Free Things to Do in New York City

Weekly Activities and Events Calendar

There are tons of free things to do in New York all day, every day! Tours, attractions, museums, events, shows, sports, movies and more. Kids, adults, outdoors, indoors, active, lazy…you name it!

So whether you want free Museums, neighborhood tours, a moonlight bike ride in Central Park, to ride the Staten Island Ferry, walk the High Line or Brooklyn Bridge, we have you covered with 100s of free things to do in NYC.

Free Things to do on Monday in NYC

• 9-11 Memorial Museum – 3:30-5pm free admission with reservation
• Museum at Eldridge Street – 10-5pm
• Union Square Greenmarket – 8am-6pm
• New York Public Library – Free one-hour tours of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave) 11am & 2pm, Monday – Saturday.
• Federal Reserve of Bank of NY Museum and Gold Tour – Mon-Fri, 1pm & 2pm. Very difficult to get reservations, but worth a try!
• Free Comedy Show – Giggle Pit Comedy @ Klimat Lounge, 77 E. 7th St. 6-8pm (FREE w/1-drink minimum)
• Note: Broadway is generally Dark on Mondays

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Free Things to Do in New York City Tuesday

• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Morgan Library & Museum, McKim rooms (Mr. Morgan’s Library, Study, Rotunda, and Librarian’s Office), 3-5pm
• Wave Hill, all or 9am to 12pm, depending on time of year
• New York Public Library – Free one-hour tours of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave) 11am & 2pm, Monday – Saturday.
• Paragon Run Club – join Paragon for a run every Tuesday at 6:30pm; www.paragonsports.com

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Free Things to do on Wednesday

• Union Square Greenmarket – 8am-6pm
• Museum of Jewish Heritage – 4 to 8pm
• Bronx Zoo, pay-what-you-wish, all proceeds support their animal care work
• Frick Collection, 2pm-6pm
• NY Botanical Garden
• New York Public Library – Free one-hour tours of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave) 11am & 2pm, Monday – Saturday.

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Free Things to do on Thursday in NYC

• Museum of Arts and Design (formerly American Craft Museum), 6-9 pm
• Children’s Museum of the Arts, 4-6pm
• New Museum of Contemporary Art, 7-9pm
• New York Public Library – Free one-hour tours of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave) 11am & 2pm, Monday – Saturday.

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Free Things to do on Friday in NYC

• New York Public Library – free one-hour tours of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave) 11am & 2pm, Monday – Saturday.
• Grand Central Terminal – free 1.5 – 2 hour walking tour, 12:30 pm in the sculpture court at 120 Park Avenue, located at the southwest corner of East 42nd Street and Park Avenue directly across from Grand Central Terminal.
• MoMA, Uniqlo Free Fridays, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. MoMA stays open late on the first Friday of every month and admission is free just for New Yorkers! Tickets, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., are free for New York City residents but must be reserved in advance (up to two adults), and are subject to availability and proof of residency.
• Bronx Museum of the Arts
• International Center for Photography (ICP), 5-8pm
• Morgan Library & Museum, McKim rooms, 7 to 9pm
• New-York Historical Society – Pay-what-you-wish 6 to 8 pm
• Whitney Museum of American Art – Pay-what-you-wish 7 to 10 pm
• Union Square Greenmarket – 8am-6pm
• Central Park Moonlight Bike Ride – 10pm, first friday of every month.
• Children’s Museum of Manhattan – 5-8 pm free admission, 1st Friday of every month
• Federal Reserve of Bank of NY Museum and Gold Tour – Mon-Fri, 1pm & 2pm. Very difficult to get reservations, but worth a try!

