Free museums in NYC on Wednesday
Every free and pay-what-you-wish window on a Wednesday at the 48 museums and gardens in our free museum guide, the ones that never charge, and the ones that are shut on Wednesdays 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 Wednesdays, and 9 always-free museums are open.
Free for everyone: Museum of the City of New York (free all day, until 9pm); The Frick Collection (pay what you wish, 1:30–5:30pm); Museum of Arts and Design (pay what you wish, 5–8pm, first wednesday); Bronx Zoo (free limited admission).
9 of 48 are closed on Wednesdays, including MoMI, The Jewish Museum, The Met Fifth Avenue.
Free on Wednesday
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 City of New York | Free all day, until 9pm | Everyone | Ticket counter only |
| New York Botanical Garden | Grounds free all day | NYC residents (everyone 10–11am) | Grounds ticket |
| The Frick Collection | Pay what you wish, 1:30–5:30pm | Everyone | Guaranteed online only, $5 minimum |
| Museum of Arts and Design | Pay what you wish, 5–8pm, first Wednesday | Everyone | In person only |
| Bronx Zoo | Free limited admission | Everyone | Advance tickets, released Mondays 5pm |
Windows marked first, second or third are monthly; the rest are weekly.
Always free, and open on Wednesday
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 |
| 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 Wednesday
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 |
Closed on Wednesday
Checked against each museum's regular opening days; holidays are not included.
9 museums closed on Wednesdays
El Museo · Hispanic Society of America · Louis Armstrong House Museum · MoMA PS1 · MoMI · Poster House · The Jewish Museum · The Met Cloisters · The Met Fifth Avenue
Other days
Questions people ask
Which NYC museums are free on Wednesday?＋
Is MoMA free on Wednesday?＋
Is the Met open on Wednesday?＋
Which museums are closed on Wednesday 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.