Now that my hometown is back on top of the must visit destination list, here’s how to enjoy NYC on the cheap.
Current deals and must-see events include hundreds of FREE outdoor summer concerts and movies, guide to NYC beaches and swimming pools, a second chance for Manhattanhenge, FREE outdoor dancing to live bands, FREE Shakespeare in several NYC parks, Restaurant Week meal deals and Summer Streets car-free streets also return, and so much more.
It all helps make New York City the greatest city on the planet year-round, not just in July.
Nearly everything here is FREE and family-friendly, and nothing is more than $20 per person unless it is a free program with museum admission, supports a charity, or otherwise is a noteworthy special event. Some free events require registration to manage space.
Pick one, some or all and enjoy the best of New York City FREE or cheap.
This best things to do in NYC on the cheap guide is updated at the beginning and middle of each month, with at least six weeks of events to help you plan how to enjoy the greatest city on the planet.
NYC Tourism Facts
In 2023, NYC welcomed 62.2 million visitors, including 50.6 million domestic and 11.6 million international visitors.
This year, 2024, visitation is expected to grow to 64.8 million, a 97% recovery of pre-Pandemic 2019 record levels.
Who is a real New Yorker? It depends on who you ask.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter was interviewed recently by
Time Out New York
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NYC Restaurant Week
Reservations are now open for NYC Restaurant Week, really three weeks, when you can get a two-course lunch or three-course dinner at top restaurants for just $30, $45 or $60, depending on the restaurant.
NYC Restaurant Week is from July 22–August 18. Don’t miss out—secure your table today before they’re gone.
NYC Restaurant Week is more than 20 years old, and has been copied by cities from Albuquerque to Warsaw. There’s also a winter version, also for three weeks, in January/February. Both are designed to encourage dining out in what are usually slow periods for restaurants.
This is your chance to explore a new restaurant, including in a location you don’t normally go to, or return to a favorite.
NYC Restaurant Tips and Tactics
- You are more likely to get a lunch reservation than a pre-theater dinner reservation in the restaurant of your choice on the day of your choice.
- Saturday nights are off the table – literally – and some restaurants are not participating on Fridays or Sundays, either.
- Search here, by location or cuisine, but book directly with the restaurant, making sure you mention Restaurant Week when you book
Participating restaurants in Brooklyn include –
- Barbalu | Italian | Cobble Hill | Reserve here
- Red Hook Lobster Pound | American | Red Hook | Reserve here
- Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue | American | Prospect Heights | Reserve here
- Alta Calidad | Mexican | Prospect Heights | Reserve here
- Tanoreen | Middle Eastern | Bay Ridge | Reserve here
- Fogo de Chao | Brazilian Steakhouse | CityPoint in Downtown Brooklyn | Reserve here
- Aromi | Italian | Carroll Gardens | Reserve here
- Indian Table | Indian | Cobble Hill | Reserve here
- Buttermilk Channel | American | Carroll Gardens | Reserver here
- Palo Santo | Latin American | Park Slope | Reserve here
- Tiny’s Cantina | Mexican | Prospect Heights | Reserve here
Participating restaurants in Lower Manhattan include –
- abcV at Tin Building (96 South St.)
- Anassa Taverna (104 North End Ave.)
- Atrio Wine Bar & Restaurant (102 North End Ave., Conrad New York Downtown)
- Blue Smoke (255 Vesey St.)
- Brooklyn Chop House (150 Nassau St.)
- Carne Mare (89 South St., Pier 17, the Seaport)
- Crown Shy (70 Pine St.)
- Del Frisco’s Grille Brookfield Place (250 Vesey St.)
- Delmonico’s (56 Beaver St.)
- El Vez (259 Vesey St.)
- Felice 15 Gold Street (15 Gold St.)
- Frenchman’s Dough at the Tin Building (96 South St.)
- House of the Red Pearl at Tin Building (96 South St.)
- Industry Kitchen (70 South St.)
- La Marchande (88 Wall St., the Wall Street Hotel)
- La Pizza & La Pasta (101 Liberty St., Eataly)
- Le Gratin (5 Beekman St.)
