Who says you have to spend a fortune to enjoy New York? The city is bursting with hundreds of no-cost and low-cost pleasures that include concerts, plays, museum exhibitions and tours throughout the five boroughs. Free offerings and exceptional deals are
As the summer progresses, families may be looking for a way to enjoy a day out in Manhattan, or any of the other boroughs, but not have to pay through the nose to have a good time.
Need some clues? Try browsing the NYC & Company Web site at www.nycvisit.com for comprehensive information on happenings throughout the city, or drop by New York City’s Official Visitor Information Center at 810 Seventh Avenue at 53rd Street, where there are hundreds of brochures, interactive kiosks and expert, multilingual visitor counselors who can advise on all things New York.
Here is a sample of some of the free activities New Yorkers can enjoy.
Admire folk paintings, furniture, pottery, quilts and other decorative arts from the 18th century to the present at the American Folk Art Museum, which now houses its collection in two locations. The smaller branch, the Eva & Morris Feld Gallery on Columbus Avenue (212-595-9533), offers free admission at all times. The museum’s new home on West 53rd Street (212-265-1040, www.folkartmuseum.org) charges admission ($9 for adults, 5$ for students and seniors, free for children 12 and under), but is free on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8: p.m.
Historical and contemporary design can be viewed for free at The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Tuesday evenings, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (212-849-8400, www.si.edu/ndm.)
Unique urban art is showcased at the Municipal Art Society’s Urban Center Gallery at no charge, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery is closed on Sundays and Thursdays (212-935-3960, www.mas.org).
Explore the largest collection in the world devoted to Native American history and culture at the National Museum of the American Indian (212-514-3700, www.si.edu/nmai). The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Thursdays).
Catapult into the future at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, where high-tech interactive exhibits thrill kids of all ages (212-833-8100, www.sonywondertechlab.com).
By calling in advance, you can attend free tapings of popular television shows including Late Night with David Letterman (212-975-5853, www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/); Live with Regis and Kelly (212-456-3054, www.tvplex.go.com/buenavista/livewithregis/) and The Montel Williams Show (212-830-0364, www.montelshow.com).
You can explore the majestic Art Deco masterpiece Rockefeller Center on a free, self-guided tour. Pick up maps in the main lobby at 30 Rockefeller Plaza (212-332-6868, www.rockefellercenter.com).
Taste farm-fresh produce, homemade breads, cheeses, cider and more at the Union Square Green Market, where some vendors offer free samples of their wares (212-477-3220, www.cenyc.org). Or browse for bargains at the two Greenflea markets: the Columbus Avenue market (at West 76th Street) is open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the West 84th Street location (between Columbus and Amsterdam) is open during the same hours on Saturdays (212-721-0900).
Revel in the best classical music, jazz, drama, opera and dance that New York has to offer at free warm-weather performances in the city parks by the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, Shakespeare in the Park and many more (City of New York Parks and Recreation Special Events Hotline, 888/NYPARKS, www.centralparknyc.org or 212-539-8750 for information on Shakespeare in the Park).
Enjoy toy boats and soldiers, presidential papers, paintings, Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs, objets d’art and other memorabilia at the Forbes Magazine Galleries. Entrance is free Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours of the collection are available free of charge, but reservations must be made one month in advance (212-206-5548).
Take advantage of special exhibitions at the beaux arts New York Public Library (212-221-7676, www.nypl.org) as well as free concerts, film series and other special events in adjacent Bryant Park (212-768-4242).
Visit any of the 20 historic house museums located in the New York City parks at no charge (Historic House Trust of New York City, 212-60-8282, www.nycparks.org).
Grab a friend and drop by the hottest spot in town for a stellar evening of live jazz, delicious tapas and drinks, every Friday evening, 5:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., under the Hayden Sphere at the Rose Center for Earth and Space on 81st Street, just off Central Park West (212-769-5100, www.amnh.org). The music is free with suggested museum admission.
Take a free tour of such landmarks as the 34th Street facility which housed the late, great Pennsylvania Station (212-719-3434), or the Municipal Art Society tour of Grand Central Terminal (212-935-3960). There are also free tours of New York’s fascinating neighborhoods, including the grand tour of midtown (212-883-2420), the tour of Times Square (212-768-1560) or the tour of the area around 34th Street (212-868-0521).
Explore the beauty of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, free all day Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The regular admission fee of $3 for adults and $1.50 for students and seniors is in effect all other days, although children under 16 are always admitted free (623-7200, www.bbg.org). In addition, the Staten Island Botanical Garden grounds are open from dawn until dusk at no charge, though the famous Chinese Scholars Garden charges $5 for adults, and $4 for students and seniors (open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 273-8200, www.sibg.org). Entrance to the beautiful Queens Botanical Garden is free at all times (886-3800).
Though free hours of admission (Thursday and Friday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) at the New York Hall of Science are suspended throughout the summer, they resume in September. Regular prices, in effect during July and August, are $7.50 for adults and $5 for seniors and children. Parking is $6 per car (699-0005, www.nyhallsci.org).
Visit the only working historical farm in New York City. The Queens County Farm Museum (347-3276, www.queensfarm.org) has free admission, and is open every day, year-round. There are weekend tours of the farmhouse and greenhouse, educational programs, and a stand selling fresh produce.
Enjoy spectacular views from Wave Hill, the acclaimed public garden and cultural institution overlooking the Hudson and Palisades. Entrance is free all day Tuesday, and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. All other times admission is $4 for adults, $2 for seniors and students, and free for children under 6 (549-3200, www.wavehill.org).
The Socrates Sculpture Park, a free outdoor museum located on the East River in Long Island City, was a once-abandoned garbage dump turned vital community resource. It serves as both a major art institution and reclaimed open space allowing public access to the waterfront. Open daily until sunset (956-1819, www.socratessculpturepark.org).
Visit Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center, an 83-acre National Historic Landmark district featuring remarkable examples of Greek Revival architecture. The cultural program includes concerts, art and theater (448-2500, www.snug-harbor.org).
Take a cruise on the Staten Island Ferry for spectacular views of the lower Manhattan skyline, harbor and the Statue of Liberty. The ferry is free at all times (815-BOAT). Or take a walk across the footpath on the Brooklyn Bridge for another fantastic and free view of the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn.
Learn about New York City’s famous transportation system at the Gallery Annex of the New York Transit Museum. Exhibits in the Annex (located in Grand Central Terminal) are free while the main facility in Brooklyn is closed for renovations (694-5100, www.mta.nyc.ny.us).
Go fish! The Dana Discovery Center (located in the northeast corner of Central Park) will lend you a fishing pole for an afternoon of catch-and-release in the Harlem Meer, a lake frequented by numerous species of wild birds. Take advantage of the center’s educational workshops for children, or grab a pair of binoculars and sharpen your bird-watching eye. The center is free to all and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4 p.m. during the winter). Call 212-860-1370 for more information on exhibits and upcoming programs.
New York’s famous Fashion Institute of Technology allows the public to view the same clothes and textiles that inspire its own students and faculty. Thousands of designer costumes and accessories, fabrics from around the world, and the work of renowned fashion photographers are all on display in the Institute’s free museum (212-217-5800, www.fitnyc.suny.edu).
