When you can get into Philadelphia’s best museums for free

Museums can easily become a person’s favorite place. The colors, art, history, and stories are enticing — but admission can add up. Whether you’re a local or just visiting Philadelphia, the trick is knowing the best times to snag discounted rates, attend special events, or visit on pay-as-you-wish days.

To help you get the most out of Philly’s best cultural institutions, we’ve compiled a list of local museums and how you can access them for free (or at least on the cheap).

When it’s free: As of publication, there are currently no free-entry events planned. However, the first Sunday of the month and every Friday night, from 5 to 8:45 p.m., you can pay what you wish to enter — it must be at least $0.01.

Standard admission: $25 for adults.

Kids admission: Those 18 and under visit for free.

Student admission: $14.

Senior (65 and older) admission: $23.

Pro tip: Sunday is best for families and children. Friday evenings are better for adult visitors. Saturday afternoons tend to be the busiest. The $25 admission cost covers two days of visits.

📅 Monday-Sunday. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. ⌚10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Saturday to Thursday), closing time extends to 8:45 p.m. on Friday. 📍2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 📞 215-763-8100, 🌐philamuseum.org

When it’s free: Admission is always pay-what-you-wish. However, as at the Museum of Art, you can’t pay less than a cent.

Kids admission: Children under 18 enter completely free.

Suggested admission: $7 for students, $11 for seniors 65 and over, and $12 for adults.

Pro tip: In the summer, the Rodin is open late on Friday evenings for the Rodin Garden Bar. If you buy a ticket for the Art Museum, it covers your visit to the Rodin Museum.

📅 Monday-Sunday. Closed Tuesday to Thursday, ⌚10 a.m. to 5 p.m.📍2151 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 📞 215-763-8100, 🌐rodinmuseum.org

When it’s free: The first Sunday of each month, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but registration is required. The first Sunday of February will honor Black History Month with story time, performances by Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective, and a tribute to Nina Simone. Registration opens 10 a.m. on Feb. 2. Additionally, you can expect free admission in the summer, during Barnes on the Block, but those dates are still in the works.

Standard admission: $30 for adults.

Kids admission: Children younger than 13 enter for free. Teens 13 to 18 pay $5.

Student admission: College students with ID pay $5, but you have to buy tickets over the phone.

Senior (65 and older) admission: $28.

Pro tip: According to a representative, Mondays and Thursdays are the best days to visit if you want to avoid the influx of people on the weekends.

📅 Thursday-Monday. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday, ⌚11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 📍2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 📞215-278-7000, 💵 $30 for adults, 🌐barnesfoundation.org

When it’s free: During Wawa Welcome America festival (late June or early July), and Collegefest (dates to be announced). The rest of the year, the Family Arts Academy program grants you museum access on select Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. for a free art workshop. PAFA alumni and military families have free admission throughout the year.

Standard admission: $18 for adults.

Kids admission: Children 12 and under get in for free; teens 13 to 18, $10.

Student admission: Free for Philadelphia Community College, Saint Joseph’s University, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University, University of Pennsylvania, University of the Arts, Ursinus College students with a valid ID. All other college students pay $15.

Senior admission: Seniors 55 and older pay $15.

Pro tip: The busiest days are Saturday and Sunday.

📅 Thursday-Sunday. Closed Monday to Wednesday,⌚10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Thursday and Friday), 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. 📍118-128 N. Broad St., 📞215-972-7600, 🌐pafa.org

When it’s free: This museum is free at all times but if you are planning on visiting with eight or more people, you need to notify them at least 48 hours before arrival.

Pro tip: Wednesday evenings are best for special programming events, and Thursdays are reserved for more artist lectures. In March, expect a solo museum exhibition of film and video artists Terence Nance and Carolyn Lazard.

📅 Opens on March 10, Wednesday- Sunday, ⌚noon to 6 p.m.📍118 S. 36th St, 📞215-898-7108, 💵 Free, 🌐icaphila.org

When it’s free: Currently there are no free events during regular hours. However, the Dinos after Dark event is pay-what-you-wish one Friday a month, from 4 to 8 p.m. — the current dates are Jan. 27, Feb. 24, and March 24, with dates for the rest of the year to be announced. Technically, you can pay nothing, but the suggested donation is $10.