- Malibu Farm (89 South St., Pier 17, the Seaport)
- Manhatta (28 Liberty St.)
- Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson (251 Fulton St.)
- Mezze on the River (375 South End Ave., Hudson River Esplanade)
- Morton’s the Steakhouse (136 Washington St.)
- One Dine (117 West St., One World Trade)
- Sant Ambroeus – Brookfield (200 Vesey St.)
- Schilling (109 Washington St.)
- Stout NYC Financial District (90 John St.)
- Suteishi (24 Peck Slip)
- T. Brasserie at Tin Building (96 South St.)
- Temple Court (5 Beekman St., the Beekman Hotel)
- The Fulton (89 South St., Pier 17, the Seaport)
- The Tuck Room (11 Fulton St., Seaport)
- Treadwell Park — Downtown (301 South End Ave.)
- Urban Cove Society & Kitchen (33 Peck Slip, 33 Hotel, Seaport)
- Vino &… (101 Liberty St., Eataly)
- Warren Street Bar & Restaurant (86 Warren St., Warren Street Hotel)
![NYC has more than 40 miles of surf and sand beaches, including in Staten Island_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_275,h_183/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NYC-beaches_parks-dept-photo.jpg)
FREE Beaches & Outdoor Swimming Pools
NYC has more than 40 miles of sand and surf beaches and more than 50 outdoor swimming pools – each and every one FREE to visit.
See our complete list here.
- Subway update –
- On weekends through Labor Day, the MTA is doubling the length of the Rockaway Park Shuttle from five cars to 10, and also extending the line’s route between Broad Channel and Rockaway Park/Beach 116th St. to Rockaway Blvd.
- That means riders can transfer to and from A trains serving the Lefferts Blvd. and Far Rockaway branches.
![The Vessel at Hudson Yards re-opens with increased security_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_379/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hudson-Yards_Vessel-400x379.jpg)
The Vessel at Hudson Yards Re-Opens
The famous honeycomb sculpture has re-opened after shutting down in January following three suicides.
The 150-foot Vessel now has safety netting to safeguard visitors, and the once-free architectural sculpture now costs $10 per person to visit – and visitors must buy at least two tickets and will not be allowed to visit alone.
Hudson Yards will also be “installing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline signage and messaging” and increasing security, CNN reported.
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NYC Libraries Re-Open on Sundays
Good news – the new NYC budget effective July 1 restores Sunday hours to many NYC libraries. They were closed on Sundays a few months ago to make up the budget shortfall for housing and feeding several hundred thousand undocumented immigrants bussed here from Texas and Florida.
The return to seven-day-a-week service arises from a newly adopted city budget that reversed $58 million in proposed cuts for the city’s more than 200 branches after months of well-organized outcry from the City Council and New Yorkers like me.
Starting Sunday, July 14, at least one branch in every borough will be open seven days a week. NYC has three separate library systems. Here’s the list of which system is re-opening which branch or branches
The New York Public Library will open
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Midtown Manhattan,
- Parkchester Library in the Bronx
- Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library on Staten Island.
The Brooklyn Public Library will open
- Kings Highway and Central branches
The Queens Public Library will open
- The Flushing and Central locations
FREE Admission to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
First Monday of the Month – This great opportunity is only for NYC residents. You will have to show proof of NYC residency for free admission.
Everybody can get free admission every Monday, from from 5:30pm to 7pm. Simply log onto 911memorial.org from 7am on the Monday morning of your intended visit and book your free tickets.
Tickets are always free to 9/11 families, and the outdoor memorial plaza is always free.
FREE Friday Evenings at the Intrepid Museum
Fourth Friday of the Month through September – The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum offers special astronomy-themed programming aboard the storied WWII aircraft carrier Intrepid, including presentations by NASA astronauts and officials, and in drop-in activities that include creating an astronaut portrait and building a lunar rover.
Local astronomers are on hand with high-powered telescopes to help visitors navigate the night sky and answer questions about astronomy and stargazing.
- Doors open at 5pm. Last entry to the Museum is at 8:30pm.
