Museum of the Moving Image Free Days

Updated 2026-09-15 · Free · No sign-up

Museum of the Moving Image is free thursdays 2pm–6pm. Free general admission every Thursday from 2 to 6pm, no reservations required — just walk in. Regular general admission covers all galleries including special exhibitions. Not needed — 'no reservations required' for free Thursdays; walk-ups welcome anytime Verified on Museum of the Moving Image's own page, last checked 2026-09-14.

At a glance

Free dayThursdays 2pm–6pm
Who qualifiesEveryone
ReservationNot needed — 'no reservations required' for free Thursdays; walk-ups welcome anytime
What's includedAll galleries, including special exhibitions
Regular adult price$10-$20 adult (variable pricing)
Sourcemovingimage.org · checked 2026-09-14

The math

Regular adult admission at MoMI is $10, so timing the visit to the free window keeps $20 in a couple's pocket and up to $40 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.

Upcoming free days

  • Thursday, Sep 24, 2026
  • Thursday, Oct 1, 2026
  • Thursday, Oct 8, 2026
  • Thursday, Oct 15, 2026
  • Thursday, Oct 22, 2026
  • Thursday, Oct 29, 2026

Dates computed from the published schedule rule as of 2026-09-15 — an institution can still cancel one for a private event or holiday. Confirm on the official page before you go.

Know before you go

  • Who qualifies: everyone — no residency requirement on this one.
  • Reservations: Not needed — 'no reservations required' for free Thursdays; walk-ups welcome anytime.
  • What's covered: All galleries, including special exhibitions.
  • Schedule detail: free Thursday afternoons, walk-in.
  • Worth knowing: Paid general admission includes a same-day regular film screening ticket (value up to $17.50) if one is scheduled, first-come first-served at arrival.

Other ways in, no calendar required

  • There's also Museums for All — show a SNAP EBT card and photo ID at any of 1,700+ participating institutions and up to four people pay $5 or less, every normal operating day. Whether MoMI participates is on the official roster.
  • An art- or history-museum membership from another city may already cover MoMI: check the NARM roster with our reciprocity lookup — a qualifying membership travels to 1,400+ museums.

Dates don't line up?

Regular tickets ($10-$20 adult (variable pricing)) are on movingimage.org; buying direct means no reseller markup. Multi-attraction visitors can compare CityPASS New York, which packages top New York sights below walk-up prices; whether MoMI appears in the lineup changes year to year, so verify before you buy.

Also free in New York

American Museum of Natural History (pay-what-you-wish daily (residents)) · Bronx Zoo (no regular free day) · MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) (fridays 5:30pm–8:30pm) · The Metropolitan Museum of Art (pay-what-you-wish daily (residents)) · Brooklyn Museum (pay-what-you-wish daily) · Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (sun/tue 4pm–5:30pm (pwyw)) · Whitney Museum of American Art (fridays 5pm–10pm) · 9/11 Memorial & Museum (mondays 5:30pm–7pm) — or see the full free museum days in New York guide.

Next month's free days, emailed

A single monthly email covering New York's free days — every date checked against the official pages first.

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↥ Check another museum →   Browse all free museum & zoo days →

FAQ

When is Museum of the Moving Image free?

Free general admission every Thursday from 2 to 6pm, no reservations required — just walk in. Regular general admission covers all galleries including special exhibitions.

Do I need a reservation for Museum of the Moving Image's free days?

Not needed — 'no reservations required' for free Thursdays; walk-ups welcome anytime

What does a free day at Museum of the Moving Image include?

All galleries, including special exhibitions

How much is Museum of the Moving Image normally?

$10-$20 adult (variable pricing). A free-day visit puts that back in your pocket.

How much does a family save on a MoMI free day?

At $10 per adult, two adults keep $20 and a group of four paying adult prices keeps up to $40 per visit — before parking and extras.

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