Free tours, museums, sightseeing, events, and entertainment, with mapped locations!
A new free activity will be added to this page every day, beginning January 1, 2017. By the end of 2017 this page will include 365 free things to do in New York City!
Be sure to check back regularly for new free things to do, or sign-up for our daily or weekly newsletter to receive the Free Things to Do updates via email.
Free Things to Do, by Category
Tours: Walking
- Greenwich Village Free Walking Tours
- Big Apple Greeters
- Free Guided Walking Tours of The High Line
- Free Historic Flatiron District Walking Tours
- Free “Union Square: Crossroads of New York” Tour
- Free Walking Tours of Grand Central Neighborhood
- Free Guided Walking Tours of Central Park
Tours: Buildings & Businesses
- New York Distilling Company Tours
- Visit the United Nations Headquarters
- Visit Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America
- Free Tours of NYC City Hall
- Visit the Metropolitan Opera
- Free Tour of Federal Reserve Bank & Gold Vault
- Free Saturday and Sunday Brooklyn Brewery Tours
- New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building Tours
Landmarks, Monuments & Statues
- Visit Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island
- Stonewall National Monument
- Visit the Chrysler Building Lobby
- NYC Department of Public Records Visitor Center at Surrogate’s Court
- Old Stone House in Brooklyn
- Hamilton Grange – Alexander Hamilton’s Home
- African Burial Ground National Monument
- The Red Cube
- Federal Hall National Memorial
- Castle Clinton National Monument
- Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
- The Love Sculpture in NYC
- Visit Grant’s Tomb in Riverside Park
- Visit the United Nations Headquarters
- See the Daily News Building and the “Daily Planet” Globe
Museums
- Free Intrepid Museum Admission with Bank of America Card First Weekend of Each Month
- Free Brooklyn Museum Admission First Saturday of the Month
- NYC Department of Public Records Visitor Center at Surrogate’s Court
- China Institute Gallery Free Thursday Evenings
- Night at the Museums. Free Lower Manhattan Museum Admissions
- International Print Center
- The Rubin Museum of Art Free K2 Friday Nights
- The Museum at FIT
- The Pratt Institute’s Manhattan Gallery
- New York Historical Society Museum Pay-As-You-Wish Friday Evenings
- El Museo del Barrio – Free Admission on Third Saturday
- Free Friday Evenings at the Japan Society Gallery
- Free Exhibits at the Onassis Cultural Center
- The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- Free First Fridays at the Neue Galerie
- First Fridays Free at the Noguchi Museum
- First Friday Evenings Free at the Frick Collection
- FDNY Fire Zone at Rockefeller Center
- American Folk Art Museum
- National Museum of the American Indian NYC
- New Museum Pay As You Wish Thursday Evenings
- New York Transit Museum Annex and Store
- Museum of the Moving Image
- Free Thursdays at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum
- Pay What You Wish Saturdays at the Guggenheim
- Free Sundays at the Studio Museum in Harlem
- Thursday Evenings at the Museum of Arts and Design
- Free Days at the Morgan Library and Museum
- The Museum of Modern Art Free Fridays
Churches
- Central Synagogue Tours
- Free Bach at Noon Organ Meditations at Grace Church
- Midday Monday Organ Performance at St. John the Divine
Gardens & Zoos
- Wave Hill Free Admission Tuesday and Saturday Mornings
- Free Admission to New York Botanical Garden
- New York Aquarium. Pay-What-You-Wish Admission Friday Afternoons
- Free Admission at Queens Botanical Garden
- Free Days at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Parks
- Central Park’s Literary Walk
- Paley Park
- Free Guided Walking Tours of The High Line
- Central Park Conservatory Garden
- Visit Belvedere Castle
- Birding Tours of Bryant Park
- Bryant Park Audio Tour – Free
- Free Guided Walking Tours of Central Park
Cruises & Boating
Shops & Galleries
TV Show Tapings
- Live with Kelly & Ryan – Audience Tickets
- Celebrity Interviews with AOL Build Series
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah – Be in the Audience
- The Wendy Williams Show – Be in the Audience!
- Today Show Concerts – Be in the Audience!
- Audience Tickets for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Attend a Harry Connick Show Taping
- Audience Tickets for The Chew
- Inside the Actors Studio Tapings
- Tickets for Late Night with Seth Meyers
- The Doctor Oz Show Tickets
- Tickets for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
- Be a Good Morning America Audience Member
Music
- Charlie Parker Jazz Festival – Free Concerts
- Broadway in Bryant Park
- The Seaport Music Festival
- Free Summergarden Concerts at MOMA Sculpture Garden
- Free Concerts: Lowdown Hudson Music Festival
- Metropolitan Opera Summer Recitals in the Parks
- GMA Free Concerts in Central Park
- Today Show Concerts – Be in the Audience!