- Free Fridays are June 28, July 26, August 23, September 27
- The Intrepid is at 41st St. and the Hudson River. There is an elevated crosswalk across the West Side Highway.
FREE Friday Evenings at the Rubin Museum
Fridays through October 6 – Don’t miss your chance to experience free K2 Friday Nights before The Rubin closes to become a digital and virtual museum without walls.
Enjoy free admission, 2-for-1 drink specials. See below for information on the final exhibit, honoring contemporary artists, and my review of the exhibit.
- The Rubin Museum is at 150 W. 17th St. in Chelsea.
FREE Summer Thursday at the Museum of Jewish Heritage
Thursday, July 25 – Grab a drink and experience live music, mah jongg lessons, exhibition tours, and more while enjoying incredible views of New York Harbor.
Be sure to visit my favorite spot here – the museum’s outdoor Garden of Stones, a memorable place for quiet reflection.
- 5pm to 8pm.
- FREE, but registration is required to manage space.
- MJH is in Lower Manhattan, close to Battery Park
Scroll down for more free museum days.
![Brooklyn's Prospect Park Zoo reopens after storm damage and more family-friendly things to do in NYC_nyctravelguru](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20400%20300%22%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Prospect Park Zoo
As the Simon & Garfinkel song (both NYC natives) says, it’s all happening at the zoo.
The Prospect Park Zoo is open again after being forced to close for eight months due to flood damage caused by the storm last September, which left 25 feet of water in the buildings’ basements. No animals were harmed during or after the flooding. Repairs have cost an estimated $20 million of federal funds, and repair projects are continuing even after the re-opening.
There are some new young animals, including baboons Bandari and Nyani and Pinnelopi the porcupette plus Turtle Time and Conservation stations, sea lion feedings with narration, and more.
The animals are happy to have their humans, back, too.
- Adult tickets are $9.95, seniors are $7.95, children ages 3-12 are $6.95, and children 2 and under are free.
- Reserve tickets here
![The Bronx Zoo celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2024 with new exhibits and special events_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_255/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bronx-Zoo-125th-anniversary-2024-400x255.png)
Bronx Zoo
One of the largest zoos in the USA, the beloved Bronx Zoo celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2024, with a combination of new exhibits and a yearlong schedule of special events – including – .
Animal Chronicles: A NEW temp exhibit includes a walking trail of more than a quarter mile featuring life-size and gigantic, immersive eco-sculptures that showcase key achievements in the Bronx Zoo’s history of saving animal species and connecting New Yorkers to wildlife.
- Animal Chronicles will be available daily and is included with admission.
Monthly Birthday Celebrations: Weekend celebrations will be spread throughout the park on select days from April through September, including parades, performances, crafting, scavenger hunts, tours, Wildlife Theater, and much more.
- Each month will feature a different theme; and this experience will be included with admission.
Ticket prices are $37.75 for adults, $33.25 for seniors 65+ and $28.75 for children 3-15.
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Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City
June 12 to August 10 – Hundreds of FREE concerts, performances and other events.
Dance to live bands under the 10-foot disco ball, relax with friends over a game of corn hole, and enjoy expanded food offerings at the Lincoln Center Night Market.
Complete lineup at SummerfortheCity.org.
Salsa Sundays at Orchard Beach
Sundays through Labor Day weekend – Dance the day away every Sunday at Salsa Sundays.
This beloved FREE community tradition in New York City has been going on for over 50 years. This laid-back outdoor salsa dance party is a mix of live music and DJ sets. invites the Bronx to dance under the sun. Bring your umbrella, chair and cooler and be prepared for weekends full of fun.
- Noon to 5pm at Orchard Beach Parking Section 5
Everybody Tango! – FREE Lessons and Dancing
Wednesdays through July 31 – Enjoy introductory Argentine Tango lessons, music, and dancing in the open air.
FREE lessons are 6:45pm. and 7:45pm. with social dance time between lessons. No reservations required.
