Free museums in NYC on Thursday
Every free and pay-what-you-wish window on a Thursday at the 48 museums and gardens in our free museum guide, the ones that never charge, and the ones that are shut on Thursdays so you do not cross town to a locked door.
The short answer
5 NYC museums have a free or pay-what-you-wish window on Thursdays, and 11 always-free museums are open.
Free for everyone: Museum of the Moving Image (free all opening hours (2–6pm)); Wave Hill (free all day); Brooklyn Children's Museum (free 2–5pm); New Museum (pay what you wish, 7–9pm); Museum of Jewish Heritage (free 4–8pm).
0 of 48 are closed on Thursdays.
Free on Thursday
Each free or pay-what-you-wish window that falls on this day, with who qualifies and how to get in.
| Museum | When | Who | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum of the Moving Image | Free all opening hours (2–6pm) | Everyone | Walk up |
| Wave Hill | Free all day | Everyone | Walk up |
| Brooklyn Children's Museum | Free 2–5pm | Everyone | Walk up |
| New Museum | Pay what you wish, 7–9pm | Everyone | Reserve online |
| Museum of Jewish Heritage | Free 4–8pm | Everyone | Reserve online |
Windows marked first, second or third are monthly; the rest are weekly.
Always free, and open on Thursday
No ticket price at any hour. Some ask you to reserve a free timed ticket.
| Museum | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Hall National Memorial | Financial District / Wall Street, Manhattan | Wed–Sun 10am–4pm · closed Monday and Tuesday · closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day |
| Hispanic Society of America | Washington Heights / Audubon Terrace, Manhattan | Museum Thu–Sun 12–5pm · closed Mon–Wed · library Thu–Sat 12–3:30pm · closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas |
| MoMA PS1 | Long Island City, Queens | Thu, Fri, Sun & Mon 12–6pm · Sat 10am–6pm · closed Tuesday and Wednesday · closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day |
| Smithsonian NMAI, George Gustav Heye Center | Bowling Green / Financial District, Manhattan | Daily 10am–5pm · closed December 25 only |
| Queens County Farm Museum | Floral Park / Glen Oaks, Queens | Daily 10am–5pm · closed New Year's Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas; closes 3pm Christmas Eve |
| Snug Harbor | Livingston / North Shore, Staten Island | Grounds and gardens open seven days a week, dawn to dusk (earlier gate closures October–March) |
| Socrates Sculpture Park | Long Island City / Astoria, Queens | 365 days a year, 9am–sunset |
| Bronx Museum | Grand Concourse / Concourse Village, The Bronx | Wed–Sun 11am–6pm · closed Monday and Tuesday, federal holidays, and during exhibition changeovers |
| The Drawing Center | SoHo, Manhattan | Regular: Wed & Thu 12–6pm · Fri & Sat 11am–7pm · Sun 12–6pm · closed Mon & Tue — currently closed for installation |
| MFIT | Chelsea / Fashion District, Manhattan | Wed–Fri 12–8pm · Sat–Sun 10am–5pm · closed Monday and Tuesday · closed Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day |
| The Skyscraper Museum | Battery Park City, Manhattan | Wed–Sat 12–6pm (last entry 5:30pm) · closed Sunday–Tuesday |
Pay what you wish, any Thursday
Not a free window, but on any day they are open these let qualifying visitors set their own price.
| Museum | Who | Otherwise |
|---|---|---|
| AMNH | Adult (NY State resident) | $37 adult |
| MCNY | New York City residents (with ID) | $23 adult |
| The Met Cloisters | New York State residents | $30 adult |
| The Met Fifth Avenue | New York State residents | $30 adult |
Closed on Thursday
Checked against each museum's regular opening days; holidays are not included.
0 museums closed on Thursdays
None — every museum in the guide opens on Thursdays.
Other days
Questions people ask
Which NYC museums are free on Thursday?＋
Is MoMA free on Thursday?＋
Is the Met open on Thursday?＋
Which museums are closed on Thursday in NYC?＋
Free windows and hours were read off each museum's own visit page in September 2026. Regular opening days only; holidays and special closures are on each museum's card in the full guide.