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Becoming a member of your favorite art museum has many advantages. The most significant reason is the freedom to come and go as often as you like.  But it’s unlikely that you’ll want to become a member of all the art museums NY has to offer. If you find the admission price too steep at some of them, it’s good to know that almost all of the NY art museums offer a weekly opportunity to visit for free or allow you to choose the price.

When Are They Free?

Below is a list of NY art museums that offer either weekly free admissions or are always free:

American Folk Art Museum – always free

Bronx Museum of the Arts – always free

Jewish Museum – Saturdays, all day

MOMA – Fridays  4:00pm-8:00pm

Neue Galerie – First Fridays of every month from 6:00pm-8:00pm

The Rubin Museum of Art – Fridays 6:00pm-10:pm

Studio Museum of Harlem – Sundays, all day

 “Pay As You Wish” Museums

There are some museums that have a suggested donation amount. This is what they would like you to pay but will accept any amount you offer. There are other museums that have a set admissions price but have a time when they will allow you to pay whatever you wish. Below is a list of museums with both options.

Brooklyn Museum – suggested donation all the time $12 for adults

El Museo del Bario – suggested donation $9 all the time

The Frick – Sundays 11:00am-1:00pm

The Guggenheim – Saturdays 5:45pm-7:45pm

Metropolitan Museum of Art – suggested donation all the time $25 for adults

MOMA PS1 – suggested donation all the time $10 for adults

Museum of Arts and Design – Thursdays 6:00pm-9:00pm

The New Museum – Thursdays 7:00pm-9:00pm

Whitney Museum of American Art – Fridays 6:00pm-9:00pm

 5th Annual Chelsea Artwalk

Just a note regarding Chelsea Galleries. On Thursday, July 24th from 5pm-8pm you can join a free tour of the Chelsea art galleries. for more information go to: www.chelseaartwalk2014.com