- 6:30 – 8:30pm- West Harlem Piers @ 125th & Marginal St
![crowd of people watching outdoor movie screen in Bryant Park_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_267/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Movie-Nights-Bryant-Park_2019-06-24_Angelito-Jusay_254-900x600-1-400x267.jpg)
FREE Monday Night Movies in Bryant Park
June 10 to August 12 – The popular outdoor summer movie series returns, with screenings of popular recent films on a gi-normous screen, sponsored by Paramount+.
This year, the movie nights start on June 10 with crowd favorite Forrest Gump, which is also celebrating its 30th anniversary, and end ten weeks – and ten films later – with the blockbuster Titanic.
Screenings start around 8:30pm, and seating on the lawn opens at 5pm.
Picnics are allowed, even encouraged, but no chairs and no dogs. Or, purchase a picnic from options curated by Hester Street Fair, with a rotating lineup of artisanal vendors from all across the city.
Here is the lineup for June, July and August –
- June 10: Forrest Gump (1994)
- June 17: The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
- June 24: Boomerang (1992)
- July 1: The Gladiator (2000)
- July 8: Old School (2003)
- July 15: Funny Face (1957)
- July 22: Cinema Paradiso (1988)
- July 29: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
- August 5: Arrival (2016)
- August 12: Titanic (1997)
Find more information on the screenings and other free programming on the Bryant Park website.
FREE Movies Under the Stars
This popular program returns with 150 FREE recent blockbuster hits, classic favorites and family-friendly films with screenings in parks in all five NYC boroughs.
Bring a picnic blanket, chairs where permitted, and get set to screen such films as Barbie, Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles and Remember the Titans.
With 150 films, we can’t list each one.
Check the NYC Parks Movies Under the Stars website for the daily schedule, including cancellations in case the weather does not cooperate.
FREE Movies with a View in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Thursday evenings, July 11-August 29 – Movies with a View returns for its 24th season of free, outdoor film screenings in Brooklyn Bridge Park, with a a waterfront view at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn.
The screenings are presented by Pluto TV, has something for everyone, from “Mean Girls” to “Creed” to “Pulp Fiction.”
The grand finale on August 29 will be the public’s choice, with viewers voting between early 2000s kids’ classics “Spy Kids” and “School of Rock” and 2023’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.”
There is food and drink for purchase, including adult beverages from Bar by Fornino, or bring your own for a picnic.
- All movies start at sunset, around 8:30pm.
- The lawn opens at 5pm for early-birds who want to snag a prime spot.
![Summerstage FREE concerts in NYC parks in all five boroughs_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_225/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Summerstage-2024-logo-400x225.png)
FREE SummerStage Concerts in NYC Parks
SummerStage is back with nearly 100 FREE concerts in parks in all five boroughs, including Central Park, the Coney Island Ampitheater and Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens.
The music varies from the Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series to Jazz, Hip-Hop, Latin, and Golden Oldies, plus some ticketed benefit performances.
With 85 FREE concerts, we’re not listing them all.
Click here for the full schedule.
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FREE Shakespeare in Riverside Park
Through August 18 – The Hudson Classical Theater Company returns for its 21st season of FREE Shakespeare in the park, including a unique theatrical event by three actors performing all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in just 97 minutes.
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged): May 30-June 23
- Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare: June 27-July21
- Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare: July 25-Aug 18
Performances are in the plaza behind Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Riverside Drive at 89th St. The theater company provides cushions, or bring your own.
- All the shows are Thursdays to Sunday at 6:30pm.
- There are no reservations or tickets – just be there by 6:15pm for a good seat. No microphones are used, so those in the back may have to strain to hear.
- The company passes a basket after the show so the audience can “Pay What You Can,” with proceeds going to the artists and production costs.
Tier 5 Theater Company
August 8-25 – This innovative theater group prevents an immersive and LGBTQ-themed version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with actors moving through the audience space.
The play is billed as “the hottest, gaggiest, best Pride in the history of Pride, especially with Theseus and Hippolyta, literal queer icons, closing the festival with their nuptials- the wedding of the century! Anyone who is anyone is going to be there. But, when the lovers’ feud of King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania, spills over, things are going to get real messy. Using the original text of Shakespeare’s most legendary comedy, this story is getting a queer, fabulous twist that only Tier5 could do”.