Standard admission: $27 for adults.

Kids admission: Children younger than 2 enter for free. Kids 2 to 12, $23; teens 13 and over pay the regular adult fee.

Student admission: Admission is free for college students during Collegefest only. Drexel University DragonCard holders enter for free year-round. All other students pay $24.

Reduced admission: Military members and seniors pay $24.

Pro tip: Buying tickets online saves you $2. If you visit the museum after 3 p.m., tickets are $10 for everyone over 2. For less crowded days, consider visiting from Wednesday to Friday. If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing museum trip, 2 p.m. is the best time, according to a museum representative.

📅 Wednesday-Sunday,⌚10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, open until 5 p.m. on weekends.📍1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 📞215-299-1000, 🌐ansp.org

When it’s free: Penn Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia patients and families, teachers, active duty military members, and veterans with IDs can visit for free all year long. If you don’t fall under any of those groups, worry not. Penn Museum will be free for a single day during Wawa Welcome America upon online advanced registration — the date has not been announced.

Standard admission: $18.

Kids admission: Children under 6 can visit for free; teens under 18, $13. In 2023, Penn is bringing back their Winter Break event, and underage children will be able to visit for free, from Dec. 26 to 29.

Student admission: Teens 13 to 19 can enter for free every Tuesday to Friday (3 to 5 p.m.), Saturday to Sunday (10 a.m.- 5 p.m.), and the first Wednesday of the month (5-8 p.m.). Tickets must be acquired at the museum, but you just need your zip code and the name of your school. College students can also enter for free on the same days except for the weekend.

Senior (65 and over) admission: $16.

Pro tip: Weekends tend to be busier, so if you are looking for a calmer visit consider going during the work week. To find free tours, keep an eye on their events calendar.

📅 Tuesday–Sunday,⌚10 a.m. to 5 p.m.📍3260 South St., 📞215-898-4000, 🌐penn.museum

When it’s free: Free community days are available throughout the year but the schedule for 2023 is yet to be announced. Check the museum’s event calendar.

Standard admission: General admission is $19 Monday to Thursday, and $22 Friday to Sunday.

Kids admission: Children and adult tickets cost the same. However, for children with autism, learning disabilities, and other sensory or communication needs, the Play without Boundaries program gives free admission one Sunday a month for kids and caregivers. In February and March, this will be Sunday the 19th. Registration is required.

Student admission: Philadelphia School District and public charter kindergarteners and first graders on a field trip can visit the museum for free. Check the guidelines before going.

Reduced admission: Active duty military, police, and firefighters pay $2. The general public can also visit for $2 on the first Wednesday of the month, from 4 to 7 p.m. Members of the Association of Children’s Museums can get tickets at half price.

Pro tip: Weekends tend to be busier. If you prefer lighter crowds, consider visiting Monday through Friday, particularly in the morning. Tickets are only available online. Tickets are $3 more from Friday to Sunday.

📅 Monday – Sunday. Closed on Tuesday,⌚ 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., opens at 11 a.m. on Sunday. 📍Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, 📞215-581-3181, 🌐pleasetouchmuseum.org

When it’s free: The second Sunday of each month, people who want a sensory-friendly experience at the museum can enter for free, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The event requires registration. If you want a more traditional visit, entry will be pay-what-you wish on March 24 for the “Black Founders Women’s History Night.”

Standard admission: $21.

Kids admission: Children 5 and under visit for free; kids 6 to 17, $13.

Student admission: $19 for all students.

Reduced admission: Seniors 65 and over, teachers, and active duty military members pay $19.

Pro tip: Wednesdays tend to be the quietest day. If you have a SEPTA Key card, you can get $2 off the admission ticket when you buy in person. Buying online saves you $3. All tickets are valid for two consecutive days.

