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
- Free Admission to New York Botanical Garden
- Wave Hill Free Admission Tuesday and Saturday Mornings
- 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
- International Print Center
- The Pratt Institute’s Manhattan Gallery
- Union Square Greenmarket
- Explore New York City’s Antique Shops
- Visit Christie’s Auction House
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