When it comes to saving money on culture, there are tons of free museum days and free admission hours offered at a wide variety of New York City's top museums, zoos, gardens, and cultural institutions. Many of these local cultural hubs offer free or reduced admission on certain nights, days, or hours at least once a month—a city perk no busy, cash-strapped parent should miss! Plus, many grown-up museums let kids in for free year-round.
It can be hard to keep track of when and where these free museum days in NYC are available, so we've compiled an exhaustive list of reduced or free admission days at our favorite NYC cultural spots from the Bronx Zoo to the Brooklyn Children's Museum and every free museum in between.
As always, you can visit our Family Activity Calendar for more budget-friendly kid activities every day or visit our NYC Kids Guide to Museums, Galleries, and Exhibits for the latest kid-friendly exhibitions. Also, don't forget to put your library card to work for free admission at many of these same places!