New York City: filling in with free: Part One: Museums and Such

New York City is the #1 most expensive city in the world to visit.  So wouldn't it be nice to fill your free time with a few free fun - or at least less expensive - activities along the way?

Hello! ... from Times Square

On my most recent trip to NYC, I searched for just those kinds of things.  Sure, I went to a couple of Broadway shows (mostly on discounted tickets!) while eating and drinking my way around the city (price fixe lunch, anyone?), but I also found ways to maximize my dollars by filling in my free time with a few of the many free things to do in Manhattan.

MUSEUMS

NYC is filled with world class museums.  And these world class museums often have hefty admission prices: adult tickets currently run $25 for the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met), $25 for the Guggenheim, $25 for the Museum of Modern Art, $23 for the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).  These world class museums are certainly worth the prices they charge, and they are all certainly worth a visit.  But when you are treating your family to a NYC vacation, those prices can add up very quickly.  

And let's be honest: most of us don't want to spend an entire day exploring a museum.  Museums can be overwhelming - not in a bad way, but there are so many things to see, things to learn, things to remember that more than a couple of hours at a time is often fatiguing rather than fun and exciting.  

So ... how to minimize the cost of a museum while maximizing your experience?

One option is pick only one museum on your visit.  Do you love modern art best?  Visit MoMA.  Do you prefer more traditional art or sculptures?  Check out the Met.  Or if science is more your speed, the AMNH may be the best choice for you.  Limiting the number of museums you visit will certainly reduce the cost of your museum experience.

Inside Federal Hall

Another option is to find out if and when the museum you'd like to visit lowers or waives its admission fees.  Some do!  For instance, the Guggenheim offers "pay what you wish" on Saturday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  And MoMA offers free admission on Friday nights from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

MoMA reopened in October 2019.

PRO TIP: The website says that the line is long at 5:30 p.m. and to please come after 6:00 p.m. if you want to avoid a line.  We went to MoMA at about 7:00 p.m. on November 1st and did not have to wait in a line at all.  We had two hours to explore, which was enough time to see the top two floors, including new exhibitions plus old favorites like Van Gogh's Starry Night.  

Friday night patrons interacting with Starry Night.

One of my favorite things to do is observe people interact with art, and two hours was plenty of time for this.

And yet another option is to visit museums that are free all the time.  NYC is filled with museums that do not ever charge an admission fee, and they are almost always far less crowded than any of the ones you might have heard of ... but they are no less worthy of a visit.

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) includes information on all things fashion.  For instance, when I was there, the Fashion and Textile History Gallery featured an exhibit called "Minimalism/Maximalism" (now closed).  The Special Exhibitions Gallery is hosting "Paris, Capitol of Fashion" (until January 4, 2020).  And admission is always free!

The Museum at FIT currently features chalk rectangles transformed into building-long murals.

The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), in lower Manhattan not far from the 9/11 Memorial (free) and Museum ($26, and worth every penny), is a part of the Smithsonian Institution.  Like all other Smithsonian museums, this one is extremely well curated and incredibly interesting.  

Pod III and Pod IV, by Rose B. Simpson

Covering parts of two floors of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, a visit to NMAI allows you to experience both current art inspired by traditional ways and the stories of the different peoples who have lived on the grounds of this country far longer than most of us.  

Maya Skull Necklace

And the National Museum of the American Indian is very accessible from any part of the city as a subway stop is literally outside the front door,   As with the Museum at FIT, admission is always free.

SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE TYPICAL MUSEUMS

In addition to the well-known museums are things like historic sites, smaller exhibitions in a non-museum setting, and monuments remembering important people and events.

One option is to explore U.S. National Park System (NPS) sites.  We often think of sprawling forests or endless desserts when we think of national parks, but the NPS includes many historic sites and monuments as well, about a dozen of which are in NYC proper - and many of them are free to visit.

The African Burial Ground Memorial and Visitor Center is one such site that was uncovered during the construction of a new federal building in the 1990s.  Scientists and historians discovered that the human remains found onsite were those of the enslaved Africans who built New Amsterdam (the former name of NYC).  This memorial honors their contributions to the current city of New York and helps visitors understand the history of slavery in colonial New York.  Admission is free, and it's easily accessible by public transportation.

Another free-to-visit lower Manhattan NPS site is Federal Hall, where George Washington took his first oath of office to become the first U.S. President.  The exhibits were scant on my visit, but the site carries the full weight of history and is definitely worth a visit (not to mention the public art just outside, discussed in Part Two).

Statue of George Washington outside Federal Hall

Toward the other end of Manhattan is another U.S. National Park System site: the General Grant National Memorial.  This memorial is the largest mausoleum in North America, and it is the final resting place of General Grant and his wife, Julia.  It is a tribute not only to General Grant, but to the architects and artisans and craftsmen who created this amazing resting place.

Another non-museum option is to visit the libraries: the New York Public Library (NYPL) boasts numerous branches, all of which feature some type of art and many of which host free temporary and permanent exhibits.

Right in the middle of Manhattan is the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which is the branch of the NYPL you've most likely seen.  This library has been seen in countless movies and t.v. shows as it's a popular filming location.  Head to the visitor desk to sign up for a free tour, or simply explore on your own.  At this branch of the NYPL, I've seen exhibits on Alexander Hamilton, algae, J.D. Salinger (open until January 19, 2020), the 1960s, and more.

NYPL

The original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals are on display in the basement, in the children's section. 

PRO TIP: If you are traveling with children, the children's section is a great place for a break!  There are lots of books to read, there is seating for adults and children, and there are water fountains and a restroom just outside the door.

The Rose Reading Room and the McGraw Rotunda just outside are definitely worth climbing to the top floor to see.  And all of this is free to the public!

The NYPL at Lincoln Center is a perennial favorite of my family!  We once saw an exhibit on The Beatles at this public library, where we actually got to play a drum set with video instruction from Ringo Starr.  We also thoroughly enjoyed an exhibit on Broadway, including authentic costumes, props, and playbills from many shows over many years.  And again, the exhibits here are free to visit.

Each library in the NYPL system has something special to offer; check on what's on in whichever part of the city you happen to be wandering.

And don't miss the Staten Island Ferry: it's a free ferry between Lower Manhattan and Staten Island, and it includes a terrific view of the Statue of Liberty!  It was too chilly on my most recent trip to enjoy the ride, but on warmer days, watching the city and the statue from a sunny deck is a must-do attraction.

I'll stop now so I can start working on Part Two of this blog.  But I could go on for ...well, for a long time ... because there are so many museums and historic sites to see all over NYC.  Here, I've only talked about Manhattan, and I haven't even covered very much of what's available there.  Harlem alone deserves its own post about the interesting things to do there!  And Brooklyn and Long Island and the Bronx and Queens and Staten Island also have untold numbers of free and inexpensive museums, libraries, and other interesting sites.

Yes, NYC is the #1 most expensive city to visit in 2019.  But check out Part Two of this blog to discover other free things, like public art and parks that are well worth your time!