McNay Art Museum is free thursdays 4pm–9pm. General admission is free for everyone every Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., courtesy of H-E-B, and on the first Sunday of every month from noon to 5 p.m., courtesy of the Dickson Allen Foundation. Special exhibitions cost $10 during these free times. Children 12 and under, SNAP/WIC/MAP recipients, and active military and veterans are always free. No advance reservation required; tickets available online Verified on McNay Art Museum's own page, last checked 2026-09-14.
| Free day | Thursdays 4pm–9pm |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Everyone — no residency restriction |
| Reservation | No advance reservation required; tickets available online |
| What's included | General admission |
| Regular adult price | $23 adult |
| Source | mcnayart.org · checked 2026-09-14 |
Regular adult admission at McNay Art Museum is $23, so timing the visit to the free window keeps $46 in a couple's pocket and up to $92 for a family of four — every qualifying week. And since this free day is open to everyone, it's the cheapest possible way through the door. The catch is capacity, not money: free slots are reserved in advance and the popular dates go first, so the reservation is the real currency here.
Regular tickets ($23 adult) are on mcnayart.org — book direct, there's no markup. Making a San Antonio trip of it? CityPASS San Antonio bundles several of the city's top attractions at a discount — check whether McNay Art Museum is in the current lineup before buying.
San Antonio Museum of Art (tuesdays 4pm–7pm) · Witte Museum (tuesdays 3pm–6pm) · San Antonio Zoo (no regular free day) — or see the full free museum days in San Antonio guide.
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General admission is free for everyone every Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., courtesy of H-E-B, and on the first Sunday of every month from noon to 5 p.m., courtesy of the Dickson Allen Foundation. Special exhibitions cost $10 during these free times. Children 12 and under, SNAP/WIC/MAP recipients, and active military and veterans are always free.
No advance reservation required; tickets available online
General admission
$23 adult. That's what a well-timed visit saves you.
At $23 per adult, two adults keep $46 and a group of four paying adult prices keeps up to $92 per visit — before parking and extras.