There are so many ways to have a fun, educational family outing without spending too much money. Luckily, some of Staten Island’s museums offer free admission on select days, and in some cases, every day! And, if you don’t mind paying a toll, head to Brooklyn or New Jersey for even more free fun. Browse our list below to find out when you can visit museums, botanical gardens, and zoos in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and nearby New Jersey for free.
Staten Island Museums with Free Admission
Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden
1000 Richmond Terrace
718-448-2500
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When it’s free: The main outdoor grounds are free and open seven days a week from dawn to dusk.
Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk
Snug Harbor serves as a cultural destination because it is home to several museums and offers programming in arts, education, horticulture, agriculture and recreation. Most of the site’s botanical gardens are free, including the Rose Garden, Perennial Garden, White Garden, and the Healing Garden.
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Staten Island Museum
1000 Richmond Terrace
718-727-1135
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When it’s free: Admission is always a suggested donation of $8; $5, seniors; $2 kids
Hours: Friday-Sunday, 11am-5pm
One of several museums located on the grounds of Snug Harbor, the Staten Island Museum explores global themes through a local lens. Current exhibits include Jennifer Angus: Magicicada, an immersive environment full of ornamental patterns and vignettes created with hundreds of preserved insects (through May 22, 2022). Remember the Mastodon is an ongoing exhibit. It focuses on facts of extinction, the importance of biodiversity, and includes fossils, a full-size replica of a mastodon, and lost bird species.
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Noble Maritime Collection
1000 Richmond Terrace
718-447-6490
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When it’s free: Admission is by donation
Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 12-5pm
The Noble Maritime Collection is another popular museum at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. It celebrates the art of John A. Noble (1913-1983) and the history of Sailors’ Snug Harbor and Robbins Reef Lighthouse.
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Staten Island Zoo
705 Clove Road
718-442-3100
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When it’s free: Wednesdays after 2pm
Hours: Daily, 10am-4:45pm
The zoo is home to many animals, including sloths, foxes, otters, reptiles, and more. Domestic animals live here, too, including horses, sheep, goats, and rabbits.
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Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
2351 Veterans Road W.
718-605-3970 x201
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When it’s free: Always!
Hours: Grounds: daily, dawn to dusk.
Clay Pit Ponds is a 260-acre state park preserve in Staten Island’s South Shore. It has the Interpretive Center, which offers the community free educational programs, cultural and natural history exhibits, and trail access—all for free.
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Museums in Brooklyn with Free Admission
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
990 Washington Ave., Crown Heights
718-623-7200
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When it’s free: Pay what you can Tuesday-Friday, December-February.
Hours: Seasonal. Check the website for the current schedule.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden features a variety of gardens for visitors to enjoy. Explore the Discovery Garden, take in the scents in the Fragrance Garden, and more. Don’t miss walking down the Cherry Esplanade in the spring. It’s a broad lawn bordered by allées of flowering cherry and red oak trees.
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Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights
718-735-4400
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When it’s free: Thursday, 2-5pm
Hours: Thursday-Friday, 2-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-1pm and 2-5pm
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum offers exhibits, multicultural performances, workshops, and a collection of cultural artifacts and natural science specimens. This winter, you can even go ice-skating on its rooftop rink!
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New York Aquarium
602 Surf Ave., Coney Island
718-265-3474
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When it’s free: Wednesday afternoons. Advance timed tickets are required.
Hours: Check the website for current hours.
The New York Aquarium, part of the Wildlife Conservation Society, is home to many marine species, including jellies, sharks and rays, in Coney Island.
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Museums in New Jersey with Free Admission
Pascack Historical Society
19 Ridge Ave., Park Ridge
201-573-0307
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When it’s free: Always!
Hours: Wednesday, 10am-12pm; Sunday, 1-4pm
This Bergen County museum has thousands of objects, artifacts, and ephemera that chronicle life in Pascack Valley over many years.