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Free Things to do on Saturday in NYC

• Greenwich Village Free Walking Tour – 11:30 a.m. (June – September)
• Union Square Greenmarket – 8am-6pm
• Union Square Free Walking Tour – 2pm
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 10am-noon
• Guggenheim Museum, 5:45-7:45 pm
• Jewish Museum, 11:00 am – 5:45 pm
• NY Botanical Garden – 9am – 10 am
• Wave Hill, 9am to 12pm
• New York Public Library – Free one-hour tours of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave) 11am & 2pm, Monday – Saturday.
• MoMA – A Closer Look for Kids – Saturdays and Sundays, 10:20–11:30 a.m. Engage in lively discussions and fun activities while looking closely at modern masterpieces and cutting-edge contemporary art. A new theme is introduced each month.
• Beach Volleyball – 11am-3pm, Tribeca (May-Sept)

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Free Things to do on Sunday in NYC

• Lower East Side Free Walking Tour – 11 a.m. (April – December)
• Frick Collection, 11:00-1:00 pm
• Morgan Library & Museum, McKim rooms, 4 to 6 pm
• New York Hall of Science – 10 am to 11am
• MoMA – A Closer Look for Kids – Saturdays and Sundays, 10:20–11:30 a.m. Engage in lively discussions and fun activities while looking closely at modern masterpieces and cutting-edge contemporary art. A new theme is introduced each month.

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Free NYC Tourist Attractions

• Central Park
• Grand Central Terminal
• Statue of Liberty Island
• Staten Island Ferry
• Times Square
• Rockefeller Center
• New York Public Library
• Bryant Park
• Lincoln Center
• The Highline
• Little Island
• Chelsea Market
• Brooklyn Bridge
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• Wall Street/Charging Bull
• 9-11 Memorial
• Julliard Music School Free Performances
• Governors Island
• NYC Museums FREE Days and Times
• Celebrity spotting at bookstores

NYC Insider Free Event Picks by Month

January Free NYC Events – Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Broadway Week (buy one get one free)

February Free NYC Events – Chinese New Year Parade & Festival, Broadway Week (buy one get one free)

March Free NYC Events – Kids’ Night on Broadway (buy one get one free)

Free Things to Do in New York in Summer – Whether you want free tennis, an outdoor concert, a movie under the stars or free opera outdoors in the park, we have you covered with over 100 FREE things to do in NYC in summer.

June Free NYC Events – Annual Museum Mile Festival, Shakespeare in the Park, Philharmonic in the Park, Taste of Times Square, Pride Month, Lincoln Center Summer for the City, Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series, Bryant Park Movie Nights, River to River Festival, Intrepid Museum Summer Movie Series,

July Free NYC Events – July 4th Fireworks, Shakespeare in the Park, Lincoln Center Summer for the City, Met Museum Roof Martini Bar, FREE Broadway (and Off Broadway) in Bryant Park, Free Fitness in New York City, Bryant Park Movie Nights

August Free NYC Events – U.S. Tennis Open Qualifying Rounds, Central Park Film Festival, Metropolitan Opera Summer HD Festival, Met Museum Roof Martini Bar, Shakespeare in the Park, Bryant Park Movie Nights

September Free NYC Events – U.S. Tennis Open Free Day, Feast of San Gennaro, Broadway Week (buy one get one free), Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, African American Day Parade

October Free NYC Events – Columbus Day Parade, Annual ‘Open House’

November Free NYC Events – Ice Skating at Bryant Park, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Watching the New York City Marathon, Holiday Window Displays

December Free NYC Events – Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Ice Skating and Christmas Tree at Bryant Park, Guggenheim Holiday Concert, Holiday Window Displays

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NYC Museums Free Days Calendar

Many New York City Museums are free to locals. Their goal is to make art and culture affordable to everyone. As non-profits, they ask for a “suggested donation” or contribution to access the museum, rather than an admission price. Know the difference and the best times to visit all NYC Museums at NYC Museums and on our NYC Museums and Tours cheat sheet in the NYC Print Guide and free Mini Guide.

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NYC Hotels with Free Bicycles

Don’t miss out on your choice of NYC Hotels with Free Bicycles. If had to pick my FAVORITE way to explore NYC, it would be on bicycle! Just ask anyone who has visited me, I take them all around on bike. The views and hidden nooks of NYC you can see along our greenways are second to none. So why not get yourself a fabulous hotel that offers free bikes to explore our amazing city?

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Visiting New York on a Budget

If you are visiting New York on a budget, or even just looking to get the best "bang for your buck," without compromising quality, NYC Insider Guide has 1000s of ways to save BIG in NYC. Here’s a round up of all our top posts on discounts, coupons, cheap, free, half price and many more ways to save on things to do in NYC.

Read More: Visiting New York on a Budget

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Save HUGE $$$$ in NYC

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