Smithsonian Museum Day is happening next month and you can get into these NYC museums for free

Living in New York means trying to do as many cool things as possible while not depleting all of your funds in a single weekend.

Luckily, the Smithsonian Magazine’s 15th annual Museum Day is coming up which means you can pencil in a whole day of culture without paying the price. New York has a dearth of the best museums in the world, and on Sept 21 several will open their doors for free to those who present a Museum Day ticket. Each ticket provides free admission for two people so you can consider it a magic ticket to impress a first date or spend a fun day with a roommate. All you need to do is register with an email on their website and select your museum in advance. 

This year’s theme is celebrating boundless curiosity, and you can start by exploring the hefty roster of participating locations here. Some standouts include the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Museum of Arts and Design, Museum of Chinese in America, Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, Intrepid Sea, Museum at Eldridge Street,  Air & Space Museum, Bard Graduate Center Gallery, Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators, Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden among others.

See, being a tourist in your own city can be fun! While you’re at it, check out the best exhibitions not to miss right now, or make your way down this list of other free activities to get you out your apartment door.