Brooklyn Museum: first Saturday each month, 5-11pm. Regular admission $20, completely free during these specific hours. Address: 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn. Take 2/3 to Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum station.

Bronx Museum of the Arts: permanently free admission, year-round. Address: 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx. Take 4/5/6 to 161st Street-Yankee Stadium, walk 10 minutes. Museum of the City of New York: free for NYC residents with valid ID, $20 for visitors. Address: 1220 5th Avenue at 103rd Street.

Chelsea gallery district: always free admission to world-class contemporary art. Walk 10th-11th Avenues between 20th-27th Streets on Saturday afternoons. Major galleries include David Zwirner (525 W 19th St), Gagosian (555 W 24th St), and Pace Gallery (540 W 25th St). Plan 3-4 hours to hit 15+ galleries showing museum-quality exhibitions.

Staten Island Museum: permanently free, plus combine with free Staten Island Ferry ride (also free) for harbor views. Ferry departs every 30 minutes from Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan. Total transportation cost: $0.

Additional free options: Whitney Museum does pay-what-you-wish Friday evenings 7-10pm for NY residents with ID. New Museum offers free Thursday evening admission 7-9pm for visitors under 25 with valid ID.