- Tickets are priced from $12.51
- All performances are at El Barrio’s ArtSpace PS109, 215 E 99th St
Queens Night Market
Saturdays, through July 27 – Queens has been nicknamed “The World’s Borough,” as it’s one of the most diverse counties in the world, and at Queens Night Market in Flushing Meadow Corona Park, that diversity is on full display via art, performances, and the main draw: international cuisine.
The open-air night market features more than 100 vendors, with food representing Tibet, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Trinidad, Venezuela, Cambodia, and more.
Bring cash to ensure you can grab a snack from any stall that strikes your fancy.
- FREE, 4pm to Midnight, at Flushing Meadow Corona Park
![FREE outdoor concerts, theater, dance performances and food festivals in NYC this summer_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_267/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Little_Island_HudsonRiverPark-400x267.jpg)
FREE and Ticketed Performances at Little Island
Through September – Hudson River Park’s Little Island has announced a lineup of nine free and affordable summer programming, with nothing over $25.
The public park will also unveil a 700-seat amphitheater with Twyla Tharp’s “How Long Blues.”
Your best bet is to check the daily schedule on the website.
Wednesdays, through August 7 at 6pm in the Public Square & Gardens.
- July 10: Brynn Cartelli
- July 17: Ray Bull
- August 7: Keke Palmer
NYC Free and Cheap Events in July
![NYC has more than 40 miles of sand and surf beaches, including Coney Island_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_267/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Coney-Island_nyctourism-400x267.jpg)
Coney Island Fireworks
Every Friday through Labor Day, enjoy Friday Night Fireworks, which begin at approximately 9:45pm and launch from the beach at West 12th Street, providing a breathtaking backdrop to the iconic boardwalk and amusement parks.
![people walking and bicycling in a NYC street_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_267/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-Streets-crowd-400x267.jpg)
Summer Streets Car-Free Streets
Five Saturdays, July 27 through August 24 – The popular program returns with more than 20 miles of NYC streets in all five boroughs closed to traffic in favor of walkers, runners and cyclists.
All routes except for Staten Island remain the same as last year, and there are extended hours this year, 7am to 3pm.
Saturday, July 27
- Queens: Vernon Boulevard between 44th Drive and 30th Road.
- Staten Island: Broadway between Richmond Terrace and Clove Road.
Saturday, August 3, 10, and 17
Manhattan: From the Brooklyn Bridge to West 125th Street.
- Lafayette Street and Park Avenue between Brooklyn Bridge and East 109 Street
- East 109th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue
- 5th Avenue between East 109th Street and Central Park North
- Central Park North between 5th Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard between Central Park North and West 125th Street
Saturday, August 24
- Brooklyn: Eastern Parkway between Grand Army Plaza and Buffalo Avenue.
- The Bronx: Grand Concourse between East Tremont Avenue and Mosholu Parkway.
The broader Open Streets program is also in effect, with more than 100 streets closed to vehicles to transform them into safe public spaces for recreation, programming, and more.
- New locations in 2024 include Audubon Avenue in Manhattan, Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, 62nd Street in Queens, and Bristol Street in Brooklyn.
Last Chance For These Museums and Exhibits
![Best NYC museum exhibits to see now_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_400/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MJH-Survivors-Faces-of-Life-After-the-Holocaust-400x400.jpg)
Museum of Jewish Heritage
Through Sunday, July 28 – Last chance to see this compelling exhibit Survivors: Faces of Life After the Holocaust – after nearly two years at the Museum.
Featuring portraits of Holocaust survivors by Martin Schoeller, this exhibit was created to mark the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. These stunning portraits are made all the more impactful by the quotes and biographies of the survivors that accompany each photograph.
- Book your tickets at: mjhnyc.org/facesoflife
- The Museum of Jewish Heritage (MJH) is in Lower Manhattan near Battery Park
![Virtual exhibit of paintings by three generations of artists affected by the Holocaust. including artists who survived Auschwitz and Terezin_evelynkanter](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_225/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/UN-Outreach-Programme-Yom-HaShoah-virtual-exhibition-400x225.png)
Responsibility of Memory: The Role of Art in Holocaust Remembrance
Holocaust Remembrance Day was in May, but this virtual art exhibit remembering Yom HaShoah is on-going, sponsored by The Holocaust and United Nations Outreach Programme
The FREE online exhibit features three generations of artists whose lives were impacted by the Holocaust and whose art was shaped by this experience – including artists who survived Auschwitz Birkenau and Terezin.
