MoMA PS1, the contemporary art kunsthalle in Queens, New York affiliated with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), will eliminate admission fees for all visitors starting 1 January 2026, making it the largest museum in New York City to adopt a fully free-entry model. The three-year initiative, funded by the entrepreneur and collector Sonya Yu, coincides with the institution’s 50th anniversary.
Yu emphasised that her support reflects a belief in the role cultural institutions can play in shaping belonging and visibility. “Building authentic creative communities is a powerful force for social change,” she said in a statement, explaining that her experience as a Chinese immigrant and parent informs her focus on access. She added that she hopes her contribution “helps to inspire new generations to see themselves in art and experience its incredible power at PS1”.
The move to an admission-free model echoes MoMA PS1’s origins as an alternative art space. Since its founding in a former public school building in 1976, the museum has developed a reputation for centring emerging and experimental artists while maintaining strong ties to its surrounding neighbourhood in Long Island City. In recent years, the institution has expanded its accessibility offerings with multilingual resources in English, Spanish and Chinese, free event tickets for local residents and partnerships with community organisations.
Connie Butler, the museum’s director, described the free-admission policy as an extension of the museum’s mission. “For 50 years, MoMA PS1 has made the work of living artists relevant and accessible,” she said in a statement, adding that Yu’s support will allow the museum “to invite even more New Yorkers and audiences from across the world to engage with our programme”. (Butler was previously the chief curator at the Hammer Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles, which is one of several museums in Southern California that are admission-free for all.)
The forthcoming edition of MoMA PS1’s quinquennial survey of New York-based artists, Greater New York (16 April-17 August 2026), will be among the first major exhibitions accessible to all visitors for free.
MoMA PS1 and the Bronx Museum will now be among the only New York City art museums to be fully admission-free year-round. The Whitney Museum offers free admission to visitors under 25; while the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum and the New Museum provide weekly free hours. The Museum of Modern Art offers free admission to New York State residents on Friday evenings; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers pay-what-you-wish admission to New York State residents and students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Many museums in the New York area and beyond have increased their admission fees in recent years to $30 or more.