📅 Monday–Sunday,⌚ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.📍101 S. Third St., 📞215-253-6731, 🌐amrevmuseum.org

When it’s free: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Juneteenth, and Constitution Day. Active military members have free entry year-round.

Standard admission: $14.50.

Kids admission: Children younger than 6 can visit for free. Kids 7 to 18, pay $14.50.

Student admission: College students with ID pay $13. For middle and high school students, the Constitutional Ambassadors Program offers free field trips, including transportation, from now until the end of March. Register your class before going.

Reduced admission: Seniors (65 and older), $13; veterans admission, $11.

Pro tip: For folks who want to check out the museum outside of normal hours, it will be open on Monday, Feb. 20 for Presidents Day. During Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Spring Break, the center will have special programming for educators, students, and families, including talks, tours, story time, arts and crafts, and historical reenactments.

📅 Wednesday–Sunday,⌚ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.📍525 Arch St., 📞215-409-6600, 🌐constitutioncenter.org

When it’s free: On Martin Luther King Jr. Day and during special events like Searchlight Series, Family Fall Festival, and Wawa Welcome America — 2023 dates TBD. For folks living in zip codes 19130 and 19121, admission is free every second Sunday of the month — no reservation required.

Standard admission: $17.

Kids admission: Kids under 7, free. Children up to 12, $13.

Student admission: $13 with ID. Group visits from Philadelphia public and charter schools are always free. Teachers can book class trips for groups of 15 or more online.

Senior admission: $15.

📅Monday–Sunday,⌚ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry is at 4 p.m.)📍2027 Fairmount Ave., 📞215-236-3300,🌐easternstate.org

When it’s free: The museum may have free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, and Kwanzaa, but it depends on programming. The next confirmed free day will be June 19, for Juneteenth.

Standard admission: $14.

Kids admission: Children under 4 are admitted free. Children under 13 have a reduced fare of $10.

Student admission: $10 with a student ID.

Senior admission: $10.

Pro tip: According to an AAMP representative, there is no best day to visit but weekends are busier.

📅Thursday–Sunday,⌚ Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but entry is done in time slots, so it depends on your group.📍701 Arch St., 📞215-574-0380, 🌐aampmuseum.org

When it’s free: It’s free all year long due to a grant, through 2025.

Pro tip: Come early for special events to avoid crowds. And if you are hoping to see the Future Will Follow the Past exhibition, it just got extended through Independence Day weekend.

📅Friday-Sunday,⌚ Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.📍101 South Independence Mall, 📞215-923-3811, 🌐theweitzman.org

When it’s free: Wagner offers free admission throughout the year.

Pro tip: This is the first year visitors will have the option to participate in scavenger hunts at the institute. If you are looking for special programming, the first Saturday of the month, from September through May, is the best time to visit.

📅Tuesday- Friday, ⌚ 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. First Saturday of the month, noon to 4 p.m. 📍1700 W. Montgomery Ave., 📞215-763-6529, 🌐wagnerfreeinstitute.org

When it’s free: This museum is free year-round. Currently, they offer three main programs: family day (the third Saturday of the month), museum after-hours exhibits (the first Friday of the month), and drop-in tours (with a new topic to explore every Saturday at 2 p.m.).

Pro tip: The museum is much less crowded midweek.

📅Wednesday–Saturday, ⌚ 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 📍315 Chestnut St., 📞215-925-2222, 🌐sciencehistory.org

When it’s free: During Smithsonian Museum Day on Sept. 22, Swedish National Day on June 6, and during the Wawa Welcome America tour. On Veterans Day and Memorial Day, active military members enter for free.

Standard admission: $10.

Kids admission: Children under 5 are admitted free, and children under 12 are admitted for a reduced fare of $5.

Reduced admission: Seniors and active military members pay $7.

Pro tip: The museum is much less crowded midweek.

📅Tuesday-Sunday, ⌚ 10 a.m.– 4p.m (Tuesday-Friday), noon to 4 p.m. during weekends. 📍1900 Pattison Ave., 📞215-389-1776, 🌐americanswedish.org