There are full descriptions of each painting, along with bios of each artist represented in the exhibit.
The exhibition was curated by the Center for Persecuted Arts and Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, and is sponsored by the German Federal Foreign Office with support from of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations.
Collecting Inspiration at the Met
Through Oct. 20 in Gallery 199 – Edward Moore was the creative force who led Tiffany & Co. to unparalleled originality and success during the second half of the 19th century. He amassed a vast collection of decorative arts of exceptional quality and in various media, from Greek and Roman glass and Japanese baskets to metalwork from the Islamic world.
These objects were a source of inspiration for Moore, a noted silversmith in his own right, and the designers he supervised.
The exhibition Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co. features more than 180 extraordinary examples from Moore’s personal collection, alongside 70 magnificent silver objects designed and created at Tiffany & Co. under his direction.
The Met Roof – Every year the Met commissions an artist for a rooftop display. This year, it is Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj who has transformed The Met Roof with a sprawling sculptural installation.
On Friday and Saturday evenings through Autumn, you can also enjoy cocktails and snacks, with a stunning sunset view of Central Park.
- The Met Roof is FREE with museum admission.
![Final exhibition at the Rubin Museum includes a six-story fabric sculpture with traditional Himilayan motifs_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_300,h_400/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Rubin-Museum-final-exhibit_EvelynKanter-photo-C-Copyright-All-Rights-Reserved-300x400.jpeg)
Final Exhibition at the Rubin Museum
The home of Himalayan and East Asian art is closing permanently in October 2024 to become a “museum without walls”, offering virtual tours and workshops and loaning its treasures to other museums around the world.
Fittingly, the final exhibition is a look ahead, focusing on current artwork by modern Himalayan and East Asian artists, all focusing on their cultural heritage in new ways, including some artists born here in New York City.
Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now is a museum-wide exhibition featuring artworks by 32 contemporary artists, many from the Himalayan region and diaspora. Explore all six floors of the Rubin Museum, which has been transformed with new commissions and recent works in dialogue with objects from the Rubin’s collection, inviting new ways of encountering traditional Himalayan art.
I attended a media preview, and was most impressed by the new exhibit, which is dominated by a six-floor fabric sculpture blazing with color and dotted with traditional symbols and animals.
The building – with an architecturally-significant five-story circular staircase – was previously a department store. A museum spokesperson told me the building would be sold, probably in 2024. I told her I hope the sale contract requires that the building NOT be razed for a high-rise condo.
- The Rubin Museum is at 150 W. 17th St. in Chelsea.
![Best museum exhibits to see now_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_400/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fotografiska_New_York_51710073919-400x400.webp)
Fotografiska New York
Through Sunday, Sept, 29 – The photography museum is closing its location at 219 Park Avenue South to move to a new, larger space.
The museum’s well-regarded restaurant Verōnika and the Chapel Bar close in June.
According to Crain’s, the architecturally stunning building is being put on the market. The property was last listed in 2022 for $135 million, but it did not sell.
Constructed between 1892 and 1894 for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church, the ornate building features a Flemish Renaissance Revival style and a striking limestone facade.
The building, known as the Church Missions House, was part of an area formerly known as “Charity Row.” It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Following its closure in September, the museum will host an exhibition covering a century of NYC nightlife photography in a temporary space. No details of a new location for the museum have been announced yet.Frick Madison Photo Joseph Coscia Jr.
Frick Madison Closed Permanently
After three years at its temporary space called Frick Madison at 945 Madison Ave. while Henry Clay Frick’s historic and ornate Fifth Avenue mansion underwent a massive renovation, the artwork returns “home” to East 70th Street, and reopens before the end of 2024.