- Summerstage – Free Performances in all Five Boroughs
- New York Philharmonic Free Summer Concert in Central Park
- New York Philharmonic Free Fridays
- Pop-Up Concerts at Columbia University
- Mid-Day Music at Columbia
- Jazz Wednesdays at the American Folk Art Museum
- Free “Music in Motion” Bargemusic Family Concerts
- The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- Free Bach at Noon Organ Meditations at Grace Church
- Free Performances at NYU Steinhardt
- Free Performances at Julliard School
- Attend Free Events at the Lincoln Center Atrium
Theater & Dance
- New York Classical Theatre Free Performances in NYC Parks
- Free Shakespeare in Bryant Park
- Summerstage – Free Performances in all Five Boroughs
- Free Shakespeare in the Park
Comedy
- Free Bomb Shelter Comedy at Gaf West on Thursdays. No Cover & Free Pizza
- Free Comedy Shows at Upright Citizens Brigade
Movies
- Free Summer Movies at Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Free Summer Films in Bryant Park
- Pier i Picture Show Free Outdoor Movies
- Intrepid Free Summer Movie Series
- Free Wednesday Night Movies at Hudson River Park
Readings & Talks
- Free Apple Store Events
- Books Beneath the Bridge. Free Book Reading Events at Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Franklin Park Reading Series
- Free Events at the NY Public Library Schwarzman Building
- Readings at McNally Jackson Bookstore
Miscellaneous
- Big Apple Greeters
- Stargazing at Lincoln Center
- Times Square Midnight Moment
- Free NY Museum Admissions with Bank of America Card
- Free Lower Manhattan Transit with the Downtown Connection
Festivals & Special Events - January
- Winter Jam NYC in Central Park
- Chinese New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival
- Free Concerts at Trinity Church’s Time’s Arrow Festival
- El Museo del Barrio’s Three Kings Day Parade
Festivals & Special Events - February
Festivals & Special Events - March
Festivals & Special Events - April
Festivals & Special Events - May
- Fleet Week NYC
- Kings County Memorial Day Parade
- The New York Philharmonic’s Free Annual Memorial Day Concert
- GMA Free Concerts in Central Park
- Stars in the Alley – Annual Free Broadway Concert
- Dance Parade and Festival
- Manhattanhenge
- Irish Arts Center NYC Dance Festival
- Free Shakespeare in Bryant Park
- Jane’s Walk NYC
- Free Shakespeare in the Park
Festivals & Special Events - June
- Free Summer Films in Bryant Park
- River to River Festival
- Metropolitan Opera Summer Recitals in the Parks
- GMA Free Concerts in Central Park
- Taste of Times Square
- American Crafts Festival at Lincoln Center
- Stars in the Alley – Annual Free Broadway Concert
- Free Shakespeare in Bryant Park
- Solstice in Times Square – Free Annual Yoga Event
- Night at the Museums. Free Lower Manhattan Museum Admissions
- Summerstage – Free Performances in all Five Boroughs
- Free Shakespeare in the Park
- The Museum Mile Festival – Free Museum Admission Each Year in June
- New York Philharmonic Free Summer Concert in Central Park
Festivals & Special Events - July
- Free Summer Movies at Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Broadway in Bryant Park
- Free Summer Films in Bryant Park
- Free Summergarden Concerts at MOMA Sculpture Garden
- Free Concerts: Lowdown Hudson Music Festival
- City of Water Day – Free Festival and Boat Tours
- GMA Free Concerts in Central Park
- Manhattanhenge
- Free Shakespeare in Bryant Park
- Summerstage – Free Performances in all Five Boroughs
- Free Shakespeare in the Park
- Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show in NYC
Festivals & Special Events - August
- Free Summer Movies at Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Broadway in Bryant Park
- Free Summer Films in Bryant Park
- The US Open Qualifying Tournament is Free and Open to the Public
- GMA Free Concerts in Central Park
- Free Shakespeare in Bryant Park
- Summerstage – Free Performances in all Five Boroughs
- Free Shakespeare in the Park
Festivals & Special Events - September
- Photoville – Free Photography Exhibit at Brooklyn Bridge Park
- The Seaport Music Festival
- GMA Free Concerts in Central Park
- Free Shakespeare in Bryant Park
Festivals & Special Events - October
