Living in New York City is expensive. High cost of living, taxes, tolls, and a great restaurant on every corner hit my bank account daily. Fortunately, there are many great places to visit on the cheap. Throughout the boroughs, you can find museums that offer visitors the opportunity to pay a suggested price or open the doors free to the public.
If you are resident of New York City or visiting, here’s a list of places that won’t hurt your pocketbook.
Suggested Donation:
- $5 Suggested Donation
- 2 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY
American Museum of Natural History
- Pay what you wish
- Central Park West & 79th St, New York, NY
- $16 suggested (adults)
- 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY
- $5 suggested
- 153 ST. and Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, NY
- $3 suggested
- 452 Flatbush, Ave., Brooklyn, NY
The Metropolitan Museum of Art/ The Cloisters
- Pay what you wish (NYC residents only)
- 99 Margaret Corbin Dr., New York, NY
- $10 Suggested (adults)
- 22-25 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY
- $9 suggested (adults)
- 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street, New York, NY
Museum of the City of New York
- $18 Suggested
- 1220 Fifth Ave., New York, NY
- $8 suggested (adults)
- My review
- New York City Building, Queens, NY
- $5 suggested
- 44-19 Purves St., Long Island City, NY
- $8 Suggested (adults)
- 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, Staten Island, New York
Free:
- 2 Lincoln Square, NY, NY
- 647 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY
- 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York
- 28 West 27th St, 3rd Flr, New York, NY
Kentler International Drawing Space
- 353 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY
National Museum of the American Indian
- 1 Bowling Green, NY, NY
- My Review
- 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, New York
Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden
- There is a charge for the Newhouse Center and the Chinese Scholar’s Garden
- 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY
1680 Lexington Ave., New York, NY
More things to do with Kids in NYC:
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial with Kids
Visiting the Guggenheim with my Toddler
National Geographic Encounter in Times Square Entertains and Teaches
Visiting Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: Times Square
Visiting the MoMA with Kids
History of New York City’s Liberty Pole in City Hall Park
New York City’s Bowling Green Fence Tells a Historical Story
Visiting the Hamilton Dueling Grounds
Visiting Hamilton Grange
Visiting Grant’s Tomb
Unmarked Slave Burial Ground in the Bronx
Visiting St. Paul’s Chapel
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We absolutely loved the Pay What You Wish museums. The process allowed us to visit more than once, taking a break when we got tired. Great post! Thanks!
Thank you. It is nice when I have a toddler and I have no idea how long she’ll let me stay.