It will take that long for curators and designers to re-install the precious items, which includes works by Fragonard, Holbein, Rembrandt, Turner, Vermeer, and Whistler, as well as significant sculptures, Chinese porcelain, Oriental carpets, bronzes, and other decorative arts objects.
I really enjoyed seeing the luscious historic collection in the stark, modernist setting of Marcel Breuer’s iconic building, formerly home of the Whitney Museum of American Art, before it moved downtown to new digs in Chelsea. The “brutalist” architecture made the romantic, ethereal artworks feel so much more romantic and ethereal.
The building has been purchased by Sotheby’s, to become an exhibit area for auctions and offices.
ICYMI – News Worth Noting
IKEA will be opening in the heart of the Fifth Avenue shopping district as a prime anchor of a new office tower being constructed at 570 Fifth Avenue, between West 46th and 47th Streets, at the edge of the Diamond District..
The program FREE NYC busses in all five boroughs will be ending soon, probably in September 2024, one year after it launched.
The program was designed to boost ridership – and it did – one the one route in each borough which offered FREE ridership.
So act quickly to get your free rides on –
- Bx18 in the Bronx
- B60 in Brooklyn
- Q4 in Queens
- M116 (crosstown) in Manhattan
- S46/96 in Staten Island
![People in a museum gallery](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_250,h_160/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Guggenheim-gallery-250x160.jpg)
See Also
More FREE Things to Do in NYC
Things to Do in Staten Island
Best NYC Airport Transportation
Carnegie Hall Citywide FREE Concerts
Through July, Carnegie Hall Citywide offers free concerts in all five boroughs, mostly in NYC museums and parks, and also one in Times Square.
The concerts a variety of music, from opera to Jazz, Latin and Indian.
NYC Free and Cheap Events in August
![best things to do in NYC include free dance performances_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_258/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Battery-Dance-2023-400x258.jpg)
Battery Dance Festival
August 11 to August 17 – Battery Dance celebrates the 43rd Anniversary of its FREE summer festival with in-person and live-streamed performances staged each night, featuring a variety of dance styles and dance groups from around the world.
Sunday, August 11: A’nó:wara Dance Theatre; Battery Dance; Focus Dance Company; Sun Kim Dance Theatre; Alexandra F. Light; McKoy Dance Project || MDP; wee dance company
Monday, August 12: Young Voices in Dance: Andrea Agostini; Marshall Kahente Diabo; Carsyn Gekas; Zev Haworth, Hannah Howell; Malachi Kingston; Anna Lopez; Kailei Sin; Priscilla Tom; Chen-Jung Yeh
Tuesday, August 13: A’nó:wara Dance Theatre; AU.THENTICITY DANCE CO.; Julie Crothers; Focus Dance Company; Lucas Crew; wee dance company
Wednesday, August 14: Battery Dance; Carolyn Dorfman Dance; Lucas Crew; Rutkay Özpinar; Pori Dance Company
Thursday, August 15: India Day: Radhika Jha; Rajesh Sai Babu Mayurbhanj Chhau Group
Friday, August 16: FUTURE 400: Ballet Nepantla; Battery Dance; Capoeira Luanda NYC; FANIKE! African Dance Troupe; Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company; Rutkay Özpinar
Saturday, August 17: Buglisi Dance Theatre; Pony Box Dance Theatre; Pori Dance Company; T’Ana Selah; Wyatt Sutter & Charles Pierson
- Outdoor performances are at 7pm in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City.
- For more information, visit batterydance.org/battery-dance-festival/
![Marchers carrying historic flags at entrance to historic Green-Wood Cemetery to commemorate the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_400/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/452119414_881928177302082_4702525538017104629_n-2-400x400.jpg)
Commemorating the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn
- 11:00am to 3:00pm.
- FREE, but reservations recommended to manage space.
NYC Free and Cheap Events in September
![vintage NYC bus with Brooklyn Bridge in background_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_267/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NYC-Transit-Museum-vintage-bus-festival-400x267.jpg)
2024 Bus Festival at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sunday, September 8 – Bus-lovers, get revved up!
