Suggested Donations: NYC Museums on the Cheap

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As an avid lover of all things artsy, I’ve always been surprised when friends and co-workers who’ve lived in New York far longer than I, have absolutely no clue that most of the admission prices posted in city museums are recommended “suggestion” donations. When visiting the MET or the Brooklyn Museum, I always see people who look like natives plunking down the suggested $10, $15, or $20  without question. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – it is basically a charitable donation. Although, for people on a budget, that can be pricey, and seriously restrict their access to the cultural events.

Most museums in the city operate on a “suggested donation” admission, meaning if you don’t read the sign well, you’ll probably just think it’s a set price. But it’s not. Museums should be accessible to everyone, and because of that they accept all levels of donations – even pennies.

So in order to spread the word and promote a little history education, we’ve done some research and compiled a list (45 to be exact) of New York City museums and a few historical sites that are either free or suggested donation (plus two that costs less than $3). Plan a visit and expand your mind for little more than your pocket change.

MANHATTAN

American Folk Museum – Free on Fridays after 5:30pm
45 West 53rd Street
New York NY 10019

American Museum of Natural History – Suggested Donation
Central Park West at West 79th Street
New York, NY 10024

Asia Society – Free on Fridays from 6-9pm
725 Park Avenue at 70th Street
NY, NY 10021

Children’s Museum of Manhattan – Free on First Friday of each month from 5pm-8pm
212 West 83rd Street
New York, NY

Children’s Museum of the Arts - Suggested Donation on Thursdays from 4pm-6pm
182 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10013

China Institute – Free on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm-8pm
125 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065

The Cloisters – Suggested Donation
Fort Tyron Park
New York, NY 10021

Dyckman Farmhouse Museum – $1 Admission
4881 Broadway at 204th Street
New York, New York 10034

El Museo del Bario – Suggested Donation
1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street
NY, NY 10029

Federal Hall National Memorial – Free
26 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005

General Grant National Memorial – Free
122nd Street at Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10027

Fraunces Tavern Museum – $2.50 Admission
54 Pearl Street, (at Broad Street)
New York, NY 10004

Forbes Magazine Galleries – Free from 10am-4pm Tuesdays-Saturdays
62 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street)
New York City

Frick Collection – Suggested Donation on Sundays from 11am-1pm
1 East 70th Street
New York, NY 10021

Gray Gallery of Art – Suggested Donation
100 Washington Square East
New York, NY 10003

Guggenheim Museum – Suggested Donation on Fridays from 5:45pm-7:45pm
1071 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128

The Hispanic Society of America – Free
613 West 155th Street
New York, NY 10032

International Center of Photography -Suggested Donation on on Fridays from 5pm-8pm.
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036

The Jewish Museum – Free on 11am-5:45pm
1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street
New York, NY 10128

Metropolitan Museum of Art – Suggested Donation
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028-0198

The Morgan Library and Museum – Free on Fridays from 7pm-9pm
225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street

Museum of Jewish Heritage – Free on Wed. from 4pm-8pm
36 Battery Place
New York, NY 10280

Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology – Free
Seventh Avenue at 27th Street
New York City 10001

Museum of Modern Art – Free on Fridays from 4pm-8pm
11 West 53 Street
New York, NY

Museum of the City of New York – Suggested Donation
1220 Fifth Avenue (at 103rd st)
New York, NY 10029

National Museum of the American Indian – Free
One Bowling Green
New York, NY 10004

New York City Fire Museum – Suggested Donation
278 Spring Street
New York, NY

New York Historical Society – Free on Fridays from 6pm-8pm
170 Central Park West at 77th Street
New York, NY

Sony Wonder Technology Lab – Free
56th and Madison Avenue
New York, NY

Studio Museum in Harlem – Free on Sunday from 12-6pm
144 West 125th Street
New York, New York 10027

Swiss Institute – Free
495 Broadway 3rd Floor
New York NY 10012

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historical Site – Free
28 East 20th Street
New York, NY 10003

Tibet House – Free
22 West 15th Street (between 5th & 6th Ave.)
New York, New York 10011

BROOKLYN

Brooklyn Museum of Art – Suggested Donation
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11238

Lefferts Homestead Historic House Museum – Free
Flatbush Avenue at Empire Boulevard/Ocean Avenue
near the Willink Entrance to the Park

QUEENS

American Museum of the Moving Image – Free on Fridays from 10am – 6pm
35 Avenue at 36 Street
Astoria, NY 11106

Isamu Noguichi Garden Museum – Suggested Donation on first Friday of every month.
9-01 33rd Road (at Vernon Boulevard)
Long Island City, NY

King Manor Museum – Free
90-04 161st Street, Suite 704
Jamaica, NY 11432

New York Hall of Science – Free on Fridays 2pm-5pm and Sundays from 10am-11am
47-01 111th Street
Queens, NY 11368

P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center – Suggested Donation
22-25 Jackson Ave at the intersection of 46th Ave
Long Island City, NY 11101

Queens Museum of Art - Suggested Donation
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Queens NY 11368

BRONX

Bronx Museum of the Arts – Suggested Donation
1040 Grand Concourse at 165th St.
Bronx NY 10456

STATEN ISLAND

Alice Austen House Museum – Suggested Donation
2 Hylan Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10305

National Lighthouse Museum – Free
One Lighthouse Plaza
Staten Island, NY 10301

Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences – Admission $2.50
75 Stuyvesant Place
Staten Island, New York 10301

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