How to See Art In Person on a Budget

Cover image: Harrison Haines/Pexels.

A tight budget doesn’t have to mean a life without art. There are some places that you can enjoy works of art in person for free or at least at a discount.

Free and Low-Cost Museum Admission

Some museums are always free. In particular, college and university art museums are often free. (But some are not, so verify before you go.) Museums sponsored by the government tend to be free as well, both in the United States and abroad. In the U.S., this means the Smithsonian Museums (but not Smithsonian affiliates), National Gallery of Art, and some other museums in Washington D.C. In other countries, such museums might have “National Gallery”, “National Museum”, or the local-language equivalent in their names. You can find a list of free art museums in the USA by clicking here.
Other museums offer pay what you wish admission, which means that you pay whatever amount works for you (even if it’s only a few cents). There may be a “suggested donation” price listed, but you are under no obligation to actually give that amount. Don’t let a disapproving look from a desk attendant guilt you into donating more than feels right for you, but please don’t be unnecessarily stingy, either.
Museum that usually charge admission sometimes set aside a certain time of the week or one day each month for free, discounted, or pay-what-you-wish admission. These events are generally popular, so prepare for crowds and leave lots of time to find parking.
Museums tend to offer discounts or even free admission based on all sorts of different criteria. Beyond the usual students and seniors, you may get a discount if you are a local resident, employee of a corporate partner, member of an allied organization, or holder of some kind of tourist pass. Reciprocal admission programs mean that you may also get free admission if you belong to a different cultural institution (like a theatre or library) that has an agreement with the museum you want to visit. The list varies from museum to museum, so check online for details, because the most surprising things can potentially qualify you.
Museum members – people who have joined the museum for the year through a set donation – always get free admission. Membership is not usually cheap, but if there is a particular museum you like to return to regularly, getting membership may actually save you money. It also gets you discounts on parking, gift shop purchases, tickets to special events, and food from the in-site cafe. As mentioned above, membership may also give you free admission to some other museums through reciprocal agreements.
Museum admission is sometimes included in multi-venue tourist passes within regions and cities. The cost of the pass is much less than it would cost you to purchase tickets to each site separately. Naturally, whether these passes are worth the cost depends on how long you’ll be in town and what you want to see there.
If you receive food assistance through the SNAP program in the USA, you can receive free or heavily discounted admission to museums who participate in the Museum for All program.

In all cases, keep in mind that there may be other costs, especially parking, associated with a museum visit besides just admission. Plus, some museums charge extra to see special exhibitions or attend talks, though that is not common in the United States in my experience.

Expert guidance for your next art museum adventure

Other Places to See Art for Free

Commercial art galleries are always free to enter, since they’re essentially stores. Learn more about visiting art galleries here.
Most auction houses offer previews for a few days before each auction. At this time, it’s usually free to walk around the auction gallery and have a look at the pieces about to go up for sale. The auctions themselves are also free to observe, though some kind of registration may be required.
Local arts events are great ways of seeing artists from your area, and they’re almost always free. These include small, outdoor art fairs in public parks and squares, open studio events (where you can visit artists in their studios), and exhibitions in shops and public buildings. I’ve attended local art shows in libraries, community buildings, cultural centers, coffee shops, bookstores, civic buildings like the courthouse, performing arts centers, art schools, colleges, historic houses, and more. Click here to find out why I love these events so much.
Keep your eyes open to the art all around you, especially public art like murals and statues.

How to See Art Without a Travel Budget

If you don’t live in a major city and don’t have the opportunity to travel to see art, don’t fret. You probably have art-viewing opportunities closer to home than you realize.

Discover hidden gems. You would be surprised at how many people live within driving distance of great art museums – especially small or low-profile ones – they don’t even know exist. I can’t promise admission will be free, but they’re unlikely to cost as much as big-city museums, and you may qualify for a discount or reciprocal membership program. Don’t overlook regional and college/university museums in your area, either.
Think local. You don’t have to live near a big urban center to have access to local art galleries, shows, fairs, studio tours, or even auction houses. In fact, some of the best local art scenes – at least in the United States – are in small towns.
Look beyond art museums to places like your local historic society/museum and historic monuments like churches, mansions, and civic buildings. These places frequently own and display artworks, antiques, and other historic art objects. Find more surprising places to see art in this article.

Bonus: Free Art Museums in the United States

Free Art Museums Getty Villa — Getty Villa – Outer Peristyle. The entire J. Paul Getty Museum system in Los Angeles is free and open to the public. Photo by Dave & Margie Hill / Kleerup via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Please note that all museums may adjust their admissions policies as they see fit, and I don’t check regularly to see if anything has changed. Thus, I suggest verifying this information before you plan a visit. Also, realize that you’ll probably still have to pay for things like parking. Museums with a star next to their names charge for entry to special exhibitions but not to the permanent collection. If you know of any other free art museums, let me know! Click the links to read my reviews.