moving experience.

President and Mrs. Grant’s tomb is the largest mausoleum in the United States and is prominently located in Riverside Park. The Parks Service staff offers free tours and special events. Note that it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology

Photo courtesy Trip Advisor

Put on your sharpest outfit! The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is the only Museum in New York City dedicated to fashion. They host fascinating exhibits, such as exploring the contrasts between minimalist and maximalist fashion and how Paris became famous for style. Occasionally, they hold special events and designers and other notable names in the industry give lectures. Visitors should be aware of strict rules regarding bags, photos, and even pens to protect fragile textiles.

Note that the Museum at FIT is closed on Sundays and Mondays. From Tuesday to Friday, it is open until 8:00 pm, making it a rare free museum with regular late evening hours.

National Museum of the American Indian

Part of the Smithsonian, the National Museum of the American Indian–New York, is located within the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. The Museum is committed to advancing the knowledge and understanding of the Indigenous cultures of the Western Hemisphere and works to support cultural and traditional values in Indigenous life. There are regular free tours of the collection and building, and the Museum hosts free public events, including films, dance, and music performances. The museum’s gift shop was once the custom house’s cashier’s office, and some original details are still on display.

New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

The building you’ve probably casually called the New York Public Library is one of 80-plus library branches throughout the city. The iconic building known and loved worldwide, with its Beaux-Arts design and marble lions, is actually called the Stephen A. Schwarzman building, and it’s still a working research library today. It is also an incredible architectural gem. If you’re not popping in to do some reading or writing, you can join a docent-led tour to see the building’s highlights. A tour is also the only way to see many areas with restricted access – you’ll want to be a part of things.

Free one-hour tours are available Monday through Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. You must reserve tours online and availability opens up on the Sunday of each week.

New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store

The New York Transit Museum, located in a decommissioned subway station in Brooklyn, has a reasonable admission of $10 per adult. However, its Gallery Annex and Grand Central Station Store are accessible. You can find it located just off the Main Concourse in the Shuttle Passage next to the Station Master's office. It hosts a rotating schedule of small exhibits on the city's history and relationship with transportation and has a really cool shop. It’s not so much a destination you need to schedule into your travel plans but rather an often-missed mini-museum of sorts, which is well worth showing up early to the station for.

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace

Photo courtesy Trip Advisor

While many have lived in the city for a period, Theodore Roosevelt is the only President of the United States to be born and raised in New York City. This handsome brownstone townhouse is a faithful reconstruction of the house he was born and raised in, as the original Roosevelt birthplace was demolished in 1916. Today, the rebuilt home is a National Historic Site and contains five-period rooms, furnished largely with originals thanks to the President’s sisters and wife, plus two museum galleries and a bookstore. All guests can visit the museum galleries and bookstore at any time, but if you want to see the period rooms, you’ll have to do it during a free tour (they’re offered four times a day). Note that the Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Socrates Sculpture Park

Socrates Sculpture Park is a tale of bleakness turned into beauty. It was once an abandoned landfill and a real eyesore. However, in the 1980s, it became an open-air studio, an artist exhibition space, and a community park. Since then, it has grown into a vast outdoor museum. It offers free family programming, like free movies every Wednesday evening during July and August, artistic exhibitions, and much more. In addition to the artwork, the park has beautiful gardens with 90-plus species of flowers and trees.

Harbor Defense Museum

New York City isn’t the first place you think of when you imagine a military museum. However, the Harbor Defense Museum, located on the grounds of Fort Hamilton, details the history and evolution of New York’s coastal defence systems and is a must-see for military buffs. While Fort Hamilton is the "second-oldest continuously garrisoned federal post in the nation" (West Point is the oldest); it has never experienced a battle, and its peaceful history has helped preserve the grounds and the artefacts in the Museum. It has a fine collection of military items from the Revolutionary War to World War II. Note that it’s closed on Sundays.

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