The New York Transit Museum‘s 2024 Bus Festival is rolling into Brooklyn Bridge Park on September 8th. Explore vintage buses, enjoy family-friendly activities, shop for bus-themed souvenirs, and enjoy picture-perfect views of retro buses and the Manhattan skyline from Emily Warren Roebling Plaza under the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Bus Festival is free, and is being held rain or shine, from 10am – 3:30pm,
- RSVP at nytransitmuseum.org/BusFestival for the chance to win a family membership.
See Also
Best FREE Things in NYC Year-Round
Late Night Shows Taped in New York City
The late night shows taped in NYC are one of the most popular tickets in town. Here’s how to get FREE tickets to be in the audience.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Jon Stewart Returns to The Daily Show
First Weekend of the Month Museum Deals
![Couple looking at modern art_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_328/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MOMA-couple-400x328.jpg)
Free Admission to Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Friday, July 5
UNIQLO NYC Nights are the first Friday of each month, 4–8 pm.
New York City residents get free admission courtesy of UNIQLO, but everyone can enjoy an evening out in our galleries with paid admission.
See new art in the galleries, enjoy music by DJs from The Lot Radio, grab a drink at the pop-up bar, get creative with drop-in drawing sessions, see a film in the theaters, and enjoy the spring weather in the lovely outdoor sculpture garden.
Free First Fridays at Neue Galerie, Friday, Fri., July 5
First Fridays at Neue Galerie offer free admission and extra hours to closing, the first Friday of the month.
Visitors are admitted free at 5 p.m. and the galleries remain open until 8 p.m. No registration is required, and admission is first-come, first-served.
The Book Store and Design Shop stay open late, too.
Free First Fridays at Poster House, Friday, Fri., July 5
Poster House is the first museum in the United States dedicated to the global history of posters. First Fridays free admission is all day, 10am to 9pm
Every First Friday is different, with tours, workshops, performances, and activities, to further engage visitors with the exhibitions.
- Poster House is at 119 West 23 St. in Chelsea. tel. 617-447-7453
Free Fridays & Sundays at The Whitney Museum of American Art
The Meatpacking District art museum has dropped its “pay-what-you-wish” system on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on the second Sunday of every month, when admission will be free for all visitors.
Second Sundays offers free all-day admission to visitors and special programming for families. On the second Sunday of every month, guests can enjoy all-ages arts & crafts activities, tours, classes, and other special events connected to exhibitions on view at the Whitney or significant community events like Earth Day or Pride Month.
Also on view will be the museum’s permanent collection exhibitions, featuring artists such as Edward Hopper, Kara Walker, Georgia O’Keeffe, Kevin Beasley, Faith Ringgold, Lee Krasner, Jasper Johns, Alexander Calder, Jacob Lawrence, Carrie Mae Weems, Andrea Carlson, and Clarissa Tossin.
The Whitney hopes free admission will make the museum more enticing to potential visitors and open the doors to a wider audience.
Free admission tickets must be reserved in advance.
![Free museum admission includes the Jewish Museum in NYC_nyctravelguru](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_263/https://ecoxplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jewish-Museum-400x263.webp)
Free Saturdays at the Jewish Museum
There is FREE admission every Saturday.
My personal favorite is the ongoing “Scenes from the Collection” exhibit, with the delightful yellow sculpture shown here. From one side, it spells OY, the German and Yiddish phrase for “uh-oh”. From the other side, it spells YO, now used by multiple cultures in NYC as a greeting. Which one do you use – OY, or YO, or both?
- The Jewish Museum is at 1109 Fifth Ave. at 92nd St.
Free Tours of Hart Island
Hart Island is now open to the public. Since 1869, more than 1 million New Yorkers have been laid to rest on the island.
NYC Parks is now offering visits twice per month so New Yorkers can learn about its important history and see the beauty of the island and enjoy picture postcard views of the city.
You can put your name in the lottery for a free walking tour here.
- Tours are Tuesdays, 10am to 1pm
This NYC Best Things to Do Calendar is updated at the beginning and middle of each month.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is the author or editor of numerous NYC guidebooks and apps.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA),
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA)
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
This is great! I love exploring my city and being made aware of what’s going on and where to go!