Costs nothing · New York City, United States
15 Free Things to Do in New York City
New York City without spending: 15 places with confirmed free entry, ranked by the travelers who went.
Only places with a confirmed free-entry policy make this list. Ranked by traveler review volume. Updated monthly.
Greenwich Village
NeighborhoodGreenwich Village is one of New York's most beloved neighbourhoods, a leafy, low-rise enclave of tree-lined streets, historic brownstones, and a bohemian legacy that made it the cradle of American…
Read our full guide →Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
EntertainmentLincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16-acre campus on Manhattan's Upper West Side, comprising over 30 indoor and outdoor performance venues.
Read our full guide →The Morgan Library & Museum
MuseumThe Morgan Library & Museum is one of New York's most refined cultural gems, originally the private library of financier J.
Read our full guide →B&H Photo & Video
MarketB&H Photo & Video is a legendary destination for photographers, videographers, and tech enthusiasts.
Read our full guide →Upper West Side
NeighborhoodThe Upper West Side is a refined neighborhood in Manhattan, stretching from Central Park West to the Hudson River.
Read our full guide →Columbia University
LandmarkColumbia University is an Ivy League research university located in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City.
Read our full guide →Chelsea
NeighborhoodChelsea is a dynamic neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side, stretching from roughly 14th to 30th streets and from the Hudson River to Sixth Avenue.
Read our full guide →Museum of Jewish Heritage
MuseumThe Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is a striking six-sided building symbolizing the six million Jews who perished.
Read our full guide →Basilica Of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral
Religious siteThe Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral is a landmark Roman Catholic church in the Nolita neighborhood of Lower Manhattan.
Read our full guide →Friends Apartment Building
LandmarkThe Friends Apartment Building at 90 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village is a beloved landmark for fans of the iconic TV show.
Read our full guide →The Shops at Columbus Circle
MarketThe Shops at Columbus Circle is a premier retail complex located within the Deutsche Bank Center (formerly Time Warner Center) at the southwest corner of Central Park.
Read our full guide →Madison Avenue
MarketMadison Avenue, specifically the stretch between 57th and 79th Streets, is synonymous with luxury shopping in New York City.
Read our full guide →Time Warner Center
LandmarkTime Warner Center is a striking twin-tower complex at Columbus Circle, anchoring the southwest corner of Central Park.
Read our full guide →The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards
MarketThe Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards is a seven-story shopping center located within the massive Hudson Yards development on Manhattan's West Side.
Read our full guide →Children's Museum of Manhattan
MuseumThe Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is a beloved family destination located at 212 West 83rd Street in New York City's Upper West Side.
Read our full guide →
How we pick these
Every place here is genuinely free to enter. We filter the 169 New York City places we track down to those with no admission charge, then rank them by traveler reviews. Updated monthly.
Good to know
A few museums are free only on set days — check opening info before you go.
Entry is free, but transport, snacks and lockers in New York City still add up.
Free attractions draw crowds; mornings are usually the calmest.
Common questions
What can you do for free in New York City?+
This list ranks the best no-cost things to do in New York City, from parks and viewpoints to museums with free entry.
Are there free museums in New York City?+
Some museums are free all the time and others on specific days. The verified-free ones are included above.
Is New York City expensive to visit?+
You can see a lot of New York City on a tight budget by leaning on the free attractions here and eating where locals do.
Rather have a human do the planning? A Local Friend can build this day for you, at local prices.