Where to Find Free and Cheap Things to Do in New York City
My monthly Blankman List is a curated list of events that I consider notable, interesting, or important in one way or another. Although every month is different, I strive for a balance along these lines:
Around one-third of the events are free;
Around one-third are cheap (under $20 or so); and
Around one-third cost more.
If I realize I’m lacking in free events, what follows are the places I’ll check.
Libraries
The NYC public library system is a treasure. In addition to typical library fare like book clubs and basic technology courses, you can also find art and historical exhibitions, concerts, dance performances, lectures, and a wide range of events. I especially recommend the exhibition space at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center, Manhattan.
New York Public Library Events Calendar (includes The Bronx and Staten Island)
Parks
It’s not just Central Park and Prospect Park. There are over 1,700 parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities across all five boroughs. Events at parks happen year round (though they’re more frequent in warmer months), and include tours, workshops, and live performances.
Art Galleries
There are hundreds of art galleries across NYC, and they are nearly all free to enter. New York City is a world art hub, so plenty of galleries include major artists, internationally noteworthy shows, and career retrospectives. While there are art galleries across all five boroughs, dozens are in close proximity in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. The full list of galleries is too long to name individually and is always changing; I recommend checking GalleriesNow.com for a quick summary on open, noteworthy exhibitions. Additionally, here are a handful of my personal favorite galleries across the city:
Auction Houses
Actually acquiring art is—unsurprisingly—not free. New York City auction houses are world-renowned places for people to buy art with some seriously eye-popping price tags. Many substantial private collections wind up getting sold here. There are auctions for other high-value objects as well, such as wine, watches, and historical documents. Major auction houses have galleries where prospective buyers can freely roam and see what will soon be for sale. They often advertise the viewings as exhibitions for the public to come and see. After all, once the auction ends, the art may never be publicly viewable again!
Colleges and Universities
Between the CUNY system, the SUNY system, graduate schools, and private institutions, New York City is home to over 100 colleges and universities. Many of them host art and cultural exhibitions, along with music, dance, theater, lectures, and moderated conversations that are free and open to the public. A little bit of digging is required, as some events are restricted to students and staff, and plenty of events—especially music and theater—are not free. Here is a selected list of event calendars:
Museums
Unlike, say, Washington, DC, museums are not usually free for you to hop in and out of. However, some museums are. If you’re a NYC resident, the gargantuan Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with the nationally-renowned American Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn Museum are pay-what-you-wish (not including special ticketed exhibitions). Although the document is a little outdated, NYC.gov has an expansive list, including ones only free on certain days. Below is a short list of some of my favorites.
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem (entry is donations only)
El Museo del Barrio (entry is pay-what-you-wish)
New-York Historical Society Museum & Library Events (some events are free; museum entry is not)
National Museum of Mathematics Events (some events are free; museum entry is not)
Cultural Societies
One major perk of being in New York City is being in proximity to institutions seeking to promote the culture, language, and society of people from around the world—often for free. The Wikipedia list of museums and cultural institutions in New York City is a deep well of potential venues, and a page that I look through often. Here is a much shorter selection of societies where one can find free and low-cost events throughout the year:
Religious Institutions
It goes without saying that most of the events happening at a religious institution focus on sermons, prayer, and—well, religion. However, they are also sometimes host to free events, especially concerts, appropriate for a general audience regardless of faith. There are thousands of religious institutions across the city; here is a selected list of some that are occasionally host to high-quality free concerts, exhibitions, or otherwise secular events:
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Events (many concerts are pay-what-you-wish)
Bookstores
Buying books isn’t free—obviously. (That said, there are organizations like the Brooklyn Book Bodega or the Little Free Library dedicated to giving away books for free.) However, some bookstores around the city host free or cheap exhibitions and events like readings, talks, and book club meetings. Often if it costs more than $10, it’s because entry includes a copy of a book being discussed. Here is a selected list of bookstore event calendars around the city.
Concert Venues
Most concert venues are not free. However, some are donation based, and there are many bars and restaurants that host concerts without a cover charge. Though the expectation (and sometimes requirement) is that you buy something to eat or drink, and in some cases, it may also be encouraged that you tip the musicians.
The Owl Music Parlor (some concerts are suggested donation)
Barbès (some concerts are suggested donation)
Union Pool (some concerts are free entry)
Gold Sounds Bar (some concerts are free entry)
Bar Bayeux (some concerts are free entry)
Freddy’s Bar (most events are free entry)
Historic Sites
There’s more to NYC history than the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building! Many historic sites are not only free to explore but have public art, free exhibitions, and occasional free events. Note that they may also have tours and events that cost to enter. I posted a short list of highlights below, but for a more complete list, try NYC Parks’ list of permanent art and monuments or the exhaustive Wikipedia list of national historic landmarks in New York City.
General Grant National Memorial (“Grant’s Tomb”)
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (admission is $5 adults and $3 for students/seniors)
Government-Sponsored Events
The city of New York facilitates and subsidizes a variety of events that are free to attend, including parades, festivals, farmers markets, workshops, volunteer opportunities, and sidewalk sales that span all boroughs. The full calendar is available on the official city’s website:
Creative Event Spaces
Part of the beauty of New York City is the sheer variety of arts within it: visual art, dance, music, theater, fashion, architecture—it’s the whole world crammed into a few boroughs. Events in these spaces are not guaranteed to be free; however, some are, often sponsored by public and private donors, and many are sliding scale or low cost. Here are some notable creative event spaces along these lines:
Live Tapings and Promotional Events
While Los Angeles is much more of a film and TV hub than NYC, there are still plenty of shows taped here, along with free film screenings and promotional events. Attendance is generally free, although it requires a little legwork to secure tickets. Most of the tickets are given out strategically, for example offered to people with existing social media followings or handed out on a college campus if the film’s target audience is college students. There are a few sites I’m aware of that anyone can peruse and have personally used 1iota before to attend a live TV taping:
1iota (TV tapings and “fan experiences”)
WBtickets (film screenings)
AdvanceScreenings.com (film screenings)
Gofobo (film screenings and entertainment events)
Finding Free and Cheap Events in New York City
New York City has a vast assortment of places to go without having to spend money. It’s both a blessing and a curse. Galleries and societies open and close frequently around here, and there is no way for me to keep track of it all.
This article is merely a guide to get you started. A quick check on a map app will show you if you’re near any art galleries, museums, colleges, libraries, or other event venues. Check the venue’s website or call to see if they have any upcoming free or cheap events. Exploring the city can sap a lot of your time and energy; it need not sap all your money, too!